Student Gambling: Universitywide approaches to awareness and education efforts

1
Student Gambling University-wide approaches to
awareness and education efforts

• Presented to NASPA Colleagues
• March 22nd, 2005
• Tampa, FL
• Presenters Dr. Thomas Hardy, Associate Director
  for Residential Communities, The University of
  Alabama
• and Mr. Chris King, Associate Athletics
  Director, The University of Alabama

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Outline

• Brief review of general population College
  Student Gambling salient points
• Brief review of College Student Athlete Gambling
  salient points
• Short review of the literature
• Establishment of UAs Gambling Action Team (GAT)
  and Purpose
• Plan of Action and Assessment methods for GAT
• Educational Initiatives regarding College Student
  gambling
• Translation to other campuses
• QA

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General population College Student Gambling

• The availability of varied forms of gambling is
  widespread (internet, fraternity house bookies,
  lotteries, racetracks, casinos)
• College Students tend to be risk-takers at heart
  and gambling is just another form of risk-taking
  similar to sexual promiscuity, alcohol use, and
  illegal drugs.
• Student gambling has been largely ignored or even
  promoted on most college campuses (casino nights,
  bus trips to casinos, etc.)

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General population College Student Gambling

• Gambling can be just as addictive as drug abuse
  and alcohol abuse
• Our campuses all tend to address the above
  concerns, but not gambling
• Gambling among college students tends to be
  masked and those seeking help, seek help for
  financial concerns, alcohol issues, etc, not the
  gambling

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General population College Student Gambling

• It is estimated 5.5 of our college-aged
  population has a gambling problem.
• Are we willing to write-off that many students
  and not offer help?

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Review of Literature

• Historical/Legal perspective
• Gaming Act of 1710 (Statue of Anne)
• English Common Law still on books today

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Review of Literature

• Historical/Legal perspective
• Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Butterworth (1981)
• Established Native American Casinos and growth of
  riverboat casinos

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Review of Literature

• Risk-Taking behaviors among college students
• Milgram (1974)
• Conformity and Obedience to peer thought

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Review of Literature

• Risk-Taking behaviors among college students
• Smith and Brown (1998)
• Alcohol and sexual activity interconnectedness to
  risk-taking

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Review of Literature

• Psychology of the gambler
• Freud (1928)
• Analysis of Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• Skinner (1953)
• Behaviorism variable-ratio reinforcement

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Review of Literature

• Studies on College Student Gambling
• Lesieur, et.al (1991)
• - Multi-institution comprehensive study on
  gambling among college students.

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Review of Literature

• Studies on College Student Gambling
• Lorenz (1983)
• Two institution study on college student
  gambling

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Review of Literature (cont.)

• Studies on Student Affairs responses
• Ackerman and Piper (1996)
• Statement on Student Affairs responsibility
  towards issue

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Review of Literature

• Studies on Student Affairs responses
• Bailey and Dickens (1997)
• CSAOs perceptions of college student gambling

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Review of College Student-Athlete Gambling

• NCAAs Position on Gambling
• Recent NCAA Study
• NCAA Legislation
• Consequences for Student-Athletes and Athletic
  Department Staff Members
• College Gambling Scandals
• NCAA Initiatives

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NCAA POSITION ON GAMBLING

• The NCAA opposes ALL forms of illegal sports
  wagering. Sports wagering has the potential to
  undermine the integrity of sports contests and
  jeopardizes the welfare of student-athletes and
  the intercollegiate athletics community. Sports
  wagering demeans the competition and competitors
  alike by a message that is contrary to the
  purposes and meaning of sport. Sports
  competition should be appreciated for the
  inherent benefits related to participation of
  student-athletes, coaches, and institutions in
  fair contests, not the amounts of money wagered
  on the outcome of the competition.

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Recent NCAA Study

• NCAA Study Finds Sports Wagering a Problem Among
  Student-Athletes
• Discuss National Study on Collegiate Sports
  Wagering
• Summary
• Survey
• Initial Findings
• Handouts

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NCAA Gambling Rule

• Staff members of a member conference, staff
  members of the athletic department of a member
  institution and student-athletes shall not
  knowingly
• Provide information to individuals involved in
  organized gambling activities concerning
  intercollegiate athletics competition.
• Solicit a bet on any intercollegiate team
• Accept a bet on any team representing the
  institution
• Solicit or accept a bet on any intercollegiate
  competition for any item (cash, shirt, dinner)
  that has a tangible value or
• Participate in any gambling activity that
  involves intercollegiate or professional
  athletics, through a bookmaker, parlay card, or
  other method of organized gambling.

