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 age
but 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.