Why the University Decided to Establish Such a Center
The idea came up about two years ago after a presentation at the department on gambling trends among young people. According to a Financial Times report, one-third of American boys aged 11 to 17 had placed bets in the past year. University officials pointed to growing concerns over gambling trends among students.
University administrators saw this as sufficient reason to set up a dedicated research unit.
How the New Center Differs from Others
Organizations that study gambling already exist in the USA, including the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. These organizations cover a wide range of age groups and formats.
The Center on Collegiate Gambling will focus only on students. This narrower focus allows for a closer look at the group where the legalization of sports betting in the U.S. has led to a clear rise in participation.
What the Center Will Study
The center will cover several areas. It will study sports betting, card games, and prediction markets. The last format gained wide popularity in the United States in 2024 and 2025 as platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket grew rapidly.
Beyond research, the center plans to run prevention programs and offer support to students.
Why This Matters Right Now
Since 2018, sports betting has been legal in most USA states. Students have turned out to be one of the groups most drawn to this change. Bets on college sports, fast micro-bets, and prediction markets have become a regular topic on campuses.
Addiction treatment centers report that their clients have gotten younger in recent years. The University of Mississippi stated directly that the center was created in response to a rise in troubling trends among young people.
The Center’s Prospects
Few US universities study gambling among young people. The University of Mississippi is the first to do so, and it covers three areas at once: research, prevention, and help for students. Sports betting became legal in most states in 2018, and the need for this kind of work has grown since then. Other universities may follow, but none have done so yet.
