University Students’ Gaming and Gambling Behaviors, Related Factors, and the Relationship Between Gaming and Gambling

• Published in: Journal of gambling studies Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 1661 - 1674
• Main Authors: Koç, Şerife, Kocakaya, Ramazan, Türkmen, Ayse Sonay, Çakıcı, Ahmet Burhan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Addictions; Alcohol use; Behavior; Clinical assessment; College students; Colleges & universities; Community and Environmental Psychology; Competence; Economics; Gambling; Games; Gender; Gender differences; Happiness; Leisure; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Paper; Polls & surveys; Psychiatry; Psychological distress; Quantitative analysis; Research methodology; Smoking; Social environment; Sociology; Success; University students; Gambling; University students; Gaming; Behavioral addiction
• ISSN: 1573-3602; 1573-3602
• DOI: 10.1007/s10899-023-10209-y

The purpose of this study was to investigate university students’ gaming and gambling behaviors, the factors that relate to these behaviors, and the connection between gaming and gambling behaviors. The study was designed as survey research, which is one of the quantitative research methods. The sample for the study consists of 232 students who are continuing their education at a state university in Turkey. The data of the research were collected through the Student Information Form, the Game Addiction Scale, and the South Oaks Gambling Screen. While the rate of students with problematic gambling behavior was 9.1% (n = 21), the rate of students with problematic gambling behavior was 14.2% (n = 33). Gaming behavior showed significant differences according to gender, age, the feeling of success, leisure time sufficiency, sleep proficiency, smoking, and alcohol use. Gambling behavior showed significant differences according to gender, family type, family income, the feeling of success, level of happiness, the experience of psychological distress, social relationship satisfaction, smoking, and alcohol use, and the presence of an addicted person in the social environment. Gender, perception of success, leisure proficiency, and alcohol use were variables associated with both gambling and gaming. There was a positive and significant relationship between gaming and gambling behavior (r = .264, p < .001). As a result, it is seen that the variables related to gaming and gambling behavior differ rather than partnership. Considering the weak relationship between gaming and gambling behavior, it is difficult to put forward sharp views on the relationship between gaming and gambling.