| Title: Masthead |
| File: Masthead_V57 |
| Title: Gambling and Gambling research in Emerging Markets: Africa and Asia |
| Abstract: NA |
| Keywords: NA |
| Pages: 1-6 |
| Authors: Nigel E. Turner, Bimosh Rai, & Sabrina Di Falco |
| File: Editorial- V57 |
| Title: Betting-Related Information Needs and Seeking Behaviour of Undergraduate Students in Selected Universities in Nigeria |
| Abstract: Sports betting just like social media have become ubiquitous and popular amongst Nigerians especially the youths. The perceived rise of gambling business is relatively fueled by the invention of information and communication technology and incessant use of social media among undergraduates. This study examines betting related information needs and seeking behaviour of undergraduates in selected universities in Kwara State. The study adopts descriptive survey research design. The population includes undergraduate students in university of Ilorin, Kwara State University, Malete and Landmark University, Omu-aran. The rationale behind the choice of these universities is based on the ownership of Federal, state and private university respectively. The population of the study is 85,467 and the study used simple random sampling technique and Raosoft sample size calculator was used to select sample of 383.Questionniare was used as method of data collection and descriptive statistics of frequency table, mean and standard deviation was used as method of data analysis The study found out that information on player statistics to play bet, information on real-time scores, information on how to operate betting apps and websites , information on how betting odds work, information on how to calculate potential winnings, information on team performance to make informed betting decisions, information on terms and conditions that govern betting in my jurisdiction and information on how to avoid financial risks are betting related information need on among undergraduate students in universities in Kwara State. The study recommends that undergraduates who are bettors should look beyond player statistic and team performance but oppositions form. |
| Keywords: Information, Information Need, Information Seeking Behavior, Betting-related Information. |
| Pages: 7-31 |
| Authors: Kabir Alabi Sulaiman, AbdulRasheed Ajibola Saadudeen, Sunday Samuel Kolawole, Kehinde Omotolani Faruq, Muslimat Eniola Kazeen, Zainab Omowumi Kamaldeen |
| DOI: 10.4309/XKCW5482 |
| File: Sulaiman et al. |
| Title: Gambling Away Education: A Community-Level Analysis of Gambling and Academic Performance among Junior High School Students in Ghana. |
| Abstract: This study examines the impact of gambling on the academic performance of junior and senior high school students in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality of Ghana. Using a descriptive quantitative survey, data were collected from 186 final-year students across three schools. Results reveal that 69.4% of students participate in gambling activities, primarily sports betting, slot machines, and card games, with many spending three to six hours daily on these activities. Motivations for gambling include the lure of financial gain, persuasive media advertisements and the proximity of gambling centres. While some students perceive benefits such as financial support and socialization, the study identifies substantial negative effects, including addiction, poor academic performance, excessive borrowing and engagement in risky behaviours such as criminal activity and substance use. This research makes a novel contribution by providing a community-level analysis of gambling and academic outcomes within a rural/peri- urban Ghanaian context, an area overlooked in existing scholarship. It highlights the normalization of gambling in students’ daily lives and the socio-environmental and academic pressures that drive participation. The findings reveal the vital role of social work in prevention, early intervention, counselling and community engagement. Recommendations include implementing targeted school-based prevention programmes, strengthening family and community involvement, enforcing stricter regulation of gambling activities and integrating gambling-harm education into social work practice to protect students’ academic success and well- being. |
| Keywords: Academic performance, Gambling Severity, Gambling addiction, Gambling behaviours, Student life. |
| Pages: 32-49 |
| Authors: Emmanuel Angmor, Daniella Delali Sedegah, Samuel Appiah, & Efua Mantey |
| DOI: 10.4309/EZOY5519 |
| File: Angmor et al. |
| Title: Female gamblers within Ghanaian communities: Exploring attitudes to sports betting on the university campus |
