Fantasy sports is a growing industry with a reported 56.8 million individuals participating in the United States and Canada alone in 2015. Whereas this activity has attracted considerable public attention, little research has examined its impact on adolescents in spite of their high rates of gambling. The current study examined the relationship between regular participation (more than once a month) in sport-relevant gambling activities among adolescents and those identified as being at-risk for a gambling problem. Questionnaire responses were collected from high school students (N = 6818; 49 % male) in Wood County, Ohio, United States. Statistical analyses revealed that regular involvement in sports betting, fantasy sports betting, and daily fantasy sports betting among adolescents was associated with a higher risk of gambling problems. Further, although males participate more frequently in these activities, females who participate have a stronger likelihood of being at-risk. Students aged 16-19 years old are at a higher risk for developing a gambling problem compared to younger adolescents when regularly engaging in sports-related gambling. Moreover, regularly participating in daily fantasy sports is the strongest predictor of at-risk gambling behavior in 13-15 year old students. A hierarchical logistic regression supports that controlling for gender and age, all forms of sport-relevant gambling activities are significant predictors of at-risk gambling. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of sports betting and fantasy sports on adolescents and establishes an initial step for future studies to further investigate these relationships.

Background and aimsEsports betting is an emerging gambling activity where individuals place bets on an organized video gaming competition. It represents only one of several gambling activities commonly endorsed by adolescents. To date, limited research has explored the relationship between esports betting and mental health among adolescents and its convergence with both problem gambling (PG) and problem video gaming (PVG). The present study examined the relation between esports betting, PG and PVG, and both externalizing and internalizing problems among adolescents while accounting for adolescents' video gaming intensity (i.e., how often they play 2 h or more in a day) and engagement in other gambling activities.MethodsData was collected from 6,810 adolescents in Wood County, Ohio schools. A subset of 1,348 adolescents (Mage = 14.67 years, SD = 1.73, 64% male) who had gambled and played video games during the past year were included in the analyses.ResultsApproximately 20% (n = 263) of the included sample had bet on esports during the past year. Esports betting was positively correlated with other forms of gambling, both PG and PVG, and externalizing behaviors. Mediation analyses revealed esports betting was associated to both internalizing and externalizing problems through PVG and not PG.ConclusionsEsports betting may be particularly appealing to adolescents who are enthusiastic video gamers. As such, regulators must be vigilant to ensure codes of best practices are applied to esports betting operators specifically for underaged individuals.

With the rapid development of technology in the gambling industry, underage mobile gambling has become a growing concern. The present study investigated the prevalence of adolescent mobile gambling and the relationship between frequency of mobile gambling and gambling-related problems. A survey assessing past-year gambling behavior, gambling problems, perceived risk for gambling, and parental and peer disapproval of gambling was completed by 6,818 junior/senior high school students aged 10 to 19. A descriptive analysis demonstrated a 5% prevalence of mobile gambling, and regular mobile gambling (at least monthly) was associated with a higher risk of developing a gambling problem and engagement in other forms of gambling. A hierarchical logistic regression revealed that being female, younger, and perceiving higher parental disapproval of gambling is related to less past-year mobile gambling. Perceived risk of gambling-related harms and peer disapproval were not significant predictors after controlling for other factors. The results suggest that underage mobile gambling may serve as one warning sign of adolescent problem gambling. Given that mobile gambling accessibility is increasing, the results provide valuable information for early intervention and prevention.RésuméAvec le développement rapide de la technologie dans le secteur du jeu, le jeu sur appareil portable chez les personnes mineures devient une préoccupation croissante. La présente étude a examiné la prévalence du jeu sur portable chez les adolescents et la relation entre la fréquence des jeux de hasard sur portable et les problèmes liés au jeu. Un sondage évaluant le comportement de jeu au cours de l’année précédente, les problèmes de jeu, le risque perçu de jeu et la désapprobation des parents et des pairs a été effectué auprès de 6 818 élèves du secondaire, âgés de 10 à 19 ans. Une analyse descriptive a démontré une prévalence de 5 % du jeu sur portable, et le jeu régulier sur portable (au moins une fois par mois) était associé à un risque plus élevé de développer un problème de jeu et de s’engager dans d’autres formes de jeu. Une régression logistique hiérarchique a révélé que le fait d’être une femme, d’être plus jeune et de percevoir une grande désapprobation parentale à l’égard des jeux de hasard a donné lieu à moins de jeu sur portable au cours de l’année écoulée. Le risque perçu de méfaits liés au jeu et la désapprobation par les pairs n’étaient pas des prédicteurs significatifs, après neutralisation d’autres facteurs. Les résultats montrent que le jeu sur appareil portable chez les mineurs peut constituer un signe d’avertissement du jeu problématique chez les adolescents. Étant donné que l’accessibilité au jeu sur portable augmente, les résultats fournissent des données précieuses pour l’intervention précoce et la prévention.

