Pre-University Students Attitude towards Sport Betting

Abstract

This study deployed sociological, anthropological and psychological theories to assess Pre-university Student's attitude towards Sport Betting in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. The sampling technique used was. Quantitative research design was employed for the study. Convenient sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents. Data for the study were gathered from primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaire was the main instrument used in eliciting primary data. The analyses were conducted using statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft excel. The study revealed that the students anonymously (100%) consider racing and sport including football soccer, dog racing etc. as gambling. 60% of the students consider pokies as form of gambling, 80% of the students consider lottery as a gambling. Majority (65.8%) of the respondents asserted that, they betting is good source of entertainment. Other reasons for betting include the perceived wining, experience of wining, social interactions, killing boredom and sometimes because others are doing it. The external factors influencing betting were revealed as family and friends, marketing promotions through advertisement, and social media platforms. Most of the respondents are much more knowledgeable about the legal age for betting and gambling although some of the respondents were below the acceptable legal age. The study conclude that these findings are so important to be ignored by politicians, policy makers, educational leaders, religious bodies and other stakeholders in our society to manage the betting scourge.