Prevalence of Sports Betting and Associated Psychological Effects among Students at Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences Bugando



Prevalence of Sports Betting and Associated Psychological Effects among Students at Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences Bugando - Mwanza, Tanzania | Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS-Bugando] | 2024. - 42 Pages Includes References

Background Information:

With the high uptake of sports betting among young people especially university students, it is inevitable that some of them will experience adverse effects associated with gambling disorder. According to the study of Anna E. et al which classified gambling into four gambling classes as; 1. A low-gambling class, 2. a card gambling class, 3. Casino/slots or gambling class, and 4. For an extensive gambling class. Membership in the card, casino/slots and extensive gambling classes were associated with higher scores on alcohol/drug use, novelty seeking and self-identified gambling problems compared to the low-gambling class.

The study also found that frequency of gambling predicted gambling disorder while typical amount placed per bet did not(1). In another study by Henry R et al. done among university students in the US revealed that over 90% of males and 82% of females had gambled. One third of the males and 15% of females gambled once a week or more. Rates of psychological gambling disorders ranged from 8% in New York to 4% in Nevada. The incidence of psychological disorder was high among males, Hispanics, Asians, and Italian Americans (compared with among other whites), students with non-traffic arrests, those with parents who have gambling problems, and those who abuse alcohol and other drugs (2). In a study conducted in Australia revealed that the strongest predictors of greater intended frequency of sports betting were higher problem gambling severity, previous sports betting participation, more frequent exposure to the promotions, and more positive attitudes towards them. Results suggest that the audience most likely to be stimulated by these promotions are problem gamblers because they have greatest exposure and a favorable disposition to them, and report they have maintained or worsened their problem sports betting behaviors (3). A study by Renee A et al. revealed that male college student athletes reported more gambling participation as well as greater gambling problems than their female counterparts. Findings showed positive relationships between the outcome of desiring financial gain and adverse psychological effect. That is, those who risk more items on the outcome expected for financial gain, also tended to have more gambling-related problems (4). In another study by Joana Salif et al. revealed that proliferation of football betting particularly remains a critical potential risk for negative mental health outcomes among young people in Sub-Saharan Africa(5). Another study by Evaristo Barrera et al, revealed that a possible proliferation of online betting services, that could imply an increase of social, psychological, and family relationship problems affecting young gamblers, which may constitute a new profile of gambling disorder(6). In a study conducted in Ghana by Samuel Asare and Nana Appiah-Kubi (2019) results shown that students who engaged in sports betting had higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression compared to non-bettors (7). In a study by Fabio et al revealed that 69.3% of the participants were disordered gamblers, 68.9% gambled more than once in a week while 56.6% typically placed bets of between 50 to 100 Kenya shillings. Gambling disorder goes with age, religion, family, income and how one disposes to the situation (8).


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--Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Behavioral Sciences-- Clinical Pharmacology
Catholic University of  Health and Allied Sciences - CUHAS
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