Impact Of Unemployment On Gambling Of Youth In Cherangany Subcounty In Trans Nzoia County

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In the last several years, the discovery of sport betting networks in Kenya has become a nationwide concern as most youth especially those unemployed tend to gamble on hope of getting rich. Gambling can be described as the wagering of money or something of value (referred to as “the stakes”) on an event with uncertain outcome with the primary intend of winning money or material goods. It thus has this elements consideration, chance and price. Betting has become a way of life in Kenya but there is a high rate of gambling among unemployed youth. Unemployed youth have been identified as at risk group because many youth has increased freedom and frequent internet users and fall into age group (18-24) where problem of gambling peaks. The study was on impact of unemployment on gambling of youth in Cherag’any Sub county Trans Nzoia County. The objective of the study was to determine whether youth unemployment contributes to gambling, establish whether youth engage in gambling as a source of income and to explore the extent to which youth engage in gambling. The design of the study that was used was descriptive survey method and a questionnaires was used to collect data from a sample population of 52 respondents of which 48 respondents dully filled the questionnaires representing 92.31%. Both descriptive statistics and relationships statistics were used. Frequency distribution table was used and data was represented using pie chart. Many youths engaged in gambling to try their luck and win huge amount of money; thus of youth engage in gambling in order to generate income, this depicts that most youth had no means of raising income and thus most were unemployed. Most of respondents involved in gambling had been gambling for a certain period of time e.g. from 1-5 months during daytime and at night and this depicts youth have been gambling for a long period of time and thus gambling is their lifestyles. The finding show that most youth have been gambling for a long period of time, especially those unemployed. The researcher recomments creation of employment, and this can be made availlable by government setting funds for youth that they can borrow to start businesses. Education and training programs should be inclusive eg when government is setting money to help univesity and college it will be good to also support those who are joining techinical institutes