Gambling Activities and Socio- Economic Development Among the Youth in Ggaba Landing Site, Kampala District

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAl

DEDICA11ON

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF ACRONYMS xi

ABSTRACT

CHAPTERONE 1

INTRODUCTION 1

.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Statement of the problem 2

1.3 Purpose of the study 3

1.4 Objectives of the study 3

I .5 Research questions 3

1.6 Scope 4

1.6.1 Geographical scope 4

1.6.2 Content scope 4

1.6.3 Time scope 4

1.6.4 Theoretical scope 4

1 .6.5 Conceptual framework

1.7 Significance of the Study 6

CHAPTER TWO 7

LITERATURE REVIEW 7

2.0 Introduction 7

2.1 Prevalence 7

2.2 Symptoniology 8

2.3 At Risk Populations 9

2.4 Influences 10

V

2.5 Personality Traits.

2.6 Comorbidity

2.7 Developmental Factors

2.8 Environmental lictors

2.9 Early exposure

2.10 Different types ofgambling

2.11 Prevention and Policy

2.12 Conclusion

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Study Design

3.3 Area And Study Population

3.4 Sample Size And Sample Structure

3.5 Sampling Techniques

3.5.1 Simple Random Sampling

3.5.2 Snow Ball Sampling Technique

3.6 DataCollection Methods And Instrument

3.6.1 Questionnaire

3.6.2 Interview

3.63 Document Analysis

3.7 DataAnalysis

3.8 Validity

3.9 Reliability

3.10 Ethical ~

3.10.1 Honesty

3.10.2 RespectofIntellectual Prew~~~1

CHAPIER FOUR ..

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS 23

RESULrS AND DISCUSSION ..23

4.0 Introduction

4.1 Demographic Characteristics ofRespondents

~~ b7 22

‘I

vI

4.2 The likely activities considered to be gambling by theyouth 25

4.2.1 Sports betting 25

4.2.2 Playing cards 25

4.2.3 Online betting 25

‘4.2.4 Playing cards 25

4.2.5 Other forms like slot machine, national lottery/play lotto,betting on animals,casino gambling 25

4.3 Community knowledge about the age at which most people begin to gamble 27

4 .3.1 under age gambling in Area of Ggaba and Kampala at large 29

4.4 Community based observation on the category of youth that gamble 30

4.4. I Who gambles most in various modes’~ 30

4.5 The likely effects of gamblingtowards social economic developmentamong the youth 32

4.5.1 Adverse Effect of gambling on the youth 34

4.5.1.1 Impact of gambling on household welfare In order to understand the effect of 34

4.5.1.2 Effects on work and school performance 35

4.5.1.3 Expenditure displacement effects 36

4.5.1. 4 How prevalent is problem gambling9 39

4.5.1.4 Overcoming gambling addiction~ 41

Counselors perspective 41

4.5.2 Positive effects of gambling 42

4.5.2.1 Contribution of the gambling sector to Ugandan economy 42

4.5.2 .2 Source of employment to most youth 43

4.5.2.3 Gambling as a source of purchasing powe 44

CHAPTER VI~ 45

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 45

5.1 Summary 45

5.2 Conclusion 45

5.3 Recommendation 46

5.4 Recommended areas For Research 47

VII

REFERENCES .48

APPENENCES .49

APPENDIX A: BUDGET 49

APPENDIX C: TIME FRAME 50

APPENDIX D:QUESTIONNAIRE FOR YOUTHS RESPONDENTS 51

APPENDIX E: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR KEY INFORMANTS 55

APPENDIX F: OBSERVATION GUIDE 56

APPENDIX G: INTRODUCTION LETTER 57

ABSTRACT

Since the year 2000. the gambling industry in Uganda has experienced a rapid increase in activity, with various new modes and facilities being introduced. The proliferation of gambling has seen the industry diversify from the early forms of gambling like casino gambling. Board games and national lotteries to new modes like sports betting and online betting among other forms. Regarding gambling related tax revenues, the industry has equally grown at an unprecedented rate, with tax collections growing from UGX 0.24 billion in 2002/3 to UGX 11.1 billion in 2013/14. While this growth in tax revenue is a welcome development, there is still considerable concern about the potential for the gambling sector to cause harm in form of addictions, loss of savings, idleness and increased crime. Hence, as the gambling industry continues to grow in popularity and prevalence, a well-founded understanding of its operations and socio economic implications is imperative. This study sought to 1111 this void by investigating three questions: 1) What are the gambling activitiees that impact on social economic development among the youth in Ggaba landing site? 2) What is level of participation in gambling industry? 3) What is the relationship between gambling activities and youth level of economic

development in the area of Ggaba landing site? Based on a household survey conducted in Kampala city in

April 2015, we tind that approximately one in every four adults had engaged in some form of gambling in the

twelve months preceding the survey. Age, income, employment status and gender are major determinants in

gambling participation. Additionally, we find that, on average, the poorest in society spend a higher proportion of their personal income on gambling compared to their richer counterparts. Gambling also has the greatest displacement effect on household necessities and savings and has to some extent led to problem gambling especially among the youth who have not established themselves fully to have good living in societies. Interms of revenue, the percentage contribution of the gambling industry to total revenue is still low (0.15% in 2013/1 ‘I) hut growing. Furthermore, qualitative evidence revealed that many facets of the law relating to lottery and gaming have become obsolete and are not sensitive to the new modes of gambling and the unprecedented growth of the industry. Similarly, the regulatory body (National Lotteries Board) has substantialcapacity problems and limited statutory powers and is not always able to effectively exercise its mandateherein inhibiting its ability to comprehensively regulate the gambling industry. On the policy front, we propose that the public should be protected from over stimulation of latent gambling through limitation of gambling opportunities: by imposing tighter restrictions on advertising; tighter restrictions on entry into gambling establishments, based on age; and limitation of opening hours among others. In congruence. parliament should expedite the passage of the Lottery and Gaming Bill (2013) into law to empower the National Lotteries Board with more statutory powers and provide a basis for addressing capacity and financial challenges that they currently face. In line with this, there is a need to minimize the negative social and economic impacts of gambling by promoting responsible gambling and providing support and counseling to the communities especially the vulnerable youth case study Ggaba youth who may be very much prone to the negative effects of gambling.