The Impact of Gambling Behavior on Social Relationships Among College Students

Abstract

The development of digital technology has increased access to various online activities, including online gambling, which has become increasingly prevalent among university students. This study aims to examine the influence of gambling behavior on students’ social relationships. The research employed a quantitative approach using a survey method, with data analyzed descriptively and inferentially. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via Google Forms to 30 student respondents who had engaged in gambling activities, using a stratified sampling technique. The instrument used was the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) to measure gambling behavior, along with social relationship indicators covering social interaction, communication, and involvement in the social environment. The results showed that the average SOGS score of respondents was 8.667, which exceeds the threshold for problematic gambling. A total of 73.3% of respondents were categorized as probable pathological gamblers, 23.3% as having some problems, and 3.3% as having no problems. Overall, 96.7% of respondents experienced gambling-related issues at varying levels of severity. These findings indicate that gambling behavior has a negative impact on students’ social relationships, as reflected in decreased quality of social interactions, the emergence of interpersonal conflicts, and a tendency toward social isolation. This study highlights the importance of intervention through guidance and counseling services, both preventive and curative, to help students manage gambling behavior and improve their social relationships and psychosocial well-being.