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ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the prevalence, pattern and determinants of gambling among students in secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria.
Method: This was a school based descriptive cross sectional survey carried out on 507 students in three male only urban Secondary Schools in Owerri. Data was collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured, self-administered sociodemographic questionnaire.
Results: Two hundred and ninety (57.2%) had gambled at least once in their lifetime and out of these 225 (77.6%) had gambled in the last 12 months. Students greater than 18 years of age, (OR:3.12;1.27–7.71), whose friends engage in gambling, (OR:2.96; 1.95–4.49), parents gamble, (OR:4.80; 2.85–8.09, siblings gamble, (OR:3.16; 2.08–4.81), friends accept gambling, (OR:9.81; 4.73–20.37), and had problems on account of gambling (OR:9.81; 4.73–20.37) were more likely to currently practice gambling. Having friends that engage in gambling, gambling to be accepted by friends, parental gambling, problems with authorities on account of gambling were the predictors of current gambling [F = (7, 499) = 82.40, p < 0.05, R2 = 0.54)].
Conclusion: Gambling is common among students. It is less likely among students aware of laws on underage gambling. There is an urgent need to implement measures targeted at awareness creation, regulating the activities of gaming centers and on-line gaming operators in the country.
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.