Experts are sounding the alarm, believing that the legalization of sports betting in Ohio could negatively affect the many students attending colleges in the state. According to the plan, the state is scheduled to adopt a betting permit in early 2023.
Back in 2019, when the legalization of sports betting first came up at the Ohio Responsible Gaming Conference, experts raised concerns about it.
Students already have high risks of being addicted to gambling because they have little awareness or experience with gambling. And if they are legally allowed to bet on their favorite teams or athletes, the situation is guaranteed to get even worse.
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What’s more, the generally accepted culture on college campuses can exacerbate the problem. Most students watch games they are interested in with friends while drinking alcohol. If one of them decides to bet, others are sure to follow suit.
The number of bonuses, promotions, and tournaments in popular bookmakers and casinos, which attract attention and promise to fight for big prizes, also affects the situation negatively. According to www.topcadcasinos.net some operators even give out free money to lure new users into registering. Considering that it is quite easy to find such websites, one can only imagine what will happen to inexperienced and unsophisticated students.
By the way, the National Student Association prohibits students from betting on sports regardless of whether or not they are legal in a particular state.
Since the government takes no initiative in this matter, experts recommend colleges and universities hold preventive conversations with their students and try to make them aware of all the risks associated with gambling at betting shops.
Ohio University has already started developing a page on its official website that will provide all the important information about gambling addiction. Other major universities like Cincinnati and Newberry have done the same.