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Consequences

• Student-Athletes
• Minimum year suspension from collegiate
  participation and/or
• Possible ban from all collegiate participation
  (bet on school sporting contest)
• Athletics Staff
• Impacts employment

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Dont Bet on It!!!

• Dont Risk It
• There are many examples where student-athletes
  did risk it, and suffered the consequences. We
  will look at four examples later in the
  presentation.
• NCAA Rules and the Consequences
• The NCAA rules are clear Student-athletes
  cannot bet on any collegiate or professional
  sporting event, and cannot give information to
  anyone who does bet on college or professional
  sports, including internet gambling, sports
  pools, or collegiate sports that dont involve
  their own team.
• The consequences are clear as well. If a
  student-athlete bets on any team at their school,
  the student-athlete is permanently ineligible to
  play any sports. If the student-athlete bets on
  any college or professional team that is not
  their own, the student-athlete is ineligible for
  one year. Student-athletes can also go to jail
  sports wagering is a crime!

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Risk of Gambling Student-Athletes

• Removed from team
• Expelled from college
• Humiliated in news stories
• Embarrassment to their family and team
• Banished from professional sports
• Victim of bookies and organized crime
• Ruined financially and perhaps even hurt
  physically
• Turned down for future jobs
• Sent to jail

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Why is NCAA so tough on Sports Wagering?

• Threatens a student-athletes personal integrity
  and safety
• Corrupts sports
• Illegal
• Attracts organized crime
• Chris King Rule It is not part of the
  educational mission and could tarnish the
  reputation of an educational institution!!!

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How do student-athletes wager?

• Fantasy Leagues
• If the fantasy league charges an entry fee in
  order to be able to participate and there is a
  prize at the end, it would be a violation of NCAA
  gambling legislation for a staff member or
  student-athlete to participate
• Video Game Tournaments
• Sports Pools
• NFL, NBA, Baseball, Golf Tournaments, March
  Madness, etc.
• Internet Gambling

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Internet Sports Gambling

• The NCAA has stated that Internet Sports Gambling
  specifically violates NCAA Bylaw 10.3, and
  therefore is prohibited to student-athletes.
• Currently, there are bills in the United States
  Congress that will clarify whether internet
  gambling is illegal in states where sports
  gambling is illegal (It is illegal in Alabama).
• Internet gambling is seen as the most dangerous
  and addictive method of gambling for college
  students.
• Student-athletes are not protected by using the
  internet, a former Florida State football and
  basketball player was kicked off the team for
  alleged bets placed on the internet.

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College Gambling Scandals

• ARIZONA STATE
• Gambling Offense Shaved points in four games
  during ASUs 1993-1994 season.
• Penalty
• One year in prison
• Three years probation
• 8,000 fine

• FLORIDA
• Gambling Offense
• Student-athlete violated NCAA prohibition against
  betting on college sports games.
• Penalty
• Declared ineligible to play basketball in his
  senior year at Florida.

• NORTHWESTERN
• Gambling Offense Four players shaved points in
  3 Big 10 Conference games during 1995.
• Penalty
• One month in Federal Prison
• Provided gambling talks to other colleges for 5
  years
• Two years probation

FLORIDA STATE Gambling Offense
Student-athlete and team manager bet on Florida
State games through campus bookie. Penalty
Coach Bowden kicked the student-athlete off the
Florida State football team during his freshman
year.
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NCAA Gambling Resource Literature Materials

• Review NCAA website www.ncaa.org/membership/enfo
  rcement/gambling/index.html
• Dont Bet on It NCAA Brochure
• Dont Bet on It Bracelets
• Posters
• Videos

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NCAA Initiatives Solutions to the Problem

• Communication between state high school athletic
  associations and the NCAA
• Education Videos, posters, brochures
• Speakers
• High school/college coaches and administrators
  being role models
• Presentations by former student-athletes
• Assistance from FBI, law enforcement
• Mandatory rules education for students and
  student-athletes.

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Establishing UAs Gambling Action Team (GAT)

• UA implemented a University Gambling Action Team
  to facilitate campus wide awareness of the
  problems associated with problem and compulsive
  gambling and to develop assistance strategies to
  address such problems for the UA student body,
  faculty, and staff.

