Problem Gambling Correlates and Their Effects on Study Habits of Students‟ Sport Bettors in the University of Cape Coast

Abstract

This study investigated gambling activities of students‟ sport bettors of the University of Cape Coast and the effects these activities on the patterns ones study habits. The purpose of the study was to examine the correlate behaviours of problem gambling and the effects on study habits of students‟ sports bettors in the University of Cape Coast. The descriptive survey design of the quantitative research approach was employed in this study. The study used both adopted and adapted questionnaires to elicit responses. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, frequency counts, percentages and percentile ranks) and inferential statistics (Ordinal logistic regression and multivariate analysis of variance). It was found that more than one-third of students sampled engaged in student sports betting at varying degree of intensity. Also, it was discovered that betting for money was the main motivation of students‟ sports bettors. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that the university through its new initiative to establish Students‟ Support Office (StuFSO) which intend to provide support to brilliant but needy students, should also widen their scope in amassing resources to also provide for average students the opportunity to apply for a semester bursary which will cater for the student‟s basic needs within a semester. Also, the activities of the Study Habit Unit of the counselling centre in collaboration with the department academic advisors, hall counsellors and the recommended “Gaming Research Unit” of the Department of Psychology and Education should intermittently run open forum where students can test their study habit level