An investigation into the gambling habits of male hurling players and female

camogie players

Jason Roche

20053562

A dissertation submitted in part fulfilment of the requirement for the Bachelor of

Business (Hons) Degree in Recreation and Sport Management

Waterford Institute of Technology

Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Science

BB (Hons) Recreation and Sport Management

26th April 2015

II

Statement of Originality and ownership of work

Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Science

BB (Hons) Recreation and Sport Management

Name (block capitals):………………………………………………………

I confirm that all the work submitted in this dissertation is my own work, not copied

from any other persons work (published or unpublished) and that it has not previously

been submitted for assessment on any other course, in any other institution.

Signed:……………………………………………………..

Date:………………………………………………………..

Student Number:…………………………………………..

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III

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for my thesis supervisors, in semester

one Todd Harrison, Jean McArdle in semester two, and Aoife Lane our lecturer

throughout the year. Their contribution must not be unrecognised as their advice,

guidance, knowledge and hard work throughout has been very much valued. Without

their expertise and direction this study may not have been possible.

I would like to acknowledge all my classmates who have been an inspiration throughout

pushing me to succeed especially Mark, Kevin and Gary. Thank you for supporting me

throughout the last four years in Waterford Institute of Technology. The memories will

last a lifetime. Also a big thanks to all lecturers who have taught me in my time as a

student and provided me with the skills and knowledge needed to complete this course.

To close I would like to thank my family and friends. My mother Geraldine who always

encouraged me to be the best I can be and my father Paddy for fixing my car when it

was in trouble. A huge thanks to my sisters Samantha and April for their advice and

ability to see the funny side of everything. I would like to thank my friends for the

perfect cups of tea they made me and for providing a getaway place where I could relax

and enjoy their company. Finally, a huge thanks to Erika Jackman who always picked

me up when I was down, your constant support and humour has not gone unnoticed.

IV

Table of Contents

Title Page

Declaration……………………………………………………………………...ii

Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………..iii

Table of Contents……………………………………………………………….iv-v

List of Tables and Figures ……………………………………………………..vi

List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………...……vii

Abstract…………………………………………………………………..……viii

Chapter 1: Literature Review

1. Introduction……………………………………………………………2

2. History of Gambling in Ireland……………………………………..…4

3. Male vs Female Gambling………………………………………….….5

4. Prevalence of Gambling…………………………………………...…..6

5. Effects of Gambling………………………………………….……..…8

6. Athletes vs Non-Athletes ………………………………………….....10

7. Motives for Gambling………………………………………………...12

8. Summary and Rationale………………………………………………13

9. Research Questions…………………………………………………...14

Chapter 2: Methodology

1. Research Design………………………………………………………16

2. Study Population and Sampling………………………………………16

3. Variables/Concepts………………………………..………………….17

4. Data Collection Methods……………………………………………..17

5. Data Analysis…………………………………………………………18

6. Ethical Considerations………………………………………………..18

V

Chapter 3: Results

1. Research Questions………………………………………………...21

2. Description of Participants……………………………………........21

3. Form and frequency of gambling…………………………………..22

4. Amount of money gambled………………………………………...23

5. Mediums of gambling………………………………………………24

6. Have an online account………………………………………….....24

7. Team has a gambling problem………………………………..….....25

8. Gambling effected your sporting performance…………………......26

9. Male vs Female Gambling…………………………………….……26

10. Does Gambling Effect Daily Living……………………………......29

Chapter 4: Discussion

1. Overview……………………………………………………………34

2. Gambling Habits of GAA Players………………………………......34

3. Male versus Female Gambling…………………………………......36

4. Effects of Gambling…………………………………………….......37

5. Limitations………………………………………………………….40

6. Conclusion……………………………………………………….....42

7. Recommendations………………………………………………….42

References……………………………… ………………………………...44

Appendix A: Questionnaire………………………………………………49

VI

List of Tables and Figures

Table 1……………………………………….…………………………….21

Table 2……………………………………….…………………………….22

Figure 3…………………………………….…………..…………………..23

Figure 4…………………………………….…………..…………………..24

Figure 5………………………………………………...…………………..24

Figure 6a……………………………………………………………………25

Figure 6b……………………………………………………………………25

Table 7………………………………………………………………………26

Figure 8……………………………………………………………………..26

Figure 9……………………………………………………………………..27

Figure 10………………………………………………….…………………27

Figure 11………………………………………………….…………………28

Figure 12………………………………………………….…………………28

Figure 13……………………………………………………………….……29

Figure 14………………………………………………….…………………29

Figure 15……………………………………………………………………30

Figure 16……………………………………………………………………30

Figure 17……………………………………………………………….……31

Figure 18………………………………………………….…………………31

Figure 19……………………………………………………………………32

Figure 20…………………………………………………………………....32

VII

List of Abbreviations

GAA Gaelic Athletic Association

GMQ Gambling Motives Questionnaire

GPA Gaelic Players Association

IPH Institute of Public Health

SOGS South Oaks Gambling Screen

SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

VIII

Abstract

Overview: Gambling is staking an item of value like money on an outcome that is less

than certain and is determined by some part by chance (Rickwood et al, 2010). The

outcome is less than certain as the event is in the future for example a horse race or a

soccer match. Lotteries, scratch cards and slot machines are all determined by chance as

the outcome is completely random. In recent times gambling and the negative

consequences associated with those with a gambling problem have been getting more

media coverage with some high profile GAA players suffering from a gambling

addiction.

Research Questions:

1. What are the gambling habits of GAA players?

2. Is there a difference between the gambling behaviours of male Hurlers and

female Camogie players?

3. Does gambling affect daily living?

Methods: A questionnaire developed from the South Oaks Gambling Screen (Lesieur &

Blume, 1987) was administered to 100 people, 53 males and 47 females. All

participants either played at senior level for their club or county in either Waterford or

Kilkenny.

Results: Ninety percent of participants have gambled at some stage before in their lives.

Gambling on horses, dogs, or any other animal was the most common type of gambling

with 68% having done so previously. The most common amount gambled in any one

given day was more than €10 up to €100 (36%). Almost half of males (49%) admitted

to gambling more than they intended. Thirty-six percent of males believe their hurling

team has a gambling problem and one in four males (25%) has placed a bet on a game

they are playing in.

Conclusion: the prevalence of gambling among males is far greater than females with

males also reporting more negative associations with gambling like being criticized

about their betting and feelings of guilt towards what happens when they gamble. In this

sample gambling was not a serious issue as prevalence rates were similar to those in

other studies of a similar nature. Further research is needed to determine possible

reasons as to why males gamble more frequently.

Chapter 1: Literature Review

2

Introduction

Gambling is staking an item of value like money on an outcome that is less than certain

and is determined in some part by chance (Rickwood et al, 2010). The outcome is less

than certain as the event is in the future for example a horse race or a soccer match.

Lotteries, scratch cards and slot machines are all determined by chance as the outcome

is completely random. In recent times gambling and the negative consequences

associated with those with a gambling problem have been receiving more media

coverage with some high profile Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) players suffering

from a gambling addiction. Although there is a lot of attention surrounding this issue, it

is merely anecdotal evidence. In early 2014, the Irish Times reported that a quarter of

inter-county players believed gambling is an issue within the GAA. They also reported

that in 2012 one third of all calls to the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) were about

gambling addictions, and they are becoming increasingly mindful of the threat of match

fixing. Gambling has become such a concern that the GAA have put together a

document titled; ‘Gambling in Sport Recommendations for the GAA’, which gives

recommendations and advice for players, members, and clubs. It gives advice on how to

recognise a gambling problem, the repercussions for those caught match-fixing or

improperly influencing the outcome of a game and to report any inquiries made by any

third parties.

