Exploring Sports Betting Prevalence, Patterns, Effects, And Associated Factors Among Undergraduate Students in a Nigerian University — A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2023.2371Keywords:
Students, Gambling, Prevalence, Nigeria, MotivationAbstract
BACKGROUND: The rise of legalized gambling, fueled by technology and social media, has transformed betting into a risky economic activity that promises income. In Nigeria, sports betting has become increasingly popular among youths, particularly university students, with easy online access contributing to its prevalence. However, inadequate awareness of its risks and impact on academics persists due to the perception that sports betting lacks overt physical manifestations. Research is needed to increase understanding of sports betting's patterns, correlates, and impact, especially among undergraduates.
AIMS: This study aimed to shed light on the prevalence, patterns, and implications of sports betting among undergraduates at the University of Calabar, to foster comprehensive solutions to address its negative consequences on academic performance and overall well-being.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate students of a federal University in Nigeria. Multistage randomized sampling was utilized to recruit 406 participants for the study. Seventeen departments were selected using simple random sampling, and one class was chosen from each department through balloting, resulting in a total of 17 classes. Proportional allocation was used to determine the number of participants required from each class, and systematic sampling was employed to select the participants. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire adapted from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey, with the Problem Gambling Severity Index used to assess the prevalence of problem gambling and the effects of sports betting on bettors. Motivations for sports betting were assessed using the Reasons for Gambling Questionnaire. The impact of sports betting on academics was evaluated using a separate set of questions. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26; p-values less than 0.05 were considered significant.
RESULTS: Out of 406 undergraduate respondents, 36.7% had engaged in sports betting, with 30.3% participating in the past year. Among past-year gamblers, 21.9% bet as frequently as 2-3 days a week, 18.7% bet 2-3 days a month, and 15.40% bet daily. Football was the preferred sport for 95.9% of sports bettors. Two-thirds of past-year gamblers used online platforms for betting, while 32.5% utilized land-based venues. Most sports bettors (87.8%) were motivated by monetary consideration, while 10.5% did so out of fear of missing out. Advertisements influenced 56.1% of respondents' decisions to place bets. Problem gambling prevalence was 14.3% in the study population and 47.2% among past-year gamblers. Negative academic impacts were reported by 64.2% of past-year gamblers. In bivariate analysis, a p-value <0.05 was considered significant, and age, sex, and monthly income had a significant relationship with lifetime gambling prevalence. Sex and socioeconomic status were significantly associated with problem gambling. Regular gambling was significantly related to academic performance.
CONCLUSION: Gambling is prevalent among undergraduates and a significant proportion develop addictive disorders like problem gambling requiring mental health rehabilitation. This study underscores the necessity of interventions, regulations, and support services to tackle the prevalence and consequences of sports betting among students. Recommendations include education campaigns, age verification, financial literacy programs, and support groups to empower students and address potential negative impacts.
Metrics
References
Not applicable
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Faithful Miebaka Daniel, Monica Anurika Gbuchie , Charlie Monday Aniebiet, Victoria Ezinne Emeruwa, Williams Ibangha Ike
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.
- Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.
- The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:
- Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site; with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
- The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
- Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.
- The Author represents and warrants that:
- the Work is the Author’s original work;
- the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;
- the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;
- the Work has not previously been published;
- the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and
- the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.
- The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from the Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.
Enforcement of copyright
The IJMS takes the protection of copyright very seriously.
If the IJMS discovers that you have used its copyright materials in contravention of the license above, the IJMS may bring legal proceedings against you seeking reparation and an injunction to stop you using those materials. You could also be ordered to pay legal costs.
If you become aware of any use of the IJMS' copyright materials that contravenes or may contravene the license above, please report this by email to contact@ijms.org
Infringing material
If you become aware of any material on the website that you believe infringes your or any other person's copyright, please report this by email to contact@ijms.org