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Establishing UAs GAT(cont)

• UAs Division of Student Affairs and
  Intercollegiate Athletics formed a partnership to
  provide a proactive, comprehensive education and
  awareness progam on gambling-related issues.

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The University Gambling Action Team

• Members include
• Division of Student Affairs
• Intercollegiate Athletics
• Counseling Center
• Office of the Dean of Students
• Student Health Center
• UA Police Department
• University Relations
• Human Resources
• Various UA Academic Departments

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Purpose of GAT

• The purpose of the UA Gambling Action Team is to
  facilitate campus-wide awareness and assistance
  strategies to address problem gambling and
  related issues. The panels responsibilities
  include providing practical information, learning
  opportunities, and educational and awareness
  programs to the student body, targeting the
  student body -student-athletes, Greek system,
  graduate students, freshman and faculty/staff.

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GATS PLAN

• Be comprehensive
• Be proactive, rather than reactive
• Programs are designed to heighten awareness and
  provide access to additional resources for
  education and assistance

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GAT Plan of Action

• Goal 1 Develop a comprehensive gambling
  education program for the student body and
  faculty/staff under the direction of the UA
  Gambling Action Team.
• Goal 2 Provide consultation services to the
  student body on problem gambling and debt
  management.
• Goal 3 Develop an approach to raise awareness
  regarding problem gambling and related issues on
  campus.
• Goal 4 Ensure compliance with local, state,
  and federal laws (and NCAA rules and regulations).

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Objectives for Goal 1

• Objective 1 Develop an annual calendar of
  events for educational sessions each academic
  year.
• Objective 1(a) Develop educational sessions
  for student-athletes on an annual basis.
• Objective 1(b) Develop educational sessions
  for the Greek system on an annual basis.
• Objective 1(c) Develop educational sessions
  for the graduate students on an annual basis.
• Objective 1(d) Develop educational sessions
  for the general campus community/residence
  halls on an annual basis.
• Objective 1(c) Develop educational sessions
  for faculty and staff on an annual basis
  (includes coaches and athletic staff members).
• Objective 2 Host a Campus Gambling Symposium
  each spring.
• Objective 3 Provide educational resources and
  materials for the student body and
  faculty/staff.
• Objective 4 Maintain gambling link on the
  athletics compliance web site at
  www.rolltide.com on an ongoing basis.
• Objective 5 Secure speakers from the
  professional sports community, law enforcement,
  or gambling industry to host educational sessions
  for the Gambling Action Team on an annual basis.

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Objectives for Goal 2

• Objective 1 Provide confidential consultative
  services and assistance for problem gamblers
  through the Russell Student Health Center.
• Objective 2 Provide financial consultative
  review (debt management) and assistance for
  students with gambling problems.
• Objective 3 Identify local resources for
  students with gambling problems, including, but
  not limited to forming working relationships with
  local Gamblers Anonymous groups.
• Objective 4 Provide Gambling Action Team
  members and others with training and information
  on gambling problems from outside organizations.

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Objectives for Goal 3

• Objective 1 Incorporate gambling education and
  awareness into the following programs
• Objective 1(a) First Year Orientation Program
• Objective 1(b) Student-Athlete Freshman Life
  Skills Course
• Objective 1(c) General Campus
  Community/Residence Halls Quarterly Meetings
• Objective 1(d) Greek Life Orientation
  Week/Fraternity New Member Programming
• Objective 1(e) Graduate School Orientation
  Week
• Objective 1(f) New Faculty/Staff Orientation
• Objective 2 Distribute literature and
  advertisements outlining the warning signs of
  gambling, 24-hour contact number, and information
  on debt management around campus.
• Objective 3 Provide athletic public service
  announcements to be shown during home football
  and mens basketball, and on television during
  games by either the President or the Director of
  Athletics.

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Objectives for Goal 3 (cont)

• Objective 4 Partner with the Crimson White
  newspaper on quarterly articles on gambling
  during the opportune times of year (i.e., NCAA
  College Bowl Games, Super Bowl, March Madness).
• Objective 5 Utilize current studies and
  surveys on student gambling behavior for
  education and awareness programs and materials.
• Objective 6 Provide an annual assessment
  report to the President, Provost, and the Vice
  President for Student Affairs.