Many people enjoy gambling as a form of entertainment or social recreation but others

can become addicted and develop a gambling problem. To fully understand these

behaviours it is important to define some key terms use to identify certain types of

gamblers. A problem gambler is defined as having difficulties in limiting money and

time spent on gambling, which leads to adverse consequences (Australasian Gaming

Council, 2008). This can affect both physical and mental health as well as employment,

relationships with others and finances given the nature of the addiction. Although the

number of problem gamblers is not believed to be that high in Ireland, GambleAware.ie

a national organisation dedicated to increasing awareness and aiding those with

gambling problems has stated that less than one percent of those who need treatment for

gambling actually receive it. Another common term used to describe someone with a

gambling problem is a pathological gambler. A pathological gambler is defined as a

tenacious and frequent maladaptive gambling behaviour (American Psychiatric

Association, 194. Pg. 615). The main characteristics of pathological gambling being

incapable in controlling gambling resulting in substantial negative effects on monetary,

3

personal, familial and professional aspects of life (Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002). So

despite losing large sums of money or expending large periods of time gambling the

person continues to gamble.

The Institute of Public Health (2010) have noted there is very little information on

gambling prevalence in Ireland, justifying this study. They suggest that research should

be carried out on gambling in Ireland and this could be done through including

gambling related questions in census data or other more regular surveys. This study

aims to investigate the gambling behaviours of hurling and camogie players thus

comparing male and female gambling habits by distributing a self-report questionnaire

predominantly based on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) develop by Lesieur

and Blume in 1987. The questionnaire was administered to 100 people both male and

female. This questionnaire is primarily used to diagnose pathological or problematic

gamblers but has been previously used in other studies of a comparable nature.

4

Literature Review

Project Summary

This study aims to identify the gambling habits of male hurlers and female camogie

players through the use of previously designed questionnaires. The population for the

study are male hurlers and female camogie players aged approximately between 18-36

years old so they meet the requirements to legally gamble. This project is of interest

because there is a dearth of information in Ireland regarding the gambling habits of

GAA players and the entire population in general.

Literature Review

There has been limited research conducted on gambling behaviours in Ireland according

to the Institute of Public Health (IPH) (2010); therefore comparisons will have to be

made to other countries like the UK, Australia, Canada and the United States of

America. Throughout this review gambling, and why it is an issue, will be discussed.

An American study using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) questionnaire, on

30 people who were either athlete, non-athlete or former athlete found that athletes’

(40%) bet on sport twice as much as non-athletes (20%) (Weiss & Loubier, 2010).

Although this statistic is interesting it must also be taken into account that the

participants in this study were people with a gambling disorder so a comparison with the

general public is not valid, but this does show the possibility of a correlation between

sports participation and gambling in general. Likewise in a study conducted on college

athletes and non-athletes, findings showed that the percentage of male athletes

considered to be problem or pathological gamblers was 26% in contrast to the non-

athletes which was 16% (Engwell et al, 2004).

To fully understand this behaviour it is important to define and differentiate between the

different types of gambling behaviours, pathological and problem gambling.

Pathological gambling is defined as “a persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling

behaviour that disrupts personal, family, or vocational pursuits (American Psychiatric

Association, 1994, p. 615). Another type of gambling behaviour called problem

gambling was recommended to be defined as “gambling characterised by difficulties in

limiting money and/or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for

the gambler, others, or for the community.” (Neal, Delfabbro, & O'Neill, 2005, p.3). Of

particular interest in this study are the gambling behaviours of hurling and camogie

5

players and what, if any, are the differences between their gambling behaviours. This

literature review will look at the history of gambling in Ireland, male vs female

gambling, the prevalence of gambling, the effects of gambling and athletes vs non-

athletes gambling behaviours.

History of Gambling in Ireland

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence about gambling in Ireland with several Irish tabloids

running with stories about gambling. The Irish Examiner published an article with the

headline “Gambling bomb has gone off” (Cahill, 2014). Other newspapers have put the

spotlight on certain Irish sports stars that unfortunately became addicted to gambling

accumulating massive debts in the process. Tyrone footballer Cathal McCarron was the

latest GAA star to be highlighted in Irish papers for struggling to deal with his gambling

addiction with the Irish Independent suggesting the talented footballer broke into a

friend’s house in an attempt to steal money to feed his gambling habit (Moore, 2013).

The IPH (2010) states there is enough evidence from other countries that suggests as a

result of gambling the physical, mental and economic effects can be severe, which

makes it unclear why research on this particular area has been ignored in Ireland.

Again there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that gambling is an increasing trend with

almost no figures on the prevalence of gambling. However, the total money spent on

gambling in Ireland was €1.6 billion in 2001 and in 2006 this figure rose to €3.6 billion

(Delaney & Wall, 2007). This is a 125% increase in only five years, and the likelihood

of this figure being even higher in 2014 is quite high as the majority of bookmakers now

have their own app or website where a person can create an account and gamble as

much as they like. An Irish website gambleaware.ie has estimated that Irish people now

gamble over €5 billion per year, this equals to €14 million per day or €10’000 per

minute and perhaps the most appalling fact is that less than 1% of people who need

treatment for their gambling problem actually receive it (Gamble Aware). The Gaelic

Players Association (GPA) and Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) have tried to address

the concern that gambling in the GAA is rising by bringing out guides for club and

county players educating them about gambling responsibly and what actions to take if

one believes they may have an addiction. What is known about gambling in Ireland is

that it is relatively overpopulated with bookmaker shops compared to other countries as

there is a shop per 3571 people in Ireland, whereas in Britain this figure is almost

double at 6770 (Irish Bookmakers Association, 2010).

6

Male vs Female Gambling

Gambling opportunities are more accessible than ever before; therefore men and women

can, with relative ease; place bets therefore driving consumption states Marshall (2005),

especially with the development of mobile friendly websites or apps that are now

available. Numerous studies have reported on the gambling behaviours of both men and

women, with the British Gambling Prevalence survey noting that men were more likely

to gamble than women (men 75% women 71%). These figures may be misleading as

this figure is of the amount of people who took part in the study and has gambled at

least once in the past year. This type of gambling could just have been buying a lotto

ticket. What is more noteworthy from the study was the problem gambling prevalence,

estimated to be 1.3% for men and 0.2% for women, meaning that men are much more

likely than women to develop a problem with gambling. In a study conducted by

Shaffer et al, (1999) they reported that disordered gambling has increased significantly

over the past 20 years. Although we have seen above that the prevalence of gambling

maybe only slightly higher for men over women, the prevalence of problem gambling

maybe significantly higher for males than females. In relation to the above study; a

survey of adult Iowans in the US including 470 online questionnaires and 1230

questionnaires over the telephone, determined that there was no difference between

male and female gambling prevalence in the past 12 months (male 68%-female-69%)

and lifetime gambling (both 91%), but similarly to the study above males were

significantly more likely to experience problem gambling symptoms (Gonnerman &

Lutz, 2011).

Prevalence of Gambling

Many researchers view gambling in different lights as Reith (2006) believes gambling is

“an enjoyable form of leisure, pursued for a range of reasons – to relax, to socialise, to

experience some excitement, and perhaps to win money”. This definition may be

appropriate to the vast majority of individuals who do not have a problem with

gambling. In contrast, this gambling definition is quite different as it hints that gambling

is risky as the outcome is determined by chance, “gambling can be defined as the act of

placing an item or value at risks based on hopes of gaining something of greater value,

with the outcome determined by chance” (Baker & Edwards, 2012). This definition

does not describe gambling as a “form of leisure” like the first definition and has no

7

mention of enjoyment or relaxation but more as an act of placing something of value

with the hope of gaining something with greater value.

