Betting Addiction Predispositions of In-School Adolescents in Nigeria

Abstract

The upsurge of betting and gaming sites on the internet and numerous social networking sites for social activities predisposes adolescents and young adults globally to problem betting including Nigerian secondary school students. In this study, the focus is on the propensities of school-going adolescents becoming addicted as it has become a trend that could have consequences on their mental health and productivity. The study is survey research on a sample of 385 secondary school students and teachers in Owo, Ondo state Nigeria using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Betting Addiction Tendencies Questionnaire (BATQ)" and a structured interview was used to amass data for the study. The instrument possessed a reliability coefficient of 0.75 after being subjected to the test-retest method. Data were analyzed using percentage, thematic analysis and three-way ANOVA. The study revealed that 40% of the respondents have tendencies for betting addiction. The result further revealed that adolescents with tendencies of betting addiction were characterised with un-serious attitudes and would do anything to get the money to bet. Also, respondents do not differ in their views about betting addiction tendencies based on gender and agebut a significant difference was found based on school type. This study implies that in school, adolescents are susceptible to a betting addiction if unguided. Therefore,Mental Health Counsellors should intensify their effort in providing preventive measures through organizing programmes that could assist in reducing risk factors for betting addiction.