Major Study Reveals Sports Bettors More Likely to Binge Drink
A recently published study suggests that sports bettors in the US are more likely to indulge in binge drinking than those who do not gamble or bet on sports.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The study was carried out by researchers from the University of New Mexico and the University of Nevada and it was published in the JAMA Network Open journal. It revealed a definite link between sports betting and excessive drinking.
In the spring of 2022, the researchers carried out a three-week survey of more than 4,300 adults from across the US. Close to 1,800 said that they were sports gamblers while the other participants were either not gamblers or enjoyed other forms of betting.
Analysis of the results found that sports bettors were 1.9 times more likely to binge drink than non-gamblers. Binge drinking was defined as five or more drinks for men or four or more for women in one sitting. Furthermore, the more a person bet, the more often they were found to binge drink.
Findings Raise Concerns
The lead researcher, Shane W. Kraus, a psychology professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is an expert in addiction. He said that the findings are cause for concern and that they demonstrate a need for more awareness of the risks related to binge drinking, especially while betting.
Kraus believes that sports bettors also take risks in the way they treat alcohol and he emphasized that more should be done to highlight the risks of combining alcohol with sports betting.
More Responsible Gambling News
Mounting Evidence of Link between Betting and Drinking
There is an increasing amount of evidence that suggests a correlation between sports betting and substance abuse. Previous studies have found that sports bettors tend towards risk-taking in other areas of their lives, such as binge drinking while gambling.
A great deal of further research is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn but with sports betting becoming increasingly accessible, the need for such research grows day by day.
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