The British Gambling Prevalence Survey was conducted in 2010 on over 7500

individuals and established that 73% of adults (considered over 16) had gambled at least

one in the past year. This translates to approximately 35.5 million adults which saw a

5% increase since the previous study in 2007(68%). In 1999 this figure was almost the

same with 72% of adults gambling in the past year meaning that gambling declined in

prevalence in 2007 but has now increased in 2010. Data gathered from this study also

determined what types of gambling were most popular with the national lottery

unsurprisingly the most popular type of gambling with 59% of the participants having

bought a ticket in the past 12 months. The next most popular gambling activities to

engage in was other lotteries(25%), scratch cards(24%), betting on horses(14%),

followed by playing slot machines(13%) and private betting(11%). An interesting

statistic found by this study was that in the past year males participated in sports betting

(21%), in contrast sports betting did not really appeal to females (3%).

A similar prevalence survey conducted in the United States found that over 80% of

American adults have at some stage in their lives gambled (National Research Council,

2009). This figure was slightly lower in a study of gambling prevalence in Southern

Australia as 68.8% of Southern Australian adults had gambled in the past 12 months,

and identical to all the other prevalence surveys mentioned buying lotto tickets(55.5%)

was the most popular form of gambling(Gambling Prevalence in South Australia, 2013).

In Canada, a gambling prevalence survey conducted on British Columbians found that

73% of adults have bet or lost money on some kind of gambling activity. This figure

does not vary too much from differenct gambling prevalence surveys but what is

interesting to note from this study is that in 1993 the gambling prevalence rate was a

massive 94% of the adult population which shows a big decline over the years (British

Columbia Problem Gambling Prevalence Study, 2013), but no possible explanations

were given for this reduction.

With minimal prevalence surveys carried out in Ireland the Institute of Public Health

Ireland (2010) have estimated that 40’,000 people (roughly 1% of the Irish population)

experience problem gambling. This may not seem like very many but it is worrying that

less than 1% of these receive treatment. In Australia it is thought that between 70%-

80% of adults gamble at least once a year and similar to other countries around 1% of

8

the adult population are thought to have experienced significant problems due to their

gambling behaviours (Productivity Commission, 2009). From all these international

studies it is a fair reflection to say that Ireland would probably have very similar

prevalence rates to countries such as Britain, United States, Australia and Canada.

Numerous studies have reported there is continuity in gambling participation for young

people but there has not been much research conducted about adults gambling

participation over time (Rodgers, Caldwell, & Butterworth, 2009). The prevalence of

gambling among college students has amassed a lot of attention in recent times with

Shaffer, Hall & Bilt (1999) stating that being a college student is an independent risk

factor for problem and pathological gambling. This study also highlighted that

adolescent problem gambling is more evident than adult problem gambling. If this is

correct then it is easy to see a transition from a college student/adolescent with

characteristics of a problem or pathological gambler to an adult problem or pathological

gambler.

Effects of Gambling

Some research has suggested that gambling is a public health concern as it has links to

many different types of conditions and behaviours (Lui, et al., 2012). As stated

previously the vast majority of people may not experience any adverse effects from

gambling as it is viewed as a recreational activity, but those classified as problem or

pathological gamblers may face severe consequences. An obvious effect of gambling is

the loss of money; depending on the amount this may have a minimal or severe effect to

a person. Clinicians have said that the signs and symptoms of anxiety are quite common

before someone becomes a gambler but Shaffer & Korn (2002) revealed there is not

sufficient evidence to suggest that anxiety disorders are associated with pathological

gambling. Results of a critical review by Crockford & el-Guebaly (1998) are that

pathological gamblers frequently have substance use disorders, meaning that

pathogocial gambling and substance use disorders like alcohol or drug abuse can go

hand-in-hand for some people. An important point made by these researchers is that

various governments further legalisation of gambling to boost revenues instead of

increasing taxes and VAT may resulted in the higher liklihood of individuals engaging

in problematic gambling behaviour (Shaffer & Korn 2002).

Gambling and crime can also correlate as Lesieur (1987) found that around 66% of

Gamblers Anonymous patients admitted to engaging in illegal activities to assist their

9

gambling habit. Although the researcher does not state what these illegal activities are,

it is not hard to imagine that these maybe crimes such as theft of money to fund their

gambling habits and this may have implications on relationships with family and

friends. The Australian Productivity Commission found that on average between 5-10

people are effected by any one problem gambler. These people may be friends, children,

spouses, family member’s and, co-workers as well as others. Also of note is that lying,

arguments and financial stress lead to significant pressure for families with 1 in 10

Australian problem gamblers saying that relationships have broke down because of their

gambling and a further 1 in 10 in councelling stating it has resulted it domestic violence

(Australian Productivity Commission, 1999). A study examining the children of

problem gamblers found these children have a much higher than normal association

with addictive substances, more educational problems and psycho-social problems

(Jacobs et. Al., 1989). A study using self-reporting and structured interview measures

carried out on 101 individuals with gambling problems but who had recently made

attempts to quit revealed that 36.8% of all participants have had suicidal taughts and a

further 32% addmitted to a failed suicude attempt (Hodgins, Mansley, & Thygesen,

2006). Gambling and depression are also linked as a study by Vasiliadis (2011) states

that out of 28 problem gamblers, 71.4% gambled because they are depressed. There

maybe a link between problem gambling and depression but it is not clear. Some

researchers have studied the relationship between gambling and depression and found

no relation. A study off 400 adults was conducted and concluded that there was no

relationship between gambling and depression (Thorson, Powell, & Hilt, 1994). Some

pathological gamblers may gamble as a means of escaping their depression while others

may suffer from depression because of financal strain and psychological distress linked

with gambling (Kim, Grant, Eckert, Faris, & Hartman, 2006). These studies have

proved that gambling can effect a person socially, mentally, physically and financially

so particulary attention should be payed to helping all concerned.

As seen above there are many potential consequences/effects of gambling depending on

the severity and the nature of gambling, but if this study concludes that participating in

sports is an independent risk factor for engaging in gambling activities then the required

measures should be introduced to educate those who participate in team sports as there

seems to be a dose response effect i.e., the more a person gambles the likelihood of

them coming across the problems mentioned above.

10

Athletes’ vs Non-Athletes

There is research that suggests that being an athlete may be a potential risk factor of

becoming a problem or pathological gambler. According to Curry & Jiobu (1995),

athletes are an interesting population to study their association with gambling by

studying their motives because of an athlete’s “athletic socialisation typically includes

an explicit and continuous emphasis on competition” which many believe to be one of

the primary motives for gambling. It is possible that being in a competitive environment

may increase their chances of developing problems with gambling. These authors also

believe that a lot of the motives for sport are intertwined with the motives for gambling.

An American study was completed where 20,739 surveys were returned by student-

athletes to determine whether or not student athletes were prone to problem gambling

behaviour (Ellenbogen, Jacobs, Derevensky, Gupta, & Paskus, 2008). This anonymous

survey had a combined total of 102 questions relating to sports betting experiences,

forms of gambling, other associated health risk behaviours and general questions about

their gambling behaviour. Results from this survey showed that male athletes (62.4%)

had gambled more than females athletes (42.8%) in the past year, but perhaps more

significant was how much more male athletes (13%) gambled weekly compared to

female athletes (3.3%). So concluding this study, male college athletes gamble more

frequently than female college athletes and also athletes who played high profile sports

were more likely to gamble than those whose sport is not so high profile.

An investigation conducted by Weiss & Loubier (2008) examined gambling behaviours

in the following three groups; former athletes, current athletes and non-athletes to see if

there was a delayed competitive effect which may lead to symptoms of pathological

gambling. The SOGS was administered to 100 people out of each group

aforementioned. The results of this study was that more former athletes (13%) were

considered pathological gamblers than current athletes (7%) and non-athletes (3%)

showing that those who are former athletes maybe be more susceptible to becoming

pathological gamblers. This study shows that young athletes may develop a gambling

habit while they play sport and once they retire this gambling habit may become

problematic, or gambling might become a substitute to the thrill they used to feel while

they played sport so they may try to replace this feeling by gambling. These authors also

stated that further studies should be carried out on why athletes may be more likely to

gamble than non-athletes.

