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Author: |
Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance |
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Source: |
The Wager |
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Description: |
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It’s that time of the year again…March Madness. Next to the Super Bowl, this event stimulates the most sports wagering in the U.S. During 2004, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) conducted a national survey of gambling and other high risk behaviors among college athletes, which is described in a number of publications or reports (Ellenbogen, Jacobs, Derevensky, Gupta, & Paskus, 2008; Huang, Jacobs, Derevensky, Gupta, & Paskus, 2007a, 2007b; Petr, Paskus, & Dunkle, 2004). This survey revealed that college athletes (especially males) evidenced sports betting despite the NCAA rules prohibiting student-athletes from wagering on college or professional sports. In response to these results, NCAA president, Myles Brand, commissioned a task force of key figures in college athletics and the gambling research/treatment community to examine the data and recommend a course of action. The resulting recommendations were wide ranging and included various forms of educational outreach. During 2008, the NCAA conducted a subsequent national study of student-athletes. Analyses of these data are underway and the NCAA plan to release an initial report about the study later this year. This week’s WAGER reviews some preliminary findings of the 2008 NCAA study (Paskus, Petr, Vicente, & Derevensky, 2009; Petr et al., 2004). |
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