Today's university students, often referred to as 'digital natives,' represent the first generation to grow up fully immersed in the digital age and demonstrate a high level of familiarity with online platforms. Driven by expectations of instant rewards, the appeal of anonymity, and entertainment value, they tend to show greater interest in online gambling applications and gambling-related content on social media compared to other age groups. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of online gambling addiction among university students and to explore the relationship between online gambling behavior, narcissism, and difficulties in emotion regulation. Ethical approval and research permission for this study have been obtained from a state university (Protocol number: 875994). To this end, answers will be sought to the following research questions:
1. Which online gambling games do university students play?
2. Through which digital platforms do university students participate in online gambling games?
3. How frequently do university students play online gambling games?
4. Does the level of online gambling among university students differ according to gender?
5. Does the level of online gambling among university students differ according to perceived socioeconomic status?
6. What are the relationships between narcissism, difficulty in regulating emotions, and online gambling?
Method: The study will utilize a correlational survey model to examine the relationships between the variables of narcissism, difficulty regulating emotions, and online gambling habits. T-tests and ANOVA tests will be used to determine whether participants' levels of online gambling habits differ according to demographic variables. The mediating relationship between narcissism, emotion regulation difficulties, and online gambling habits will be tested using a structural equation model.