11

A big ethical concern for sports is corruption, as a referee, manager or player maybe

bribed to influence the outcome of a game. If athletes playing sport are betting on

games/events they may be involved in or sharing confidential information as match

fixing cases can occur. The results of a study by Ellenbogen et al, (2008) which was

mentioned above suggests than roughly one player per team may be sharing information

to others or attempting to influence the result of a game for wagering purposes. In turn

this may jeopardise this persons chances of succeeding in the sport if the athlete gets

caught as they may be accepting payments to underperform in a match thus varying the

result. Rockey & King, (2006) state that the consequences for those who are caught are

severe with student athletes receiving a minimum one year ban if they are found to be

wagering on professional or amateur sports and those caught betting on an event

involving their own college results can receive a lifetime ban. In a document developed

to guide county players about gambling, the GAA and GPA suggest that it is safest to

never bet on your own sport. Although this is only a personal opinion the researcher

believes that betting on matches that a player is involved in is common practice among

the GAA community as the researcher has experienced this on numerous occasions

throughout a playing season. Research shown above indicates that those who are

considered athletes may gamble more regularly that those considered non-athletes.

Motives for Gambling

Binde (2013) developed a 5 dimensional motivational model which describes that the

fundamental motives for gambling as the “chance of winning money”, the “dream of

hitting the jackpot” (winning the lotto) which would most definitely change an

individual’s life, social rewards (meeting in the local bookmakers), intellectual

challenge, (poker games and horse betting as perceived to involve skill) and mood

change (e.g. only need one more number in bingo). These gambling motives are for

primarily those who are considered leisurely gamblers and perhaps the motives for

problem or pathological gambling may be slightly different. What is important to take

note is that gambling offers an arena for competing with others which make gambling

desirable to people of a competitive nature which is a similar characteristic of a sports

participant (Binde, 2013). In addition Curry & Jiobu (1995) have advocated that

competition has long been thought of as one of the main motivators for gambling and as

athletes have a continuous emphasis on competition these authors believe that gambling

and sports participation may be linked. A survey of 2’484 Connecticut high school

students which examined gambling related motivations found that those considered at

12

risk and problem/pathological gamblers were most likely to say that excitement,

financial, escape and social motivations for gambling compared to low-risk gamblers

(Yip, et al., 2011).

The Irish Sports Monitor (2013) studied the key factors for participating in sports and

found that 58% of males participated to spend time with friends/family and 33% stated

that the element of competition was a key factor in participating in sports. These two

factors, social and competition have been seen in the studies above as key indicators as

to why people gamble. A study of 849 frequent slot machine patrons who were analysed

using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and the Gambling Motives

Questionnaire (GMQ) found that 39% had a low risk, 38.9% with a moderate risk and

22.1% who were at a high risk of pathological gambling (MacLaren, Harrigan, &

Dixon, 2012). The GMQ is an adaption of a 3 motive model of alcohol consumption

with the motives being coping (avoid negative emotions), social, and enhancement

(increase positive emotions), which Stewart & Zack (2008) have stated is a promising

resource for researchers. The study mentioned above revealed that those at moderate

risk of pathological gambling had high scores on enhancement while those at high risk

of pathological gambling had increased scores on enhancement and coping. This

indicates that those who are susceptible to becoming a pathological gambler may do so

to increase positive emotions and avoid negative emotions. This is a strong indicator

that pathological gamblers are motivated to gamble by their emotions while the previous

study by Binde (2013) states low risk gamblers like to gamble for social reasons or the

dream of winning the jackpot. Overall the motives for gambling vary from dreaming of

winning the jackpot to a form of escapism.

Summary and Rationale

From the above there are suggestions that relate sports participation and gambling but

more research is needed especially in Ireland. The anecdotal evidence in Ireland would

suggest that gambling is becoming a danger to society but there is no hard evidence to

suggest this is what will happen. It is also clear that there is gender imbalances as male

are diagnosed frequently more as problem or pathological gamblers than women as

results from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey (2010) stated that problem

gambling prevalence was estimated to be 1.3% for men and 0.2% for women,

significantly higher. Another study showed that there was little difference between male

(68%) and female (69%) gambling in the past 12 months, but again the likelihood of

13

males becoming problem gamblers was far superior to females (Shaffer et al, 1999).

Based on this evidence the study of both males and females would be beneficial as the

state of research on male and female gambling in this county is poor.

The similarities of the motives for gambling and participating in sports have been

closely associated by some which makes studying this population’s relationship with

gambling interesting and worthwhile (Curry & Jiobu 1995). Weiss & Loubier (2008)

found that former and current athletes gambling much more often than non-athletes

indicating that there may be a link. From the above review of literature it is evident that

males gamble more frequently and to a higher extent then female and this study aims to

clarify this a bit more.

14

Research Questions:

1. What are the gambling habits of GAA players?

2. Is there a difference between the gambling behaviours of male Hurlers and

female Camogie players?

3. Does gambling affect daily living?

15

Chapter 2:

Methodology

16

Methodology

The following chapter aims to give a clear picture of how the research is to be carried

out including the research design, the study population, variables, data collection

methods, data analysis and ethical considerations. This is to give clarity to the reader

and so the study could be easily replicated if someone wished to do so.

Research Design

A quantitative research design was adopted for the purpose of this study. A

questionnaire adapted from the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) was used to

gather information. These questionnaires were then distributed to both male hurlers and

female camogie players playing at senior grade for club or senior grade for county aged

approximately 18-36 years old. These are a convenience sample for the researcher as the

researcher had access to these players. The SOGS was originally designed to help

diagnose those who may be either problem or pathological gamblers, but for the purpose

of this study the SOGS will be only used to gather information about gambling habits.

The SOGS questionnaire has been widely used across numerous studies and is

considered reliable and valid. The quantitative design of this study was one of a

descriptive nature meaning the researcher conducted a once off analysis of a certain

group of people at a particular moment in time.

Study Population and Sampling

The study population for this investigation were males and females aged between 18-36

years of age and participated in either hurling or camogie at either club or inter county

level. All participants were gathered from two club teams (n=26) and two county teams

(n=74). Although studies have shown that males gamble more frequently and encounter

more problems with gambling as the British Gambling Prevalence Survey (2010) found

that 75% of males had gambled versus 71% of females. They also estimated that

problem gambling prevalence rates were 1.3% for males and just 0.2% for women, but

it is important to investigate females gambling behaviour. The age bracket of above 18

is important as the legal age for gambling in Ireland is 18. Participants were recruited

for this study by getting in contact with secretaries and team management by both email

and text message. Convenience sampling was used to determine which teams would

partake in this study. Club and county teams from Waterford and Kilkenny took part in

the study due to their accessibility to the researcher. The emails and texts explained

17

what the study was about and asked would they mind if their team took part in the study

which would involve all players given their consent to fill in a questionnaire.

Variables/Concepts

The aim of this investigation is to find out what are the gambling habits of hurling and

camogie players and also to examine whether there is a difference between male and

female gambling behaviours. Of particular interest to the researcher was the forms and

frequency of gambling, how gambling affects the players, how much money they spend

on gambling and whether they had ever borrowed money to gamble. Another area of

particular interest was whether they had ever placed a bet on a game you’ve been

playing in. All this information and more were gathered through the questionnaire.

Data Collection Methods

All data was collected through questionnaires. The questionnaire used for this study was

an adapted version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). The SOGS was

originally developed by Lesieur & Blume in 1987 and was predominantly used to aid

the diagnostic of problem and pathological gamblers. The SOGS is a 16-item

questionnaire based on DSM-III criteria for pathological gambling where the answers

are scored leaving a result at the end (Lesieur & Blume, 1987).

Several questions were adapted and altered to make them appropriate to an Irish setting,

for example the currency was changed from the US Dollar to Euro and certain sports

like Hurling and Gaelic Football replaced sports like hockey and baseball.

