What are the predictors of sports betting and gambling among Makerere University students? A case study of College of Business and Management Sciences

Abstract

In Uganda one in four (1 in 4) adults participate in different sports betting and gambling activities in the different region in the country. The prevalence is high among the youth with about 40% of the youth admitted to have ever involved in the practice yet the practice remains under regulated by the state. The aim of this study was therefore to establish the predictors of sports betting and gambling among the students at Makerere University. The study was a cross sectional study based on the quantitative data collected from a sample of 150 students College of Business and management sciences using a semi structured online questionnaire. The analysis was done using the multivariate logistic regression model The results indicated about 50.6% of the students are involved in the sports betting and gambling. The main predictors of participation in sports betting are gambling are; age (p-value=0.004) and had positive correlation with sports betting and gambling, Religion (Others) (P_value=0.002) student from other faith like Pentecostal have 69.9% probability of involvement in sports betting and gambling. Year of study (third years) (p-value=0.014) where students in third year had lower likelihood of engaging in sports betting, Marital status (In relationship) (p_value=0.037) students in relationship had 14.1% probability of participating in the sports betting, peer pressure (p-value=0.012) where increased peer influence increases the probability of participating in the sports betting by 18.2% , marketing and advertising(p_value=0.000) where increased marketing of the and quick money ideology (p_value=0.000) is positively correlated with sports betting and gambling. In conclusion, age of a student, marketing and advertising of the gambling products, peer influence, students in third year of their study, marital status (students in relationship) and quick money attitude among the students are the predictors of participation in sports betting and gambling. The study therefore recommended, intensified marketing, and discriminatory advertising based on age by the sports betting firms to increase their profit maximization and sensitization of the students on bad peer influence by the students’ guild to regulate the practice among the university students.