Introduction
Gambling and sports have a complex relationship that has garnered significant attention in recent years. The field of sports is among the most popular types of entertainment for the majority of people, offering a wide variety of activities and sports events. At the same time, gambling permeates this field, influencing not only the audience, mainly through sporting bets, but the players as well. Consequently, much research has been done to delve deeper into gambling practices and how they are related to athletes.
For example, the 2008 study by Weiss and Loubier, Gambling Behaviors of former athletes, explored the gambling habits of current, former, and non-athletes. The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) data provided by individuals were used to identify their gambling tendencies (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). Researchers investigated whether there might be a long-term competitive impact on athletes that manifests as pathological gambling (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). Thus, the convergence of gambling and sports has significant implications for both the sporting industry and the individuals involved, causing the stakeholders to develop pathological gambling behaviors.
Gambling Effect on Sports
On a macro level, gambling has a significant effect on the overall field of sports, influencing the behaviors of athletes. On the one hand, Weiss and Loubier (2008) point to the fact that student-athletes are considered to be high-risk individuals in terms of developing gambling issues. The research offers a myriad of surveys that have been done on this population to show how such individuals are already predisposed to gambling and risk-taking behaviors. For example, a national survey that included 648 male athletes who competed on NCAA Division I basketball and football teams discovered substantial levels of sports gambling behavior (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). Over a quarter of the current athlete respondents acknowledged engaging in college sports gambling (Weiss & Loubier, 2008).
On the other hand, gambling affects the field in other ways. While gambling itself might not be illegal, it is considered illegal and unethical to engage in betting on events where one is involved. The same survey pointed to the fact that four percent of current student-athletes place bets on events they have participated in, which clearly violates NCAA regulations (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). In other words, gambling causes the stakeholders to engage in both illegal and unethical actions.
Furthermore, gambling can affect the industry by making the stakeholders more susceptible to risk-taking. As mentioned by Weiss and Loubier (2008), compared to their peers who did not gamble, student-athlete gamblers were more inclined to have a permissive disposition toward taking risks. The fact that 35% of men and 10% of women had broken NCAA rules by placing bets on collegiate sporting events in the previous year may have been even more concerning (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). As a result, it can be argued that gambling is an acute issue in the industry, which corrodes sports principles and values and increases the risks of individuals developing gambling-related disorders.
Gambling Effect on Individuals
On a micro level, one can see that the most affected groups of individuals in the sports industry are former athletes and youth. According to the DSM-IV-TR, college students may have a lifetime compulsive gambling incidence of up to 8% (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). The group of college students may have an eight-fold higher rate of disordered gambling than the overall population (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). In such a case, college students show a significant sensitivity to such risk-taking activities.
However, the reason why this population is inclined to engage in such activities lies in their age, peer pressure, and other factors. For example, Weiss and Loubier (2008) rely on the 2002 study of Neighbors and colleagues, who projected that subsequent studies would show that gambling is a common element of students’ college experience. There is not much evidence to believe that the high rates of problem gambling will decline if this is the case (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). Therefore, the fact that the majority of students are affected by gambling can be explained by their desire to conform and see it as a part of the experience.
Propensity of Pathological Gambling Behaviors
As was mentioned, there are several groups that can be considered the most affected by gambling disorders. Among such groups were former athletes who were at risk of developing pathological gambling behaviors. Compared to other sporting classes, ex-athletes exhibited higher average scores on the South Oaks Gambling Screen and greater rates of pathological gambling (Weiss & Loubier, 2008).
However, it is noteworthy that there are several reasons for such incidents. On the one hand, former athletes are affected by the delayed competitive effect, which makes these individuals engage in gambling activities (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). On the other hand, due to gambling activities involving high expectations and skills, former athletes view it as a field of opportunities (Weiss & Loubier, 2008). For example, certain traditional gambling games come with high expectations, and sports betting is simply one example. Therefore, former athletes clearly preferred gambling activities that require skill and carried high expectations.
Personal Perspectives
As for personal perspectives, I believe that gambling can have both positive and negative effects on the stakeholders involved in the learned classification of current, former, and non-athletes. On the one hand, the positive effects of gambling can be seen in its ability to cause excitement and entertainment to sporting events, which might lead to an increase in viewership. On the other hand, as was seen earlier, gambling can distort the integrity of the sports field. Additionally, it can significantly corrode the values and principles to which athletes must adhere. Instead of focusing on competition and victories, the players can engage in match-fixing, placing bets on events in which they play, and engaging in illegal activities.
Moreover, while gambling can be seen as a harmless activity to many individuals, it indeed can transform into dependencies and pose risks to the well-being of those who engage in such activities. For instance, the youth can be among the most affected groups by such activities due to their poor understanding of the consequences and risks involved in gambling. Although some people might be left unaffected by such activities, young adults and college students might develop an insensitivity to losses and normalize gambling from a young age. As a result, among the risks of this can be the development of gambling-related disorders. Therefore, it is crucial to not only raise awareness among young adults but also show potential threats to their lives and relationships.
Furthermore, former athletes are not immune to the adverse effects of gambling. First, such individuals develop pathological gambling behaviors due to their dependence on adrenaline rushes. Being exposed to competition, former athletes can experience the feeling of thrill, which they later seek in other related activities.
Second, the culture of competition and gambling can be deeply ingrained in the mentalities of such people. As a result, continuous engagement in gambling activities for former athletes can develop into disorders that require professional help to eradicate. Finally, a loss of identity or financial burdens can be blamed for the development of such conditions and dependency on gambling. Yearning for success and victories can manifest in the decision to continue gambling.
Consequently, such issues must be addressed at all stages. It is necessary to promote healthy behaviors and ethical and fair practices and offer education on the potential risks associated with gambling behaviors. Additionally, it is necessary to offer professional help and support to those who struggle with these issues. Paying attention to individual circumstances can be helpful in the mitigation of the potential adverse effects on individuals and different groups within the sports community.
Conclusion
In summary, the merging of sports and gambling has profound effects on both the sporting community as well as the individuals engaged, leading some to develop pathological gambling tendencies. Gambling has a tremendous impact on sports as a whole and has the ability to change how athletes behave. For instance, student-athletes are thought to have a significant chance of developing gambling problems.
On a smaller scale, it is clear that children and retired players are the two demographic groups in the sports sector that are most impacted. The reason why the majority of students are impacted by gambling is because they want to fit in and consider it to be a normal part of life. Former athletes also had higher average scores on the South Oaks Gambling Screen and greater rates of pathological gambling, which is likely due to their preference for gambling activities that require skill and high expectations.
Reference
Weiss, S.M., & Loubier, S.L. (2008). Gambling behaviors of former athletes: The delayed competitive effect. UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, 12(1-2), 53-60. Web.
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