Student Gambling Survey Causes Concerns for GamStop
GamStop is concerned about British students and their gambling activity; it fears problems could be getting worse.
Key Facts:
- GamStop has expressed concerns about British students and their gambling habits
- This follows the publication of a study looking at students’ gambling activity
- GamStop wants universities to actively promote preventative measures and anti-gambling messages
GamStop has expressed concerns about students at British universities and their relationship with gambling. It is worried about the growing number of students who have problems related to gambling, including addiction.
This follows the publication of the Fourth Annual Student Gambling Survey , which was carried out by Censuswide and co-commissioned by GamStop and YGAM. A total of 2,000 students from universities in 17 UK cities were interviewed for the survey, of whom nearly half (49%) said they had gambled in the previous 12 months.
The Survey’s Findings
The survey found that 29% of students were in the moderate-risk category of the Problem Gambling Severity Index. A further 17% were classified as high-risk gamblers; this figure is higher than the corresponding figure for the general population.
Just over a sixth (17%) of students have used their student loans at some point to fund their gambling. Around 45% of students have gambled to make money (even though, of course, you’re more likely to lose money when gambling).
Universities typically offer a range of services to help students with their studies and other problems they may face. Just over half (53%) of students said they were aware of the support services offered by their university.
However, only 59% of students who gamble said they had the confidence to access such services. This goes to show that more work needs to be done to make the services more accessible and encourage people to make use of them.
The study also looked at cryptocurrency. It found that in the previous 12 months, 21% had invested in crypto, with male students twice as likely to do this than female students. Another key finding was that 23% of Asian students who gambled were classed as problem gamblers.
Of the Asian students who participated in the survey, 20% were considered low-risk. However, a much higher percentage of them, 36% to be exact, were said to be at a moderate risk of developing gambling-related problems.
Reactions to the Survey
The Chief Executive Officer of GamStop, Fiona Palmer, has said the following about the survey and its findings:
The Student Gambling Survey is an important piece of research that confirms the need for targeted support for the student community. Although gambling has decreased slightly in universities, the risk of gambling harm is far higher than in the general population and students need to be educated about the consequences of gambling in the expectation of making money. We know from the university roadshows we run with YGAM that there is an appetite amongst students to learn more about the support available, which includes self-exclusion to take a break from gambling.– Fiona Palmer, GamStop, GamStop CEO Comments on Student Survey, SBC News
In light of what the survey has found, both GamStop and YGAM have called for universities to start acting right away to prevent more students from developing gambling-related problems. They’ve called for higher education institutions to start rolling out preventative education initiatives as soon as possible.
Such initiatives should consider the fact that students come from a range of backgrounds and cultures. In other words, a one-size-fits-all approach might not necessarily be the most effective. Education should be fluid so as to suit better students and the many differences they can have.
GamStop and YGAM also want there to be more research into students’ gambling behaviour. In particular, they want to know why so many students gamble for money when they know that they’re more likely to walk away with a loss than a win.
To help with this, YGAM has partnered with NUS Charity, which supports the development of student unions, to launch the Silence the Stigma campaign. This is meant to increase awareness of gambling problems and help students recognise gambling-related problems in their peers.
The campaign is set to be formally launched at Queen Mary University in London on March 6th. It’s hoped that once the campaign is active and has had a chance to reach students, more students will be encouraged to seek help for any type of gambling problem they may have.
Dr. Jane Rigbye, the Chief Executive Officer at YGAM, has commented on the campaign and other measures to help students:
YGAM is now working with universities in every region of the UK, and while we welcome the decrease in the number of students experiencing gambling-related harms, students remain a cohort that engages in gambling in significant numbers. This makes our collaboration with universities essential to ensuring they have the tools to effectively support and safeguard students. It is important to recognise trends and understand the factors influencing these behaviours, including economic and social pressures. With much of student life now digital and online, we must continue to guide and educate to increase understanding and build resilience against the potential harms of gambling.– Dr. Jane Rigbye, YGAM, YGAM CEO Comments on Gambling Prevention Initiatives, SBC News
It is clear that when it comes to students and gambling problems, there is still a lot of work to be done. Hopefully, the initiatives developed by organisations such as GamStop and YGAM will have a lasting, positive effect.
