Are Increased Gambling Problems Associated with Intentions to Reduce College Enrollment? A Population Study Across a State University System during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Prior college student research has demonstrated that risky gambling is associated with mental health concerns, but there is limited research on how gambling behavior may be associated with enrollment. This study examined data from 1831 students to determine the prevalence of gambling behaviors and problems, their relationship with mental health symptoms, and whether they were associated with students’ intentions to reduce their enrollment in college. The overall rate of gambling was 24.17% in the past year, and 6.89% of students experienced gambling problems. Gambling problems were associated with greater mood, worry, and substance use symptoms. Gambling problems were associated with intentions to reduce coursework, but not after mental health symptoms were accounted for. The high correlation between mood and worry ( r = .79) may explain why this association did not persist. These results indicate the complex relationship between gambling problems, mental health symptoms, and college enrollment.