UNLV: 7 per cent of Colorado sports bettors report serious problems

The survey also found 7.3 per cent of participants had bought prediction market contracts.

U.S.- Researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) have found that 7 per cent of sports bettors in Colorado who took part in a preliminary study reported serious gambling problems. There was a 2 per cent higher rate of problem gambling among women, although researchers have not determined the reasons for the difference.

The findings are based on a survey of 500 randomly selected residents, including people who gamble and those who do not, led by Shane Kraus, a UNLV psychology professor. The results indicate that 4 per cent of Colorado residents surveyed bet on sports.

The lottery was the most frequently reported gambling activity among participants, cited by 41.4 per cent. Sports betting ranked second at 17.4 per cent, followed by slots and video poker at 16.2 per cent, casino table games at 11.6 per cent and bingo at 11.4 per cent.

The survey also found that 13.9 per cent of participants reported gambling online, which is illegal in Colorado, while 7.3 per cent said they had purchased contracts on prediction markets.

The UNLV research also explores how advertising may influence betting behaviour. Among participants, 37.5 per cent watched at least part of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, while 59.4 per cent reported seeing sportsbook advertising at least once during the final week of the tournament. Some 35.1 per cent said they had seen sportsbook promotional offers during that week, and 7.3 per cent placed a real-money bet on the final. Promotions offering US$10 after a US$50 bet and first-bet cashback were considered more likely to be used and more likely to encourage overspending than offers advertising a 30 per cent profit boost.

Kraus and his team presented interim findings at the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado’s annual conference. The project was funded by the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission through its Responsible Gaming Grant Program.