Supplementary questions were added to enhance the relevance of the study so that a

greater amount of information could be collected. Some of the questions added were

demographical like; do you bet on sport? How often do you train on average? And what

is the highest level you play at Club/County? Additional questions included; do you feel

like gambling has affected you sporting performance? Have you ever placed a bet on a

game you are playing in? And do you think that your team has a gambling problem? As

the SOGS was developed almost 30 years ago certain questions were added to allow for

the development of technology, for example, do you have an online account with a

bookmaker?

The first section of the questionnaire obtained demographic details like age of the

person, as well as consumption behaviours such as whether or not they played sport,

how often they played sport and whether or not they gambled. The following section

18

examined the forms and frequencies of gambling, followed by monetary questions and

where the players gamble. The final section addressed whether the players had been

criticized about their gambling or whether they had ever borrowed money to gamble

(see appendix one for the complete questionnaire). All data was collected from the

Passage Senior Hurling Team (n=19), Lismore Senior Camogie Team (n=14),

Waterford Senior Hurling Team (n=35) and the Kilkenny Senior Camogie Team (n=33)

in late February 2015 to early March 2015.

Data Analysis

Once all the data was collected the results were processed by SPSS. As this was a

quantitative study the data was numerical. The demographics of the participants were

processed using descriptive analysis (mean scores for age, athlete/non-athlete). The

behaviours of hurler’s vs camogie will be thoroughly investigated through a selection of

crosstabs and shown in graphs. Some variables which were analysed were the

percentage of people who gamble, and age of participants was also categorized by

percentages. Mean scores were also gathered from certain questions like where does the

majority of your gambling take place? (E.g. 20% gamble online, 70% gamble in

bookmakers, 10% gamble in a casino). The independent variable (IV) being the sports

participant/non-participant and the dependent variable (DV) being the different

gambling behaviours, one is influencing the other. Crosstabs were also used to help

analyse the data.

Ethical Considerations

While conducting any study ethics must be considered as the participants of the study

have many rights. First of all approval was granted by the Department of Health, Sport

and Exercise Science. Based on the scoring system of the SOGS questionnaire the

researcher could potentially diagnose some participants as problem or pathological

gamblers based on the score they accumulated through completing the questionnaire.

The researcher with this knowledge used the results strictly for the purpose of the

investigation. It is important to note that all data collected was entirely anonymous so

no identities were ever known giving the participants full confidentiality. It is also

important that the participant knows that once the questionnaire is submitted to the

researcher the questionnaire cannot be retracted as the researcher does not know the

identity of any participants’. This will be explained before the questionnaires are

19

distributed. The data itself was stored securely and the results are stored on a password

encrypted where only the researcher has access to.

20

Chapter 3:

Results

21

Results

This chapter characterises the findings gathered from the questionnaires administered to

hurlers and camogie players. The population either played at senior level with their club

or senior level with their county. All participants played in either Waterford or

Kilkenny. Respondents were both male and female and all actively participate in sport.

The following questions gave the study direction.

1. What are the gambling habits of GAA players?

2. Is there a difference between the gambling behaviours of male Hurlers and

female Camogie players?

3. Does gambling affect daily living?

Table 1 gives a simple description of the participants in this study. 100 people

participated in this study, 53 were male and 47 were female. The vast majority of

participants were aged 18-29 (93%) and 74% were part of a county team. All of the

study population either play hurling or camogie at either club or county level. All

participants also trained a minimum of 2 times a week and a maximum of 7 times a

week.

Table 1: Description of participants

%

Gender (sport) Male (hurling)Female (camogie)

5347

Age 18-2324-2930-3535>

662761

Training per week 2-34-56-7

34642

Highest level ClubCounty

2674

22

Forms and Frequencies of gambling

Table 2 below illustrates what forms of gambling are most popular for all participants in

the study. Participants answered either never, less than once a week (meaning they do

for example bet on sport but not as often as once a week), or once a week or more

(meaning they bet on sport at least once a week). Betting on sports such as GAA, soccer

and other sports was the most popular form of gambling as a little over one-fifth (21%)

do so once a week or more. This was closely followed by betting on horses, dogs, or

other animals as 17% of all participants do so once a week or more. The least common

forms of gambling happened to be playing the stock market with 94% of all participants

never doing so; also 87% of respondents have never played dice games for money.

Almost half of participants (46%) have at least once before played a game of skill like

pool, darts, or golf for money.

Table 2: Form and frequency of gambling

Form of Gambling Never% Less than once a week%

Once a week or more %

Played cards for money

52 43 5

Bet on horses, dogs, or other animals

32 51 17

Bet on sport (GAA, Soccer, Golf)

42 37 21

Played dice games, including craps, over and under

87 9 3

Went to casinos 66 30 4

Played Bingo 74 21 1

Played any lotteries (local or national)

54 34 11

Played the stock market

94 5 1

Played slot machines, poker machines

59 37 1

Played a game of skill like pool/golf for money

54 40 6

Played pull tabs or scratch cards

52 45 3

23

Largest amount of money gambled

Research revealed that 10% of all participants had never gambled. The most common

amount gambled in any one given day was more than €10 up to €100 (36%), closely

followed by €1-€10 (29%) the third most common amount of money gambled on any

one day was €100-€1000 (18%). Table 3 specifies the findings.

Figure 3: Largest amount of money ever gambled with on any one-day?

Never Gambled €1.00 or Less More than €1.00 up to

€10.00

More than €10.00 up to

€100.00

More than €100.00 up to

€1000.00

More than €1000.00 up to

€10000.00

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Largest amount of meoney gambled with on any one-day

% o

f Pop

ulati

on

24

Mediums of Gambling

Figure 4 specifies where the participants game most often. The most popular medium

through which to place a bet was in the bookmakers (47%), with online the second most

common medium used to place a bet (24%). Another option was in a casino but none of

the participants identified a casino as the most common place for them to gamble.

Figure 4: Where would you gamble most often?

47%

24%

2%

27%

BookmakersOnlineAt the racetrackDon’t Gamble

Figure 5 illustrates the percentage of participants who have at least one online gambling

account. Just below half (43%) of study participants indicated that they have an online

account, but betting in bookmakers (47%) is twice as popular as betting online (24%) as

seen in figure 4 above. Also males (60%) were almost 3 times more likely to have an

online account than females (23%). After conducting a Mann Whitney test this

difference was found to be significant (p=.000).

Figure 5: Do you have an online account with a bookmaker?

Male with account

Female with account

Yes %

No %

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Have an online account

% of Population

25

Team has a gambling problem?

Figure 6a illustrates those who thought their team had a gambling problem. Almost one-

fifth (19%) of participants believed their team had a gambling problem but after further

analysis on gender, it was only the males that taught their team had a gambling problem.

Figure 6a/b: Do you think your team has a gambling problem?

Figure 6a.

19%

81%

YesNo

Figure 6b shows that over a third (36%) of males believe their team has a gambling

problem. There was proved to be a significant difference between male and female

opinions regarding whether they taught their team has a gambling problem by

conducting a Mann Whitney test (p=.000).

Figure 6b.

36%

64%

Male

YesNo

Table 7 displays what participants said when asked had gambling affected their sporting

performance. An overwhelming majority (91%) responded with “not at all” while 7%

26

stated that gambling had a very little effect on their sporting performance. Just 1% (n=1)

stated that gambling often affects their performance and 1% (n=1) said that gambling

always affected their sporting performance.

Table 7: Gambling affected your sporting performance?

Not at all Very little Often Always

Total

Responses

91% 7% 1% 1%

Male vs Female Gambling

Below in figure 8 we can see a gender breakdown of the largest amount of money

gambled with on any one given day. Most common amount for males was more than

€10 up to €100 (n=22) closely followed by more than €100 up to €1000 (n=18). For

females the largest amount gambled was more than €1 up to €10 (n=25) followed by

more than €10 up to €100 (n=14).

Figure 8: Largest amount of money ever gambled with on any one-day?

