The prevalence of gambling among University students : with a focus on internet gambling

Abstract

Problem gambling is a topic that is scarcely studied in the Maltese context. This study provides a snapshot of the gambling habits of university student during the past year and explores the effect of Internet gambling on gambling severity. The Primary research question is; what is the prevalence of gambling and problem gambling among students of the University of Malta and what are the general patterns of gambling activity? Secondly, to what extent Internet gambling practices and problem gambling are related? A secondary research question is: What is the relationship between problem gambling and gender, mental illness, substance abuse, family history, and, attitudes toward gambling? The study was carried out using an online questionnaire sent out all university students via email, yielding 792 respondents. The prevalence of problem gambling in the population was found to be between 0.8 and 0.9%, while Internet gambling was found to be a strong predictor for increased gambling problems. It was found that the male, Internet gambler who uses multiple substances and spends more than 10 Euros a month on gambling is at the greatest risk of gambling problems. This study explores a new area of research as well as providing a platform for future research.