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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM67802
Volume:
10 |
10 |
Oct 2026
Pages:
1-19
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.

Bachelor's of Business Administration
Koneru Lakshmaiah University
Bachelor's of Business Administration
Koneru Lakshmaiah University
Bachelor's of Business Administration
Koneru Lakshmaiah University
Gamification, which applies points, badges, rewards and challenges in contexts outside of games, is now widely used in financial applications, but there is little research on the relationship between gamification and real-life money behaviours among young adults. This study aims at analysing the relationship between gamification, interest and habit adaption with three aspects of financial behaviour (saving, financial planning and investment) among young adults in the city of Vijayawada, India. The study adopted questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale, which was sent to 130 young adults, with 97 responding with full questionnaires. The data were analysed in Microsoft Excel with descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test, Chi-square test of independence, one-way ANOVA, simple and multiple linear regression, and Baron and Kenny mediation analysis with Sobel test. Overall, respondents felt that gamification increases their interest in personal finance (M = 3.87) and motivates them to save, plan and invest (M = 3.91). Financial behaviour was positively associated with perceived gamification (β = .63, R² = .40); increased interest and increased habit adaption were also positively associated with financial behaviour (β = .65, R² = .42) and increased interest was positively associated with financial planning (β = .51, R² = .26). Increased interest and habit adaption mediated the link between gamification and financial behaviour (Sobel z = 2.55, p = .011). There were only minor differences along demographic lines except for financial behaviour and plans (by income) and gamification perceptions (by education). The results indicate that gamified financial tools are most effective when they turn engagement into a habit that can be sustained and provide some guidance to fintech designers, educators and regulators.
KEYWORDS
This study attempted to explore the relationship between gamification, interest and habit formation, and saving, financial planning and investment behaviour among the young adults in Vijayawada. All five of the null hypotheses were rejected on the basis of 97 responses. There is a positive relation between gamification and financial behaviours, and interest and adaption of financial habits carry most of the relation between gamification and financial behaviours; increased interest in personal finance is perceived to increase interest and improve financial habits; increased interest improves financial planning; and increased interest and adaption of financial habits carry most of the relation between gamification and financial behaviour. There were few differences by gender, age or education level and low-income participants had lower planning and behaviour scores. The study contributes to a body of literature that focused predominantly on the adoption of financial education and fintech services or trading independently, and suggests that financial tools that leverage on gamification work best when they make engagement into habit.
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Publication Date
10/10/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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