Problematic Online Play Unmasked: Awareness, Perceptions & Gaming Behaviours among College Students

Abstract

Background:
Gaming is a widespread leisure activity, with nearly 3.3 billion participants globally. While most gaming is casual and non-problematic, excessive or real-money gaming can lead to psychological distress, financial strain, and academic decline. Limited data exist on Indian college student’s perceptions and behaviors toward online gaming, particularly in health sciences.
Objective:
To assess the knowledge, perception and behaviour of online gaming among college students.
Methodology:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 194 undergraduate students (138 women, 56 men) across medical, dental, allied health sciences, and arts disciplines. A semi-structured questionnaire captured demographic data, gaming frequency, preferences, awareness of legal/illegal platforms, borrowing behavior, and regulatory opinions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in JASP software.
Results:
Participant’s mean age was 20.14 years (SD = 3.09). Most students (51%) rarely played online games, with casual games (50%) being the most preferred. Only 17.5% reported engaging in real-money gaming, and 51.5% could not distinguish legal from illegal platforms. A majority (75.8%) favored government clarification on platform legality. Borrowing for gaming was uncommon, though 12.9% had lent money for this purpose. Students preferred flexible regulatory measures, with 27.3% supporting self-imposed limits.
Conclusion:
Online gaming among college students is largely casual and non-monetary. However, limited awareness of legal frameworks and sensitivity to reward-based environments highlight potential vulnerabilities. Government-led regulatory clarity and educational interventions are essential to safeguard student well-being.