ADVERTISEMENT
As Online Sports Betting Gains Popularity, 1 in 4 College Students Who Gamble Online Believe They Have Addiction
According to a recent study from Intelligent.com, 54% of students said they have gambled while in college, 1 in 3 students gamble online, and 1 in 4 online gamblers believe they have a gambling addiction.
Conducted in July, the online survey included responses from more than 700 randomly selected undergraduate students across the US. Students ranged in age from 18 to 25 years old.
Various gambling activities were covered in the Intelligent.com survey. While lotteries were the most popular form of gambling among college students (34%), 20.5% of respondents reported using sports betting apps, and 17.2% said they play fantasy sports.
The rise in sports gambling follows a 2018 US Supreme Court ruling that struck down a federal ban on state authorization of sports betting. As of July 10, 2023, 35 states have legalized sports betting in various forms, and according to Action Network:
- 21 states have full mobile betting with multiple options;
- 10 states allow betting only in-person at sportsbooks; and
- 4 states allow limited mobile betting options.
Florida briefly allowed online sports betting in late 2021, however, a federal court ruling that struck down an agreement that had given the Seminole tribe sole jurisdiction over sports betting in the state has since halted wagering. Four additional states have pending legislation to allow sports gambling, and 3 states have bills proposed that could see legalized sports wagering by 2024, according to Action Network.
The college student study from Intelligent.com also produced the following findings:
- 1 in 7 online gamblers say they are spending at least $1,000 per month. A majority of students who gamble online said they have made or lost a total of $500 or less.
- While 64.9% of respondents who gamble say they have used personal savings to place wagers, 1 in 5 said they have used financial aid and/or student loan money.
Role of Universities
As states have legalized sports gambling in various forms, at least 8 universities have signed partnerships with sports betting companies and at least 12 athletic departments and booster clubs have signed deals with casinos, according to a New York Times article published in November 2022. Such deals may include universities granting rights to gambling companies to advertise their services to students, including school-related promotional codes in betting apps. About 20% of survey respondents said their university has such partnerships in place, according to Intelligent.com.
However, 31% of respondents said their school has a policy against gambling on campus (21% said their school does not have such a policy, and 48% of respondents were unsure), and 41% said their school does not offer education on responsible gambling (22% said such education was available, and 37% of respondents were unsure).
References
1 in 5 college students are gambling on sports betting apps. Intelligent.com; 2023.
