“Soccer players are aware that betting is illegal for them, but what seems to emerge from this new investigation is that knowledge of the rules does not seem to have been sufficient to prevent these behaviors. As it is being highlighted in today’s media, betting is a recurring issue in football. The causes behind this involve various reasons. Players may be influenced by friends, peers, or colleagues who regularly engage in betting. This peer pressure can push them to join in to avoid feeling marginalized or to seek social approval. Players may also face pressure or threats from individuals or groups trying to compel them to bet on specific matches. This coercion may come from criminal associations or individuals attempting to manipulate the outcome of sporting events. Additionally, in some regions or social environments, gambling may be deeply ingrained in the culture. This could influence players to start betting, even though it’s illegal.
These situations represent the circumstances that can lead to betting, but the question to explain is what drives the choice to bet. The first factor relates to motivation. Motivation to engage in illegal behavior to make easy money, for the thrill of taking a risk, for a sense of impunity, due to environmental pressures, or to belong to a group. The second factor concerns the presence of companies in the market that regulate access to football betting, which is a legal and permitted action, but, of course, not for the players. So, these young individuals use a condition that is allowed but prohibited for them. The third factor pertains to the decision to engage in illegal behavior, and this leads into the ethical and individual values dimension. The construction of this dimension relates to the development of personality within the broader social context in which they have grown: family, school, sports organizations, and friends.
That being said, it’s important to note that the pressure to engage in illegal betting does not justify such actions, which cannot be explained solely by potential deficiencies in their upbringing. It’s essential to resist such pressures and confront one’s limits in an ethical manner, in accordance with laws and sports regulations.
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