Adolescent gambling and its relationship with anxiety, depression, and alcohol use in Port Harcourt

Gambling is commonly described as a risk-taking activity. The proliferation of betting outlets such as Bet Naija and Naira Bet, especially around football, has made gambling increasingly visible in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Some of the gambling activities which are evident in Port Harcourt include, Bet Naija, 1960 Bet, 360 Bet, Naira Bet, lottery, land-based casino, dice and card games, Baba Ijebu, amongst others. Adolescence, marked by physical and psychological changes and a tendency toward risk-taking, may predispose young people to gambling. Although research has established links between adolescent gambling and anxiety, depression, conduct problems, and alcohol use, data on these issues in Nigeria remain sparse. This study sought to answer the following research questions: What is the prevalence of gambling among in-school adolescents in Port Harcourt? What is the relationship between gambling and mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, conduct problems, alcohol use, and self-esteem? A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in six secondary schools (public and private) across two local government areas, involving 338 students aged 10 to 19. The Massachusetts Gambling Screen (MAGS) and other standardized instruments were employed. The prevalence of gambling was 39.9%. Gambling was significantly associated with anxiety, depression, alcohol use, conduct problems and low self-esteem (P