No abstract

No abstract

Background: Adolescent victims of bullying are more likely to experience a range of mental health problems. Although research has investigated the relationship between bullying victimization and various addictive behaviors, the impact of bullying on problem video gaming (PVG) remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between bullying victimization and PVG as mediated by the presence of internalizing and externalizing problems. Methods: Survey responses were collected from 6353 high-school students aged 12 to 18. Measures include bullying victimization (physical, verbal, cyber and indirect), internalizing (e.g., anxious and depressive symptoms) and externalizing (e.g., aggressive and delinquent problems) problems, and PVG (measured by the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short Form). Results: Mediation analyses indicated that the relationship between verbal bullying and PVG was completely mediated by the presence of internalizing and externalizing problems. The relationship between physical bullying and PVG was completely mediated by externalizing problems and the relationship between cyberbullying and PVG was completely mediated by internalizing problems. Lastly, the relationship between indirect bullying and PVG was partially mediated by externalizing and internalizing problems. Conclusions: Results suggest that different types of bullying victimization are differentially associated with PVG, with mental health symptoms significantly mediating this relationship.

With the rapid development of technology in the gambling industry, underage mobile gambling has become a growing concern. The present study investigated the prevalence of adolescent mobile gambling and the relationship between frequency of mobile gambling and gambling-related problems. A survey assessing past-year gambling behavior, gambling problems, perceived risk for gambling, and parental and peer disapproval of gambling was completed by 6,818 junior/senior high school students aged 10 to 19. A descriptive analysis demonstrated a 5% prevalence of mobile gambling, and regular mobile gambling (at least monthly) was associated with a higher risk of developing a gambling problem and engagement in other forms of gambling. A hierarchical logistic regression revealed that being female, younger, and perceiving higher parental disapproval of gambling is related to less past-year mobile gambling. Perceived risk of gambling-related harms and peer disapproval were not significant predictors after controlling for other factors. The results suggest that underage mobile gambling may serve as one warning sign of adolescent problem gambling. Given that mobile gambling accessibility is increasing, the results provide valuable information for early intervention and prevention.RésuméAvec le développement rapide de la technologie dans le secteur du jeu, le jeu sur appareil portable chez les personnes mineures devient une préoccupation croissante. La présente étude a examiné la prévalence du jeu sur portable chez les adolescents et la relation entre la fréquence des jeux de hasard sur portable et les problèmes liés au jeu. Un sondage évaluant le comportement de jeu au cours de l’année précédente, les problèmes de jeu, le risque perçu de jeu et la désapprobation des parents et des pairs a été effectué auprès de 6 818 élèves du secondaire, âgés de 10 à 19 ans. Une analyse descriptive a démontré une prévalence de 5 % du jeu sur portable, et le jeu régulier sur portable (au moins une fois par mois) était associé à un risque plus élevé de développer un problème de jeu et de s’engager dans d’autres formes de jeu. Une régression logistique hiérarchique a révélé que le fait d’être une femme, d’être plus jeune et de percevoir une grande désapprobation parentale à l’égard des jeux de hasard a donné lieu à moins de jeu sur portable au cours de l’année écoulée. Le risque perçu de méfaits liés au jeu et la désapprobation par les pairs n’étaient pas des prédicteurs significatifs, après neutralisation d’autres facteurs. Les résultats montrent que le jeu sur appareil portable chez les mineurs peut constituer un signe d’avertissement du jeu problématique chez les adolescents. Étant donné que l’accessibilité au jeu sur portable augmente, les résultats fournissent des données précieuses pour l’intervention précoce et la prévention.

Adolescence represents a significant developmental period during which experimentation with high-risk behaviors including substance use and gambling often occurs. These high-risk behaviors have been associated with multiple negative measures of social, academic and psychological functioning. Although associations have been established between alcohol use, marijuana use, mental health problems, and problem gambling in youth, research investigating possible associations between stimulant drug use and gambling is scarce. Questionnaire responses were collected from 6542 high-school students aged 12-19 years. Relationships between types and patterns of gambling with stimulant drugs [including cocaine, methamphetamine, non-medical use of stimulants, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)] were examined. Chi square analyses with odds ratio calculations revealed the use of any stimulant was associated with an increased odds of gambling frequency and problem gambling among both males and females. Self-reported use of crack cocaine was associated with a higher risk of frequent gambling and use of methamphetamines was associated with a higher risk of at-risk/problem gambling. Individuals using stimulants six or more times in the past year had high likelihoods of frequent and at-risk/problem gambling behaviors. The results contribute to our understanding of stimulant drug use and its associations with gambling behaviors among high-school youth.