Predictors of problem gambling amongst professional female athletes in the UK: football, cricket and rugby

PhD via Sheffield Hallam University, funded by EPIC Risk Management

The aim of Anca’s PhD is to investigate the predictors of problem gambling amongst professional female athletes playing three popular team-sports in the UK: football, cricket and rugby. The main objective is to determine whether age and emotions prior to the gambling experience predict the problem gambling severity of professional female athletes in the UK. Another objective is to examine gambling culture at the club as a predictor of problem gambling severity of professional female athletes in the UK.

For the past four years, Anca has been working on various research projects on gambling amongst professional athletes and young people in the UK as part of her research manager role at EPIC Risk Management. Prior to this PhD, she achieved a BSc in Football Business and Finance with first class honours at the University Campus of Football Business. Her final year dissertation focused on online gambling amongst university students in Romania and England, achieving one of the highest ever grades at the university.

In her spare time, Anca enjoys watching football, travelling and privately teaching maths, preparing young people for maths GCSE exams.