Despite Ban, Nearly 60% of Mississippi Student Gamblers Bet Online, Study Shows
A new study from the University of Mississippi has found that nearly 60% of college student sports bettors in the state are placing wagers on supposedly legal online platforms, despite a statewide ban on mobile sports betting. The findings reveal that students are actively circumventing state law and highlight the challenges regulators face in a rapidly evolving gambling landscape.
The Scope of College Gambling
The survey of nearly 1,600 students across Mississippi found that gambling is a common activity. Overall, about 37% of students reported gambling in the past year. The most popular forms of gambling were state lotteries (18%), card games (17%), and sports betting (16%).
Among those who bet on sports, the most popular leagues were the NFL (42%), college football (36%), and both men’s college basketball and the NBA (28% each). The study found that the typical monthly spending on gambling was approximately $100.
How Students Are Placing Bets
The most significant finding of the study is the widespread use of online sportsbooks in a state where such activity is illegal. This suggests students are finding ways to bypass geographic restrictions, likely using tools like virtual private networks (VPNs) to access legal betting sites operating in other states.
Beyond these platforms, students employ various other methods to place their wagers:
- 32% reported using family members or friends to place bets for them.
- 18% placed bets in person at one of Mississippi’s land-based casinos.
- 16% used offshore betting sites based outside of the U.S. or Canada.
- Another 16% placed wagers with illegal bookies.
The study also identified demographic trends, noting that gambling was more prevalent among male students, white students, those living off-campus, and students involved in athletics or Greek life.
Identifying the Risks
While many students may gamble without issue, the study identified a notable portion at risk for developing gambling problems. The research found that 10% of student gamblers were at moderate risk, and another 6% met the criteria for having a gambling problem.
Dan Durkin, a co-author of the study, estimated this translates to between 4,700 and 6,300 students in Mississippi who are currently facing serious issues related to their gambling. These problems can include significant debt, psychological distress, and a decline in academic performance. Of that group, Durkin noted that 20% to 30% could eventually develop a clinical gambling disorder.
The study was conducted as state lawmakers prepare to revisit the issue of mobile sports betting. Currently, Mississippi only allows sports wagers to be placed in person at licensed casinos. Past efforts to legalize statewide mobile betting have failed, partly due to concerns about increasing addiction and potentially harming the state’s established casino industry.
In light of the findings that students are already betting online, the study’s authors suggest a path forward. Durkin recommended that if Mississippi chooses to legalize mobile betting, any new legislation should include dedicated funding for addiction treatment programs. He proposed that this funding be generated by a tax on the gambling companies themselves.
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