Never Gambled €1 or less More than €1 up to €10

More than €10 up to €100

More than €100 up to

€1000

More than €1000 up to

€10000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

% o

f Pop

ulati

on

Figure 9 shows the proportion of males and females that have bet on a game they are

playing in. One in four males (25%) have at least once placed a bet in a game that they

27

are playing whereas only a very small percentage (2%) of woman (n=1) have placed a

bet on a game that they are playing in. This difference was found to be significant

though testing using a Mann Whitney test (p=.001).

Figure 9: Have you ever placed a bet on a game you are playing in?

Male

Female

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Figure 10 shows the percentage of both males and females that gambled more than they

intended to. Almost half (49%) of males admitted to gambling more than they intended

to, while in comparison much fewer females (11%) admitted gambling more than they

initially intended to. A Mann Whitney test verified this result as significant (p=.000).

Figure 10: Did you ever gamble more than you intended too?

49%

11%

Male Female

Findings showed that that the majority of females (89%) never go back gambling

another day to win back money they had previously lost. In contrast just over half (52%)

28

of males have gone back another day to win back the money they previously lost. See

figure below.

Figure 11: When you gamble, how often do you go back another day to win back the money you have lost?

Never Some of the time Most of the time Every time I lose0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

% o

f Pop

ulati

on

Research revealed that all females (100%) never claimed to be winning money

gambling, when in fact they lost. Figure 12 below describes the male’s results. An

overwhelming majority (85%) of males also answered never, but almost one in ten (9%)

said the yes, less than half the time I lost I claimed to be winning, while a further 6%

(n=3) said that most of the time they lost they claimed to be winning.

Figure 12: Have you ever claimed to be winning money gambling, but weren’t really? In fact, you lost?

Never Yes, less than half the time I lost

Yes, most of the time0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

85%

9% 6%

Male

Does Gambling Effect Daily Living

29

It is clear to see in figure 13 that almost one in three males (32%) have been criticised

about their gambling whereas no females (0%) have reported been criticised by others.

After performing a Mann Whitney test this difference was found to be significant

(p=.000).

Figure 13: Have people criticised your betting or told you that you had a problem, regardless of whether or not you taught it was true?

Male Female0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Criticised about your betting

Gender

% o

f Pop

ulati

on

In figure 14 we can see that exactly one in four (25%) males has felt guilty about the

way they gamble or what happens when they gamble. In comparison only 4% (n=2) of

females reported feeling guilty about their gambling. This difference was found to be

significant through the use of a Mann Whitney test (p=.005).

Figure 14: Have you ever felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?

25%

4%

Male Female

Figure 15 shows almost one in five (19%) males admitted to feeling like they would like

to stop betting but did not think they could, again no females reported the same feeling.

30

This variance was found to be significant after undertaking a Mann Whitney test

(p=.002).

Figure 15: Have you ever felt like you would like to stop betting money on gambling, but didn’t think you could?

Male

Female

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%

% of Population answered Yes

Figure 16 illustrates that males (25%) are more likely to hide betting related material

from those close to them compared to females (4%). This difference was found to be

significant after carrying out a Mann Whitney test (p=.005).

Figure 16: Have you ever hidden betting slips, lottery tickets, gambling money, IOUs, or other signs of betting/gambling from your spouse, children, or other important people in your life?

Male Female0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%25%

4%

Hidden betting slips etc.

Gender

% o

f Pop

ulati

on

31

Results shown in figure 17 concluded that all females (100%) feel like they have no

problem with gambling. For males 9% feel they have a gambling problem and 4% (n=2)

feel like they used to have a problem with gambling, but not now.

Figure 17: Do you feel you have ever had a problem with betting or money gambling.

87%

9%4%

Male

NoYesYes, in the past, but not now

Findings highlighted in figure 18 show that no females reported ever losing time from

work or school due to gambling; following the above trends some males (13%) have

reported losing time from work or school due to betting money or gambling.

Figure 18: Have you ever lost time from work (or school) due to betting money or gambling?

Male

Female

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Gend

er

32

Figure 19 states that over one in four men (26%) have borrowed money to gamble or to

pay gambling debts, in contrast all females stated that they never previously borrowed

money to gamble or to pay gambling debts.

Figure 19: Have you ever borrowed money to gamble or pay off gambling debts?

Yes No0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

MaleFemale

Figure 20 shows the most popular places for males to borrow money to gamble or pay

gambling debts. Borrowing money from friends was the most common source.

Figure 20: Sources borrowed from to gamble?

35%

23%

17%

12%

12%

MaleFriends Savings Household moneySpouse Bank Overdraft

33

Chapter 4:

Discussion

34

Discussion

Overview

The primary purpose of this chapter is to discuss the main findings in the results chapter

in greater detail. As previously stated there is little knowledge/research available about

gambling behaviours in Ireland (IPH, 2010) so comparisons to studies from other

countries will be made. Also due to the lack of research some comparisons will be made

between athletes and college athletes. The aim of this study was to identify the

gambling habits of hurlers and camogie players. Firstly the gambling habits of hurling

and camogie players will be discussed followed by male vs female gambling habits and

finally the effects of gambling. The results were collected through questionnaires. The

findings were guided by the following research questions:

1. What are the gambling habits of GAA players?

2. Is there a difference between the gambling behaviours of male Hurlers and

female Camogie players?

3. Does gambling affect daily living?

Gambling Habits of GAA Players

After analysing the findings, 73% of the total population stated that they gamble. This is

on par with results from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey (2010) showed that

73% of the adult population participated in some form of gambling in the previous 12

months. Although there is no difference it goes against previous research as a previous

study found that athletes are likely to gamble more than non-athletes maybe due to their

competitive spirit, also it found athletes’ bet on sport twice as much as non-athletes,

40%-20% (Weiss & Loubier, 2010). Having a competitive spirit may well be significant

in understanding why athletes may be more likely to gamble than non-athletes along

with the enticement of winning money. Athletes may be at risk to an amplified risk to

gamble because of their competitive nature but also due to the fact that being part of a

team where gambling might be a common activity discussed might also influence

whether or not you gamble. A separate study also conducted by Weiss & Loubier

(2008) looked at the gambling behaviours of current athletes, former athletes, and non-

athletes and found that current athletes (7%) were more likely to be classified as

probable pathological gamblers compared to non-athletes (3%).

35

The most popular gambling activity was betting on horses, dogs, or other animals (68%)

with betting on sports a close second (58%). When compared against the results of the

British Gambling Prevalence Survey (2010) there is quiet a difference with lotteries

(25%) and scratch cards (24%) being the most popular gambling activity off those aged

16 years and over. It is interesting that the preferred type gambling of the general British

population is perceived to be a game of luck or chance like lotteries and scratch cards,

whereas in this study the preferred type of gambling of hurlers and camogie players is

one that knowledge and insight is important to determining the outcome of an event.

When betting on a horse race you can check the horses form (how they performed in

previous races) and the decide whether you believe it should win, the same goes for

soccer or any other sport for that matter, there are variables which will help you decide

what you think the outcome will be (e.g. team missing key players through

injured/suspension). While doing the lottery or playing scratch cards, the outcome can’t

be predicted by what has previously happened, in other words the outcome is

determined by chance or luck. This suggest that sport participants may believe they may

be able to predict the future rather than relying on chance or luck with lotteries/scratch

cards. Another possible reason may be the horse racing culture in Ireland and world

class calendar of horse racing events. Also the fact that all the participants play sport

this may possibly make them more likely to bet on sports themselves as they may feel

like they have an advantage as they are knowledgeable about the sport.

The most common medium through which both hurlers and camogie players gambled

was in a bookmakers (47%) and online (24%). This was surprising given the availability

of online gambling, the increased use of smartphones, tablets and laptops etc. but also

given the amount of participants that stated they have an online bookmaker account.

