FACTORS INFLUENCING GAMBLING BEHAVIOUR AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

The study investigated the factors influence of gambling behaviour among undergraduate students in Rivers State. Using the description survey research design, the study was guided by 4 research questions and their corresponding null hypotheses. Sample of 300 students was drawn using the simple random sampling technique. For data collection five instruments were adapted for the study, the instruments are Income level (increase/decrease), Resident (rural/urban), Depression Scale (DS), Peer Pressure scale (PPS) and Gambling Behaviour scale (GBS). Reliability of the instrument using Cronbach Alpha yielded a coefficient of 0.76, 0.57, 0.72, 0.76, and 0.96 were obtained for the instruments are Income level, Resident, Depression, Peer Pressure and Gambling Behaviour. Simple regression and independent sample t-test were used to answer research questions and test the corresponding null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that there is a significant relation between depression and gambling behaviour among undergraduate students, there is a significant relation between peer pressure and gambling behaviour among undergraduate students, there is a significant difference in the influence of income on gambling behaviour, and there is a significant difference in the influence of location on gambling behaviour among undergraduate students in Rivers State, it was recommended among others that gambling related issues should be legislated upon to curb the indiscriminate establishment of gambling centers’ in the country, there should be a national committee that will be set up to streamline the frivolous and appealing massive advertisement undertaking by gambling organization