Understanding Sports Betting Among Young People: Psychosocial and Structural Influences

This study explored participants' experiences and perceptions of the psychosocial influences associated with sports betting and gambling practices among regular bettors in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. A qualitative ethnographic design was employed to examine the everyday experiences, meanings, and motivations attached to sports betting. Forty participants (N = 40), comprising 37 regular bettors and three key informants, were purposively recruited from four betting houses in Masvingo urban. Data were generated through in-depth interviews and participant observation conducted over a twelve-month period from January to December 2024. Participants reflected on their gambling histories, motivations for betting, and challenges associated with their involvement. Findings suggested that participants perceived peer relationships, social learning, economic insecurity, familial exposure, and emotional distress as important influences associated with their engagement in gambling. Economic hardship and youth unemployment further influenced engagement, as many viewed sports betting as a potential income-generating strategy and a means of coping with financial insecurity. Emotional distress, including stress, grief, frustration, and boredom, also motivated gambling, with betting serving as a temporary psychological escape from daily challenges. Family gambling practices were found to normalize risk-taking behaviors among some participants. Although betting houses provided social interaction and a sense of belonging, they simultaneously reinforced maladaptive coping strategies and heightened vulnerability to problem gambling. The study underscores the need for integrated interventions addressing mental health support, youth economic empowerment, family involvement, and community awareness of gambling-related harms in urban Zimbabwe.