This is potentially safer for society as there is less risk involved in betting in

bookmakers in comparison to online. Underage gambling is said to be a particular

concern as internet usage is highest among teenagers (Wood & Williams 2009). The

majority of study participants were not teenagers. This may explain why the

bookmakers are still the most common place to place a bet. Although online gambling

sites do have protective measures like daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits and

contact information for helplines it is extremely dangerous. Bookmakers have set

opening times but having an online account means you can place a bet at any time on

any market online. Woods and Williams (2009) stated that the 24 hour availability and

convenience of internet gambling gives it an advantage over other mediums through

36

which you can gamble. Also online gambling accounts are directly linked to your bank

account so you could withdraw large sums of money to gamble with online, in contrast

if you go to a bookmaker to gamble you might only have whatever amount of money is

in your pocket. What is concerning is that almost half of the study participants (43%)

have at least one online account with a bookmakers which indicates that even though

the bookmakers is the most popular location to gamble many people still have an online

account which they may later use. The fact that they have took the time to set up an

account and perhaps download an application onto their phone suggests that it will be

used. These gambling companies themselves promote the use of their online gambling

apps as much as possible through social media as anyone that follows Paddy Power on

twitter will understand as there are constant updates about online specials. Certain

specials can only be attained by placing the bet online, also for instance if you place a

bet on a horse race a live stream of that race is available to watch to see how your

selection does, this again makes online gambling more appealing. Also online betting

companies also offer bet in play markets so you can place numerous bets on a game that

is already started, again adding to the options exclusively available to online customers.

Technological improvement in the past few years like faster speed broadband, higher

quality smartphones and to a certain extent applications may be attributed to a rise in

online gambling.

Male versus Female Gambling

There were many differences discovered between males and females. It was easy to

distinguish that males have a higher association with gambling than females. Previous

studies have also illustrated these trends; the British Gambling Prevalence Survey

(2010) found that of the adult population over the age of 16, male prevalence rates were

slightly higher (75%) than females (71%). Many studies also conclude that males are at

a significantly increased risk of becoming problem gamblers than females (Gonnerman

& Lutz, 2011 & Winters, Bengston, Door & Stinchfield, 1998). Again results were

identical the British Gambling Prevalence Survey as problem gambling estimates of the

entire population was higher for males (1.3%) than it was for female (0.2%). Judging by

the results from this particular study it is easy to see why men seem to report more case

of problem gambling than women.

The first most recognisable difference between male and female gambling habits was

the largest amount of money gambled with on any one given day. Men spent

37

considerably more money than women on gambling as the most common amount for

males was more than €10 up to €100 closely followed by more than €100 up to €1000.

In contrast for females the most common largest amount of money gambled with on any

one day was more than €1 up to €10 with more than €10 up to €100 the second largest

amount. This indicates that females gamble with smaller amounts of money than males.

The larger amounts of money gambled by males may be associated with the higher

prevalence of male problem gamblers. There was also a significant difference between

males and females with an online account with a bookmaker. Males were almost three

times more likely to have an online account with a bookmaker than females. The British

Gambling Prevalence Survey in 2010 estimated that 14% of adults used the internet to

gamble. Similarly in this study it was estimated that males (17%) used the internet to

gamble more than females (12%). In our study quiet a high number of the study sample

had an online account (43%). This may be a sign of change as the British Gambling

Prevalence Survey was conducted five years ago and if they were to replicate that study

now the prevalence of online gambling will probably have increased as online gambling

is said to be the fastest growing form of gambling (National Centre for Responsible

Gaming, 2013).

Effects of Gambling

The Australian Productivity Commission found that on average between five and ten

people are effected by a problem gambler. These people may be friends, children,

spouses, family member’s, co-workers as well as others. Although the purpose of this

study was not to diagnose those with a gambling problem it is important to

achknowledge the effects excessive gambling may have on others. Almost one in five

(19%) males in this study felt like they would like to stop betting money on gambling

but didn’t think they could. This may have ripple effects where the closest people in

their lives are negatively effected. The reasons behind why they felt they couldn’t stop

is unknown but it most definietly be classed as problem gambling behaviour.

Another problem lies within online gambling, it is very easy to cover-up. This study

found that a considerable amount of males (25%) particularly had admitted to hiding

gambling related material like bet slips, lottery tickets, gambling money, IOUs, or other

signs of betting/gambling from your spouse, children, or anyone important in your life.

Online gambling can further aid the concealment of gambling. Technology has

impacted gambling as it has made it more accessible, affordable, convenient, increased

38

anonymity and somewhere for people to escape to (Griffiths, Parke, Wood & Parke,

2006). Although there is only slight evidence to suggest that online gambling may

become a problem, a close eye must be kept on prevalence rates and usage of these

accounts as they can be very harmful. In the British Columbia Gambling Prevalence

Survey (2008) found that internet gamblers had the strongest association with problem

gambling. This may be a possible explanation as to why the people who felt like

stopping gambling actually couldn’t.

The reasons as to why the participant’s felt the need to conceal gambling material is

unknown. It may be due to feeling guilty about what happens when they gamble as

again a considerable amount of males (25%) felt guilty about the way they gamble or

what happens when they gamble. There is quite possibly a link between felling guilty

about the way you gamble and hiding betting material. Those who feel guilty may

choose to hide betting material from others in fear of being criticized and

consequentially make you feel guilty. Concealment may be down to a number of

factors; gambling is seen by many as not sociably acceptable, maybe they notice

changes about themselves form the way they gamble as result of losing money. More

research is needed to tease out why some people experience feelings of guilt or feel the

need or hide evidence of betting from others.

Again a relatively high proportion of males (25%) in our study revealed that people

have criticised their betting habits or told them that they had a problem, regardless of

whether or not they taught it was true. This could possibly affect the relationship with

that person who is criticizing you as researchers have stated the negative impact

gambling may have on relationships with family, friends, partners and others

(Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002). Feelings of guiltiness, concealing gambling material

and being criticized about your gambling behaviour may be associated with gambling

more than you originally intended to. In our study a high proportion of males (49%)

expressed that they have gambled more than they intended to. One obvious consequence

of gambling more than intended is losing more money/time than you planned on

spending. It is unclear why men gamble with larger amounts of money, perhaps it is

because males bet on sports and horses more than women and these types of gambling

can attract higher wagers. There seems to be a trend in these results as the higher

amounts of money you gamble with the more guilt you will feel, the more criticism you

will receive and the more likely you are to hide betting related materials from others.

39

Results discovered that one in four (26%) males had borrowed money to gamble or to

pay off gambling related debt. Interestingly it emerged that none of the females studied

had ever borrowed money in order to gamble or to pay gambling debts. This is

concerning that males would go to such lengths to get money to gamble when the

majority of time the outcome of a bet is negative. The most common sources for males

to borrow from was friends (35%) and savings (23%). It is easy to see that a relationship

could be stretched if this type of behaviour is continued. If they needed to borrow

money in the first place then it is arguable they should not of spend this money on

gambling as if their selection loses they will then be even worse financially. This is

where problems can be prominent as they may gamble more to try getting the money

back that they owe their friend. Of the male population over half (58%) sometimes go

back another day to win back the money you have previously lost. This is when the

stakes get bigger as the more money you lose the more money you have to gamble with

in order to a get a return which covers your previous losses.

40

Limitations

With all research there are limitations and weaknesses. It is important to identify these

limitations or weaknesses in this particular study. By recognising and rectifying these

limitations it is hoped to aid future research into this area, therefore increasing the

validity of them.

Data Collection Methods

The first obvious limitation of the study is that all information gathered for this study

was done so by self-report questionnaire, so there is a definite risk of self-report bias

where the honesty of the participant is not known. Possible problems with this method

of data collection is that participants may exaggerate their answers or opinions for one

reason or another, or the opposite may happen that the participant may under-report or

give incorrect answers in order to protect themselves. Additionally, the fact that all

questionnaires were filled out with other team members may lead to them using so

called ‘normal’ answers depending on what those around them are reporting. To clarify

some may say they gambled €200 on a horse before, if someone else noticed that was

what one or a few people said they might select that answer as it is seen as normal.