| Abstract: Gambling is gradually spreading among women in the Global North, which is less explored in the Global South. This article examines the attitudes of female Physical Education student-teachers to gambling and sports betting at a university in Ghana, West Africa. The study is important because prior research has not focused on student-teachers in the global south, who may be more at risk for gambling harm. Literature on gambling among women bettors and its harm contributes to explaining sports betting activities of female students on campus. Interviews with nine ardent female bettors illuminate their enthusiasm, attractiveness to gambling products and experiences from betting. Findings reveal that female students share similar motivations with male bettors, driven persistently by financial rewards for their upkeep. Results indicate how swift payment of wins attracts them to betting products such as tossing of coins, Aviator, football matches and jackpots. Female bettors experience psychological pain after losing their bets, mood swings and loss of learning time, which can affect their health and studies. The article offers evidence showing how female students strategically minimise gambling-related harms. Adopting aggressive educational campaigns and sensitisation can minimise their patronage, and limit such engagement to leisure or responsible gambling practices. |
| Keywords: Female Student-teachers, Gambling Products, Academic Work, Enticement, Sports Betting. |
| Pages: 50-79 |
| Authors: Victoria Sarfo Konadu, Ralph Frimpong, Fiona Soraya Addai-Sundiata, Memunatu Mahamah, & Ernest Yeboah Acheampong |
| DOI: 10.4309/FRUE6515 |
| File: Konadu et al. |
| Title: You Can Become a Millionaire: Interrogating the Deception of Gambling Adverts on Nigeria’s Youth in Lagos Metropolis |
| Abstract: This article critically examines the deceptive nature of gambling advertisements targeting Nigerian youth, with particular emphasis on the portrayal of gambling as a quick route to wealth and success. Gambling, especially online sports betting and casino games, has become increasingly popular in Nigeria, partly driven by aggressive marketing strategies by betting companies. This research focuses on Lagos State, Nigeria’s economic and cultural hub, where youth are more likely to be exposed to such advertisements. Through core qualitative methodologies involving 66 respondents, the study conducted 40 In-Depth interviews, 5 Key Informant Interviews and 3 Focus Group Discussions, which were analysed through qualitative thematic content analysis; the study investigates how gambling adverts influence young Nigerians’ perceptions of wealth, success, and their engagement with gambling. The findings reveal that gambling advertisements exploit the economic vulnerabilities of youth, promoting unrealistic expectations of financial success, which often leads to risky gambling behaviour, financial instability, addiction, and depression. The study calls for stronger regulatory frameworks, media literacy programs, and social interventions to protect Nigerian youth from the harmful effects of deceptive gambling advertisements. |
| Keywords: Gambling Adverts, Gambling, Deception, Addiction. |
| Pages: 80-101 |
| Authors: Olawale James Gbadeyan |
| DOI: 10.4309/EJKN7284 |
| File: Gbadeyan |
| Title: High stakes account for low grades? Examining the interplay of gambling severity, attitudes, behaviours, and intervention approaches among university students |
| Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between gambling and academic performance among university students, focusing on the roles of gambling severity, attitudes, behaviours, and intervention strategies. Grounded in the General Strain Theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the study employs a quantitative research design using an online survey of 644 students from a public university in Ghana. Data were analysed using SmartPLS structural equation modelling. The findings reveal that gambling attitudes and gambling severity significantly predict poor academic performance, while gambling behaviours and reduction measures show little statistically significant effect. These results suggest that problem gambling, shaped by students’ psychological perceptions and emotional strain, poses a serious academic risk. The study recommends institutional interventions such as targeted awareness campaigns, mental health support, and stricter access controls to gambling platforms. It contributes to the literature of problem gambling by integrating behavioural and emotional frameworks to explain how gambling influences educational outcomes, and it calls for evidence-based policies to address student gambling in higher education settings. |
| Keywords: Academic performance, Gambling Severity, Gambling addiction, Gambling behaviours, Student life. |
| Pages: 102-128 |
| Authors: James Tuffour, Sabina Appiah-Boateng, Emmanuel Yaw Arhin, Albert Acheampong, & Noah Boakye-Yiadom |
| DOI: 10.4309/UOQY1733 |
| File: Tuffour |