Predictors of Sports Gambling among College Students: The Role of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Problem Gambling Severity

Xin Wang, Doyeon Won and Hyung Sang Jeon
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Xin Wang: College of Physical Education, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China
Doyeon Won: Department of Kinesiology, Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5820, USA
Hyung Sang Jeon: Department of Taekwondo, Yong In University, Yongin-si 17092, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: The current study investigated what influences college students’ behavioral intention and behavior towards sports gambling using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework. The study also explored the moderation effect of problem gambling severity in the relationships between TPB determinants, behavioral intention, and sports gambling behavior. Data were collected from 334 college students from four different universities in the U.S. and analyzed through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and multi-group analysis. The results indicated that attitude was the most critical determinant of college students’ sports gambling intentions, followed by the subjective norms, while both behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control were significant predictors of sports gambling behavior. The study also found some meaningful moderation effects of problem gambling severity. Subjective norms were influential on college students with greater problem gambling severity, while attitude was the strongest predictor of recreational sports gamblers. Suggestions on prevention and treatment programs regarding sports gambling and problem gambling are discussed.

Keywords: sport gambling; problem gambling; theory of planned behavior; sport betting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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