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Objectives for Goal 4

• Objective 1 Develop a Gambling Policy for the
  following groups, with the inclusion of the state
  of Alabama law
• Objective 1(a) Student Code of Conduct
• Objective 1(b) Student-Athlete Code of Conduct
  (NCAA rules application)
• Objective 1(c) Staff Code of Conduct
• Objective 1(d) Faculty Code of Conduct

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Gambling Action Team Educational Initiatives

• Speakers
• Former Bookies/Organized Crime Figures
• Counselors/Debt Management
• FBI
• Local Law Enforcement
• Gaming Industry
• Brochure/Flyers
• Problem Gambling
• Compulsive Gambling
• Recognizing and Addressing Gambling-Related
  Problems
• Programs and Services
• Debt Management/Financial Assistance
• Hotline, Warning Signs, Etc.

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Gambling Action TeamEducational Initiatives

• Advertisements/Announcements
• Radio and Television Public Service Announcements
• Student Newspaper
• Local Newspaper
• Press Releases
• Resident Hall/RA Meetings
• Orientation sessions in summer
• Freshman Orientation
• Greek Pledge Classes
• Graduate Students
• Life Skill Courses
• Website development
• Student Affairs
• Athletics
• Counseling Center

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Intercollegiate Athletics Student-Athlete
Educational Initiatives

• Gambling Symposium
• NCAA Involvement On-Campus
• Put Articles from Internet/Flyers/Posters in
  Lockers/Locker Room/Bulletin Boards in Athletic
  Facilities
• Provide Gambling Information to Staff Members,
  Coaches, Alumni, and Boosters

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UA Intercollegiate Athletics Student-Athlete
Educational Initiatives

• Advertisements during home football and
  basketball games
• Fall Gambling Meeting with all student-athletes
• Incorporate into Student-Athlete Freshman Life
  Skills Course
• NCAA Position on Educational Initiatives
• Each institutions gambling prevention program
  should be all-encompassing.
• UAs Position Minimum one initiative, each month
  during academic year.

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Gambling Action Team How to get started

• Identify administrative support
• Gauge interest from campus partners to be
  broad-based
• Determine short-term and long-term goals
• Identify start-up and continued funding
• Identify focus and own plan of action
• Assess regularly and change direction as needed

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Gambling Action Team and Strategies

• Develop a comprehensive gambling education
  program for the student body, faculty, and staff.
• Provide consultation services to the student body
  on problem gambling and debt management.
• Develop an approach to raise awareness regarding
  problem gambling, as well as gambling and sports
  wagering related issues, on-campus.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal
  laws, as well as NCAA legislation.

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Gambling Prevention Program Overview

• Information and Awareness Strategies
• Pamphlets
• Posters
• Public Service Announcements
• Billboards
• Newsletters
• Etc.

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Gambling Prevention Program Overview (cont)

• Education and Skill Development Strategies
• Professional Development Seminars for
  administrators, faculty, coaches, and staff
• Life Skills training for student-athletes and
  student body
• Etc.

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Gambling Prevention Program Overview (cont)

• Community Development, Capacity Building, and
  Institutional Change Strategies
• Engage university community in a targeted
  gambling reduction prevention plan
• Review of the institutions and athletic
  departments current gambling prevention policy

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Gambling Prevention Program Overview (cont)

• Public and Social Policy Strategies
• Develop and implement a gambling policy at the
  institution.
• Student Code of Conduct
• Student-Athlete Code of Conduct
• Staff Code of Conduct
• Faculty Code of Conduct

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Gambling Prevention Program Overview (cont)

• Intervention Strategies for Individuals at High
  Risk
• Develop programs for at-risk populations (e.g.,
  freshman orientation, Greek/pledge class,
  student-athletes, etc.)
• Develop policies and procedures for referring
  first time offenders of institutional gambling
  policy
• Debt management education and programs

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Gambling Prevention Program Overview (cont)

• Recognize the Problem
• Additional research is needed to understand the
  problem!!!
• More counseling and education should be made
  available!!!

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Additional Resources

• Who to Contact if You or Someone You Know Has a
  Gambling Problem
• Gamblers Anonymous
• Gam-Anon (friends and family)
• National Council on Problem Gambling
• Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc.
• UA Dont Gamble with Your Future Brochure,
  National Help Hotline Information
• See www.rolltide.com/Compliance under Gambling
  for contact information

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Conclusion

• To implement and maintain an effective gambling
  prevention program, an institution must obtain
  the support from all campus constituencies. The
  planning and implementation of a gambling
  prevention program will demand commitment,
  vision, time, and resources. As the research and
  testimony reveals, unfortunately, it is never too
  early to begin a comprehensive program.