Sports fans, of course, are more likely to participate in fantasy sport and sports gambling activities—but are there other factors that can explain whether a person opts to participate in sports gaming? Research will be presented related to the role media dependency and sensation seeking play in the decision to participate in sports gaming. Age demographic differences will be utilized to show how younger participants are responding to these activities in different manners than are older participants.

Andrew C. Billings, The Beyond Sports Initiative, The University of Alabama

“Sports fans obviously seek out sports gaming, but the motivations are more complex than that and encompass other aspects of personality. This research establishes these connections and show how younger participants have significantly different desires than older participants when it comes to the sports gaming space.”

Brody J. Ruihley, Associate Professor and Assistant Department Chair, Miami University (OH)

LAS VEGAS

Dr. Andrew C. Billings serves as co-director of the Beyond Sport Initiative, the Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting, and the Associate Dean for Faculty at the University of Alabama. Having authored 27 books and over 260 journal articles and book chapters, he is the most published sports media scholar in the world. His work largely focuses on issues triangulating sport, media, and issues of identity. He is the co-editor of the prominent academic journal Communication & Sport and is frequently an expert for print and television news outlets such as The New York Times and ESPN.

Dr. Brody J. Ruihley is an Associate Professor of Sport Leadership & Management and Assistant Chair of the Department of Sport Leadership & Management at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (USA). He has earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Kentucky (2005), a master’s degree in Sport Administration from the University of Louisville (2006), and a doctorate degree in Sport Studies from the University of Tennessee (2010). Ruihley’s primary research and academic interests lie in the areas of fantasy sport, sport marketing, and sport communication.