Daily Fantasy Sports Players: Gambling, Addiction, and Mental Health Problems (original) (raw)
Abstract
Studies point to a relationship between fantasy sports/daily fantasy sports (DFS) play and gambling behavior. However, little is known about the nature of those relationships, particularly regarding the development of gambling problems. This study investigates the nature, frequency, and preferences of gambling behavior as well as problem gambling severity and comorbid conditions among DFS players. Data were collected from an epidemiologic survey of 3634 New Jersey residents on gambling and leisure activities. Participants were contacted by phone (land-line and cell) and online to obtain a representative, cross-sectional sample of non-institutionalized adults, aged 18 years or older. Excluding non-gamblers, the remaining 2146 participants, included in these analyses, indicated they had either played DFS (n = 299) or had gambled but not played DFS (1847) in the past year. Univariate comparisons and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the most significant characteristics and predictors of DFS players. Overall, a higher number of gambling activities, high frequency gambling, male gender, and reports of suicidal thoughts in the past year were most predictive of DFS players. Being Hispanic (vs. Caucasian) and/or single (vs. married or living with a partner) also doubled the odds of DFS play. Findings suggest that DFS players are characterized by high gambling frequency and problem severity and comorbid problems, notably suicidal ideation. Future research should examine the motivations and possible etiological sub-types of DFS players and the nature and course of DFS play, particularly in relation to gambling behavior and the development of gambling and other problems.
Access this article
Subscribe and save
- Get 10 units per month
- Download Article/Chapter or eBook
- 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
- Cancel anytime Subscribe now
Buy Now
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual (4th ed.), Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Washington: American Psychiatric Association.
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). Washington: American Psychiatric Association.
- Billings, A., Ruihley, B. J., & Yang, Y. (2016). Fantasy gaming on steroids? Contrasting fantasy sport participation by daily fantasy sport participation. Communication and Sport. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479516644445.
Article Google Scholar - Blaszczynski, A., & Nower, L. (2002). A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction, 97(5), 487–499.
Article PubMed Google Scholar - Draftkings (2016). DraftKings Lobby [Webpage]. Retrieved from August 30, 2016 https://www.draftkings.com/lobby#/featured.
- Drayer, J., Dwyer, B., & Shapiro, S. L. (2013). Examining the impact of league entry fees on online fantasy sport participation and league consumption. European Sport Management Quarterly, 13(3), 339–357. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2013.783605.
Article Google Scholar - Fantasy Sports Trade Association. (2016). Industry demographics | FSTA. Retrieved from http://fsta.org/research/industry-demographics/.
- Ferris, J. A., & Wynne, H. J. (2001). The Canadian problem gambling index. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.
- Lorains, F. K., Cowlishaw, S., & Thomas, S. A. (2011). Prevalence of comorbid disorders in problem and pathological gambling: Systematic review and meta-analysis of population surveys. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 106(3), 490–498. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03300.x.
Article Google Scholar - Marchica, L., & Derevensky, J. (2015). Fantasy sports: A growing concern among college student-athletes. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-015-9610-x.
Article Google Scholar - Martin, R. J., & Nelson, S. (2014). Fantasy sports, real money: Exploration of the relationship between fantasy sports participation and gambling-related problems. Addictive Behaviors, 39(10), 1377–1382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.05.017.
Article PubMed Google Scholar - Martin, R. J., Nelson, S. E., & Gallucci, A. R. (2015). Game on: Past year gambling, gambling-related problems, and fantasy sports gambling among college athletes and non-athletes. Journal of Gambling Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-015-9561-y.
Article Google Scholar - Mills, B. M., Kwak, D. H., Lee, J. S., & Lee, W.-Y. (2014). Competitive environments in fantasy sports gaming: Effects of entry fees and rewards on opposition quality and league sorting. International Gambling Studies, 14(1), 161–180. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2014.881904.
Article Google Scholar - Pickering, D., Blaszczynski, A., Hartmann, M., & Keen, B. (2016). Fantasy sports: Skill, gambling, or are these irrelevant issues? Current Addiction Reports, 3(3), 307–313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-016-0111-1.
Article Google Scholar - Rodenberg, R. (2016). Daily fantasy—DFS legalization tracker for all 50 states. Retrieved from August 30, 2016 http://www.espn.com.au/chalk/story/_/id/14799449/daily-fantasy-dfs-legalization-tracker-all-50-states.
- Ruihley, B. J., & Hardin, R. L. (2011). Message boards and the fantasy sport experience. International Journal of Sport Communication, 4(2), 233–252.
Article Google Scholar - Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), 31 USC 5361-5366 31 USC 5361-5366. (2006). Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-IV/chapter-53/subchapter-IV.
- US Census Bureau. (2016). Population estimates. Retrieved from August 30, 2016 https://www.census.gov/popest/data/.
- Van Natta, D. J. (2016). The inside story of the quick rise and quicker fall of DraftKings and FanDuel. Retrieved from August 28, 2016 http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/17374929/otl-investigates-implosion-daily-fantasy-sports-leaders-draftkings-fanduel.
Acknowledgements
The researchers would like to thank Director David L. Rebuck, Robert Moncrief, Shien Lafshieri and Suzanne Borys for their assistance with this ongoing research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Center for Gambling Studies, Rutgers University School of Social Work, 390 George Street, 7th Floor, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
Lia Nower & Kyle R. Caler - Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
Dylan Pickering & Alex Blaszczynski
Authors
- Lia Nower
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - Kyle R. Caler
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - Dylan Pickering
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - Alex Blaszczynski
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Corresponding author
Correspondence toLia Nower.
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
This study was supported by a grant from the New Jersey Divisions of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), in collaboration with the Division on Addictions, Department of Mental Health and Addictive Services. Funding was provided to the DGE by law by industry corporations with online gaming licenses in New Jersey. Drs. Nower and Blaszczynski have both received grants from or consulting contracts from industry, governmental, and/or non-profit organizations on projects unconnected to this work. Author Caler is employed through the DGE grant and declares that he has no conflict of interest. Author Pickering is supported, in part, by a research center that receives funding from the gaming industry for projects unrelated to this article.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were approved by the Rutgers University Internal Review Board and performed in accordance with their ethical standards and those of the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nower, L., Caler, K.R., Pickering, D. et al. Daily Fantasy Sports Players: Gambling, Addiction, and Mental Health Problems.J Gambl Stud 34, 727–737 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9744-4
- Published: 19 January 2018
- Issue Date: September 2018
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9744-4