Small Grants 2023-24

Attainment of Objectives. As per our grant application, our research objectives were:

1. To discern the prevalence of online gambling among university students.
   a. To identify the prevalence of their online single-event sports betting.
2. To describe online gambling behaviours among university students.
   a. To illustrate their online single-event sports betting behaviours.
3. To understand socio-psychological antecedents of online problem gambling (PG)
   and responsible gambling (RG) among university students.
4. To examine consequences of online PG and RG among university students.
   a. To explore correlates of their online single-event sports betting.

We received responses from a random sample of 604 students at the University of Alberta (U of A). After eliminating disengaged/unusable cases, the final sample size was 525, with 185 students (35.2%) who had gambled online at least once over the past 12 months, and 340 who had not (Objective 1). In the same time period, 66 students (12.6%) partook in online single-event sports betting (Objective 1-a). With regard to Objective 2, most frequently engaged online gambling activities were raffle tickets (n = 96), fantasy sports (n=60), sports with an online bookie (n = 50), single-game outcomes of sports (n = 47), and sport pools (n = 46). Students often used online platforms such as Bet365 for their gambling. As to online single-event sports betting, students most often betted on ice hockey (n = 43), American/Canadian football (n = 32), professional basketball (n = 23), college basketball (n = 21), and soccer (n = 20) (Objective 2-a). Friends (n = 39) were the most important reason why students engaged in online single-event sport betting. The average time for each online single-event sport betting session was 27 minutes ranging from 1 to 100 minutes. The average for the largest amount of money spent on online single-event sports betting was $175, ranging from $1 to 3,000.

In terms of Objectives 3 and 4, we used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine relationships between various factors. In our model, we hypothesized that basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration predicted harmonious and obsessive gambling passions, respectively. We further posited that these two types of gambling passions would predict online RG (operationalized as positive play) and PG, respectively, which then further predict life satisfaction and mental health, respectively. Our final model achieved a good fit: χ2 = 1.89 (df = 16); CFI = .992, SRMR = .029; RMSEA = .058, 90%  CI [.024; .090]. Online PG was predicted by greater obsessive gambling passion and competence frustration (e.g., unable to achieve goals due to social environments). Surprisingly, online RG was positively predicted by competence satisfaction, but not explained by harmonious gambling passion. As to consequences, online PG correlated to poorer mental health, while online RG predicted better life satisfaction. It was concerning to find that engaging in online single-event sports betting was correlated with more PG (r = .40, p < .01) and less RG (r = -.33, p < .01) behaviours (Objective 4-a).

Knowledge Advancement & Impacts. This random nature was particularly important to the generalizability of our findings, considering how past studies of student gambling relied on convenience samples. We will submit a conference abstract for the 2025 AGRI conference, while also developing a manuscript for the Journal of Gambling Studies focused on the SEM results. We will also write another paper focused on descriptive results. In terms of impacts and knowledge translation, we are developing materials to share with the Office of the Dean of Students at the U of A in order to raise awareness of online gambling and single-event sport betting among university students.

Capacity/Team Building & Collaborations. This project was the first funded research project between Drs. Soebbing and Kono. Thus, the project increased their gambling related research capacity. We also funded one Master’s student through this funding, who will also complete his capping project based on the current dataset. By attending the AGRI related workshop at the U of A, we also connected with others who engage in gambling related research on campus such as Dr. Nicoll, Dr. Smith, and Dr. Wheeler.

The impact has not been as much as initially proposed. The main reason is due to the delay in getting the survey out. After filing our ethics application, there was a sizable delay due to U of A’s privacy concerns and changes in internal procedures regarding the random sample of students. Thus, it was not until February when we began surveying
students.

With the survey closed and the work done on analyzing the survey data, the impact is going to be in the area of further understanding single-game sports betting among university students. This impact area, sports betting, is one that AGRI identified as a key issue. Furthermore, AGRI identifies Internet/remote gambling as a key issue. To this end, we have been focused on translating the findings from our survey for the Office of the Dean of Students at the U of A to provide them with information and potential recommendation regarding gambling behavior of the U of A student population. As listed below, we are preparing a couple of peer reviewed manuscripts regarding the findings summarized above.

Two articles in progress.

Two paper to be submitted for presentation in 2025.