Furthermore certain individuals when completing the questionnaires were seen to be

laughing and joking about it and jeering others about their possible gambling habits. It

important to note these limitations but it is next to impossible to determine whether or

not these limitations influenced the results.

The questionnaire itself may have been interpreted differently by each individual as

some questions may mean different things to different people; this may have affected

the results, although the researcher was present at all times to answer questions while

the participants are completing the questionnaires. Also there were time gaps between

when all the questionnaires were gathered. Some were retrieved in late February and the

remaining questionnaires were collected in the middle of March just after the

Cheltenham Festival which took place from March 10th-13th. This is probably the most

popular racing event of the year which may have impacted the results.

41

Sample Size

The relatively small sample size of just 100 participants must be recognized as not a

clear representation of all the hurlers and camogie players in Ireland. Also the

participants were selected using convenience sampling due to accessibility to the

researcher, this method of sampling leads to sampling bias as again these participants

are not a true representation of all the hurlers and camogie players in the country.

Additional Questions

In reflection there are certain questions which could have been added to the

questionnaire to provide more information. Questions like why do you gamble and why

do you play sport may have yielded interesting results. Some other interesting analysis

would have been why do people feel guilty about the way they gamble and why do they

feel the need to hide betting related material from other people in their lives. Again a

gender comparison of these results may have been intriguing. Perhaps a more in-depth

analysis of the online method of gambling might have made the findings noteworthy.

42

Conclusions

This research set out to investigate the gambling habits of hurling and camogie players

through distributing self-report questionnaires. This research indicates in general that it

is concurrent with other research that states males gamble more than females. One of

the more notable findings was that the prevalence of gambling on a game you are

involved was quite high amongst males. These findings enhance our knowledge about a

particularly untouched subject but it also provided additional questions that need to be

answered to fully understand the gambling habits of GAA players. More research is

most definitely need to broaden the information available about the gambling habits of

people in Ireland, as this study only focused on hurling and camogie players greater

attention should be dedicated to reviewing the general population. The findings from

this study suggest that gambling was not a serious concern but the substantial

dissimilarities between the gambling habits of males and females is a topic which ought

to be further examined.

Recommendations for Future Research

As previously stated in the limitations section a larger population size would be advised

for future studies to gain more valid assumptions can be made about this particular

population. As previously acknowledged there is a lack in Ireland about the prevalence

of gambling so a study not specifically focused on a particular population. The

quantitative nature of this study provided statistical information like percentages and

numbers, perhaps a study of qualitative nature using interviews of focus groups may

provide detailed information about the possible reasons behind why people gamble. The

time of which the data is collected may have influenced the results so in future research

all data should be collected as close to each other as possible to eliminate the influence

of some popular sporting events like the Cheltenham Racing festival, which may have

stemmed a spike in gambling activity. To eliminate any influence others may have had

on the results all questionnaires should be completed in complete privacy.

43

Recommendations for Practice

More data needs to be collected on the gambling habits of the Irish population; this

could be done by including gambling related criteria in common surveys like the Census

or Survey of Lifestyle Attitudes and Nutrition (SLAN) surveys as stated by the IPH

(2010). If data could be collected by these methods it would provide a baseline or

averages about basic gambling behaviours in Ireland. Comparisons could then be made

to other countries which could only be advantageous. As stated previously the results of

this study cannot be used to generalise the entire population of hurling and camogie

players but they can be used for the teams that participated in this study. Clubs and

county team should be particularly cautious of players betting on games they are

involved or games they make have inside information as the consequences of doing this

and getting caught can be severe. Clubs should educate the players and officials

associated about why this behaviour will not be tolerated or deemed morally correct at

the club. Provisions should be put in place at club and county level to support those who

may be experiencing problems with gambling. Adolescent gambling in taught to 2-3

times the rate of adults so common sense should prevail to educate adolescent about the

dangers of gambling.

44

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Appendix A

Questionnaire

Jason Roche -Year 4-Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Recreation and Sport Management.

Personal details:

50

Gender: _____________

Age: _____________

Do you play sport? Yes No

If yes, what sport do you play (Soccer, Rugby, Hurling/Camogie, Football, Other?)

________________________

What is the highest level you play at (Club, County?)

________________________

How often do you train on average? (2, 3, 4, 5 times per week)

________________________

Do you bet on sports? ______Yes ______NoIf yes?

Do you feel like gambling has affected you sporting performance?

______Not at all ______ Very little ______Often ______Almost

always

Have you ever placed a bet on a game you are playing in?

______Never ______Once/twice ______ Often (2-8 times) ______ Regularly (8+)

Do you think that your team has a gambling problem? ______ Yes ______ No

1. Please indicate which of the following types of gambling you have done in your

lifetime. For each type, mark one answer: “Not at All,” “Less than Once a Week,” or

“Once a Week or More.”

PLEASE “✓” ONE ANSWER FOR EACH STATEMENT:

NOT AT ALL

LESS THAN ONCE A WEEK

ONCE A WEEK OR MORE

a. Played cards for money

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b. Bet on horses, dogs, or other animals

c. Bet on sport (GAA, Soccer, Golf, Boxing, Tennis, etc.)d. Played dice games, including craps, over and under or other dice games

e. Went to casinos

f. Played the numbers or bet on (any) lotteries

g. Played bingo

h. Played the stock and/or commodities market

i. Played slot machines, poker machines, or othergambling machines

j. Played a game of skill for money like pool, golf, darts, etc.

k. Played pull tabs or scratch cards

l. Some form of gambling not listed above (pleasespecify: ________________________

2. What is the largest amount of money you have ever gambled with on any one-day?

______Never gambled______€1 or less______More than €1.00 up to €10.00 ______More than €10.00 up to €100.00______More than €100.00 up to €1’000.00 ______More than €1’000.00 up to €10’000______More than €10’000

3. Check which of the following people in your life has (or had) a gambling problem, if any.

______Father ______Mother______Brother/Sister______My Spouse/Partner______My Child(ren) ______Another Relative______A Friend or Someone Important in My Life

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4. When you gamble, how often do you go back another day to win back money you have lost?

______ Never______ Some of the Time (less than half the time I lose)______ Most of the Time ______ Every Time I Lose

5. Have you ever claimed to be winning money gambling, but weren’t really? In fact, you lost?

______ Never______ Yes, less than half the time I lost______ Yes, most of the time

6. Do you feel you have ever had a problem with betting or money gambling?

______ No ______ Yes ______ Yes, in the past, but not now

7. Where would you gamble most often?______Bookmakers______ Casino______Online______ At the racetrack/event______Other please specify

Yes No

8. Do you have an online account with a bookmaker?If yes please specify which firm’(s)

9. Did you ever gamble more than you intended to?

10. Have people criticized your betting or told you that you had a problem, regardless of whether or not you thought it was true?11. Have you ever felt guilty about the way you gamble, or what happens when you gamble?

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12. Have you ever felt like you would like to stop betting money on gambling, but didn’t think you could?13. Have you ever hidden betting slips, lottery tickets, gambling money, IOUs, or other signs of betting or gambling from your spouse, children or other important people in your life?14. Have you ever argued with people you live with over how you handle money?15. (If you answered “Yes” to question 14) Have money arguments ever centered on your gambling?16. Have you ever borrowed from someone and not paid them back as a result of your gambling?17. Have you ever lost time from work (or school) due to betting money or gambling?

Yes No18. If you borrowed money to gamble or to pay gambling debts, who or where did you borrow from (check “Yes” or “No” for each):

a. From household money

b. From your spouse

c. From other relatives or in-laws or friends

d. From banks, loan companies, or credit unions

e. From credit cards

f. From loan sharks

g. From savings

h. You sold personal or family property

i. You gone into a bank overdraft

j. You have (had) a credit line with a bookie