College Students and Gambling

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College Students and Gambling

• Tahira K. Hira, Ph.D., CFP
• Professor
• Human Development Family Studies
• Iowa State University

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Gambling in Iowa

• between 10,000 31,000 are currently compulsive
  gamblers,
• 33,000 to 62,000 are problem gamblers.

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Gambling among College Students

• ... it was impossible to visit a campus and not
  find at least a handful of sophisticated
  operations run by students .... (Sports
  Illustrated AP. 10,1995. PP 68-79)

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Objectives of the study were to determine the

• extent type of gambling activities common among
  ISU students
• Students attitudes, opinions and beliefs about
  gambling
• reasons for gambling
• need for education and information (type and
  sources)

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Sources of Data

• Data were collected in Summer
• Fall 96
• ISU survey (n 797)
• Des Moines survey (Students 162)
• focus groups (n 10)

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Characteristics

• Five colleges were represented
• Males 51
• Part-time employed 52
• Residence Status
• Off-campus 46
• Residence halls 38

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Proportion of college students gambling

• over half (52 ) of those participating in the
  survey indicated they gambled

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Des Moines survey (n162)

• mean age 23yrs
• mean income 9,103
• mean debt 6,416
• gamblers 48
• females 61
• had C.C. loans 32
• had consolidated loans 32
• used ATMs 44

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What about sports gambling?

• According to 22 of the students...
• Sports gambling at ISU
• is widespread!

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How prevalent is student gambling

• According to participants in students focus
  groups.....
• easily half of the students gamble
• virtually everybody I hang out with seems to
  gamble a little bit or follow sports, where we
  know something is going to happen.
• a majority of students gamble in some sort.
  Whether it be on a football game or whatever.

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Student Involvement in Different Types of
Gambling and Average Amount Spent
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it starts casually?

• I started out maybe a couple of times a week,
  towards the end I was gambling almost every day.
• I started with playing for small amounts of
  money (2 to 5), and it got to the point I had
  to go to the bank before going to play golf. I
  had to have more money just in case I lost.

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It starts as fun....
Tell them it starts as fun, and soon people
cant quit.
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Its all around.....

• gambling is becoming more prevalent
• kids grow up in an environment where people in
  the family gamble....
• so you learn about it from the moment you start
  talking to people.

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Student gambling behavior

• I usually take 30-40. But then my problem is,
  you've got your cash cards, checks, etc.. Ive
  gone through about 300 at one time.
• I initially played a 10 bill, soon I was
  spending 40, but by the time winter came around
  I had 80-100 when I would go.

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Easy access to cash credit- the allure of
gambling
Students say when we first started going we
would take 200 in cash, now that they have put
ATMs there....if you lose, you can easily get
more money out to play.
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Main reason they gamble?

• Entertainment 67
• To win money 29

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Men and woman gamble for different reasons.

• women gamble for entertainment

• men gamble to win

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Main Reason for Not Gambling

• Cant afford 16
• Other 26
• age, money, time, transportation
• religion,

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What do their parents think about your gambling?

• A majority (70) said their parents knew about
  their gambling but...
• They dont care 43
• Its fine with them 41

21
Parents Friends Involvement in Gambling
22
Extent of problem gambling

• those who sought help for serious gambling
  problems for
• friends (6)
• family members (2)

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Should there be an age restriction for gambling?

• Yes......................77
• Age 16-18 48
• Age 19-21 29
• Age 22 and up 24

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Who should provide help to those facing problems
due to gambling?

• 1-800-BETS-OFF 68
• Student Counseling Service 54
• ISU Financial Counseling Clinic 47

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Type of Help/Information

• pamphlets that can be picked up confidentially
• hot-line/help-line where people can call and
  talk confidentially...
• a place to talk about addiction
• financial counseling for those who dont want to
  admit they have gambling addiction

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Give facts about gambling

• probability of winning and losing
• specific information on how much money is lost
  and how much is won
• how fast one can lose money
• information on how to rig the machine

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He says it all...

• I would say just make them aware-
• that you are going to lose, its not even a
  50-50 chance of winning..,
• be aware of the consequences of it.

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Include Information about.....

• signs of gambling addiction
• characteristics of compulsive gamblers
• real life stories about the impact of gambling
  losses on peoples lives
• before and after photographs
• testimonials of people who have gotten in
  trouble for gambling

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Our students say........
In our society what we are doing is promoting
you dont have to work for your money.
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Where to ... from here ...

• important to accept that it exists
• increasing numbers of students on campuses are
  involved in gambling
• gambling problems have long term effects on
  students
• personally and professionally
• develop programs
• to prevent problem gambling
• to help those who are in trouble due to gambling