Annual of social work, Vol. 21 No. 2, 2014.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3935/ljsr.v21i2.19
SPORTS BETTING BYSTUDENTS IN ZAGREB – THE CONTRIBUTION OF IRRATIONAL BELIEFS, MOTIVATION AND EXPERIENCE IN GAMES OF CHANCE
Dora Dodig
orcid.org/0000-0002-4767-637X
; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Neven Ricijaš
orcid.org/0000-0001-8107-8448
; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Rajić-Stojanović
; Children home Slavonski Brod, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Abstract
In Croatia, we are witnessing an increasing availability of games of chance, and especially the great popularity of sports betting. It is known that adolescents and young adults have the highest risk of developing gambling-related problems. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore characteristics of sports betting by students in relation to frequency, gender differences and other gambling activities, as well as to explore the specific contribution that irrational beliefs, motivation and experience in games of chance have in explaining the frequency of sports betting. The study was conducted on a sample of 254 students at the University of Zagreb (M=147, F=107). The age of participants ranged from 19 to 27 years (Mage=21.42; SD=1.37).
The results show that almost half of the students (49.8%) have experience in sports betting, and the group largely consists of young men for whom sports betting is the most frequently played game of chance. Girls are significantly less likely to bet on sports results, but they play lottery games more often. Frequent sports betting is correlated with more frequent participation in slot machine games, roulette and virtual race betting. To determine the contribution that different characteristics and constructs have in explaining the frequency of sports betting, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. The main determinants of intensive sports betting are behavioural and experiential variables – more frequent gambling (participating in other games of chance) and subjective experience in winning large amounts of money. The results underline the importance of experience, availability and accessibility of gambling activities in the specific Croatian market, and are interpreted in the context of possible psychosocial and broader social interventions.
Keywords
students; sports betting; gambling; games of chance; risk behaviour
Hrčak ID:
130735
URI
Publication date:
20.11.2014.
Visits: 3.697 *