Sustainable wins: Exploring the nexus of Environmental, Social and Governance investment and firm efficiency in the gambling industry moderated by business strategy type

Abstract This study investigates the moderating influence of the business strategy type on the correlation between environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment and efficiency in the gambling industry. By employing the range directional measure–network data envelopment analysis model, this study focuses on a sample of 29 gambling firms in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania for the period of 2019–2022. Findings show that (i) the gambling industry demonstrates steadily increasing trends in the three ESG pillars; (ii) the gambling firms in Asia outperform their counterparts in North America across the three ESG pillars, and among the industry classifications, the betting operators lead in performance in the ESG pillars; and (iii) the adoption of an aggressive business strategy will enhance the translation of social responsibility investment and governance practices into heightened sustainability efficiency and marketability efficiency, respectively. Overall, this study enriches the ESG investment literature by exploring the moderating role of the business strategy type and provides insights into how diverse business strategies within the gambling industry can shape the outcomes of ESG initiatives. The implications of the findings extend to management teams and offer valuable insights into the interplay between the business strategy type and the ESG–firm efficiency nexus. Policymakers can leverage the results to design regulations and incentives that align with the different strategic profiles adopted by gambling firms to foster the creation of tailored and effective approaches for strengthening their sustainability in the industry.