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WASHINGTON -A survey of seven college campuses concludes that 15 percent of students have gambled more than once on roulette and blackjack in the past year, while 28 percent have tried slot machines or video poker.
Results announced this past week of a study by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators also said 13 percent of students have bet more than once on sporting events.
“Roughly 90 percent of students say they have done at least some type of betting for money,” said Ken Winter, a University of Minnesota psychiatrist, who helped design the survey. But that figure includes casual wagers between friends or the purchase of lottery tickets, activities he described as less likely to lead to problem gambling.
Between 3 and 5 percent of respondents displayed evidence of what Winter called “risky” behavior, meaning their habits seemed likely to develop into pathological gambling problems. He added those numbers were in line with previous studies.
The study was conducted during the final eight months of the 2000-2001 school year at seven colleges. The polling consisted of 1,500 students.
Winter said he was surprised at the small number of students, about 2 percent, who reported having gambled on the Internet. That figure was “a lot lower" than we expected, he said. “It's useful to measure it now and see if it changes.“
Winter said he also didn't expect to see a relatively high 12 percent of students stating that they know someone with a gambling problem, or 5 percent saying they know a student bookie.
Based on the survey, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators says it will recommend college officials treat gambling as they do alcohol and drug abuse, by screening students for risky behavior and training staff to deal with those who develop harmful habits.
Results announced this past week of a study by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators also said 13 percent of students have bet more than once on sporting events.
“Roughly 90 percent of students say they have done at least some type of betting for money,” said Ken Winter, a University of Minnesota psychiatrist, who helped design the survey. But that figure includes casual wagers between friends or the purchase of lottery tickets, activities he described as less likely to lead to problem gambling.
Between 3 and 5 percent of respondents displayed evidence of what Winter called “risky” behavior, meaning their habits seemed likely to develop into pathological gambling problems. He added those numbers were in line with previous studies.
The study was conducted during the final eight months of the 2000-2001 school year at seven colleges. The polling consisted of 1,500 students.
Winter said he was surprised at the small number of students, about 2 percent, who reported having gambled on the Internet. That figure was “a lot lower" than we expected, he said. “It's useful to measure it now and see if it changes.“
Winter said he also didn't expect to see a relatively high 12 percent of students stating that they know someone with a gambling problem, or 5 percent saying they know a student bookie.
Based on the survey, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators says it will recommend college officials treat gambling as they do alcohol and drug abuse, by screening students for risky behavior and training staff to deal with those who develop harmful habits.