Understanding sports betting as an emerging behavioral addiction among young men in Ethiopia
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Background
Sports betting is one of the most popular, rapidly evolving, and attractive forms of gambling. It is associated with an increased risk of gambling-related harms like relationship difficulties, crime, and physical and mental health problems. Understanding the subjective experiences of sports betting is essential for accurately defining problematic betting and avoiding the over pathologization of the behavior. Hence, this study explored the perceptions and experiences of young men involved in sports betting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods
We employed a qualitative study design using a phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with thirteen purposively selected participants in Addis Ababa. Participants were adults aged 18 years or older who had engaged in sports betting within the past 12 months. They were recruited at sports betting houses. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and translated into English. The data were then imported into OpenCode software and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, in which themes were actively generated through an iterative and interpretative process by the research team.
Findings
The data resulted in five major themes: reasons for engagement in sports betting, unique and attractive features of sports betting, individuals experience of problematic betting, subjective harms due to sports betting. We found that young men engage in sports betting for reasons like financial interests, influence from peers and friends, and as a way of spending time and dealing with boredom. This study also identified several features that make sports betting more appealing, including ease of access, the possibility of gambling with a small amount of money, the benefit of avoiding confrontation, giving football fans the opportunity to gamble on something they like, enabling people to test their knowledge about the sport, the availability of betting options, and more rewards and reinforcements compared to other forms of gambling. Patterns suggestive of problematic betting include preoccupation and extensive planning, a tendency to bet successively and take more risky options after losing on a bet, unsuccessful attempts to quit, lying about involvement, social and occupational impairment, and negative emotional experiences.
Conclusion
Sports betting emerged in participants accounts as a growing behavioral practice among young men in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, raising concerns for those who described their experiences While often initiated as a leisure activity, participants’ narratives suggested patterns that extended beyond casual engagement and shared features commonly associated with problematic gambling. Future studies could include women and use large-scale quantitative designs to explore the scope and distribution of sports betting-related harms at the population level and to help inform appropriate interventions.
