Perceptions of Student Athletes and Sports Officers on the Effects of Online Betting in Kenyan Universities

Abstract

Online sports’ betting is widely spread in Kenya, and it is becoming culturally acceptable by today’s generation more than any other previous generation. The majority of university students are inclined to perceive online sports betting as a harmless activity. This study examined perception of student athletes and sports officers on the effects of online betting in Kenyan universities. A descriptive research design was used. The target population of 24639 comprised of diploma, undergraduate, and post-graduate student-athletes together with the university sports officers within the department of sports and games concerned with students' sports issues. A simple random sample was used to ensure representation. A sample of 423 comprising of 385 athletes and 38 sports officers was selected. A self-report questionnaire, observation score sheet and key informants protocol were used as the instruments for data collection. Observation of gambling behaviour was recorded. Data obtained was coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Regression analysis and correlation analysis were used to test the hypothesis. The findings reveal that there was a positive and significant association between gambling severity and economic wellbeing (r = 0.600, P>0.0001). Regression of coefficients in the first hypothesis, H01 indicated that: there is no significant effect of online betting on the perceived economic wellbeing of student-athletes, revealed that gambling severity and economic wellbeing of students are positively and significantly related (β =0.711, P>0.0001). The results showed that there was a positive and significant association between gambling severity and social wellbeing (r = 0.702, P>0.0001). Regression of coefficients in the second hypothesis, H02m indicated that: there is no significant effect of online sports betting on the perceived social wellbeing of student-athletes, revealed that gambling severity and social wellbeing of students are positively and significantly related (β =0.544, P>0.0001). The interaction effect of demographic factors on the relationship between gambling severity and social wellbeing of student-athletes had an F-value of 2.654. The results show that there was a positive and significant association between gambling severity and mental wellbeing (r = 0.711, P>0.0001). Regression of coefficients in the third hypothesis H03 revealed that : there is no significant effect of online sports betting on the perceived mental health wellbeing of student-athletes, the results revealed that gambling severity and the mental wellbeing of students are positively and significantly related (β =0.576, P>0.0001). There was a positive and significant association between gambling severity and academic performance (r = 0.623, P>0.0001). Regression of coefficients in the fourth hypothesis, H04 divulged that: there is no significant effect of online sports betting on the perceived academic performance of student-athletes, it further revealed that, gambling severity and academic performance of students are positively and significantly related (β =0.346, P>0.0001). The interaction between the extent of online sports betting and demographic variables had a significant effect on student-athletes' perceived academic performance. Students' intellectual focus, and specifically within the sub-section of university student-athletes, was harmed as a result of time spent away from school, betting online. There is a need to develop social, economic, mental, and academic harm minimization strategies to avoid the worst-case scenario of suicide ideation and suicide attempts that are becoming popular amongst online sports bettors.