GambleAware has published its findings of the research on the effects of gambling marketing on vulnerable adults, young people and children.
The agency was commissioned to examine the impacts of gambling advertising on the potential groups of people at risk. The research was conducted by two different consortia, the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Ipsos MORI. Ipsos MORI wrote the synthesis of the findings.
Research on Gambling Advertising and Marketing on Groups of People at Risk
The research was commissioned to examine the effects of gambling marketing on vulnerable adults, young people and children, and shows that regular exposure to promotions can change associations and perceptions of gambling over time for these groups at risk.
The findings revealed that exposure to constant gambling promotions was one of the most important pointers of whether someone who doesn’t currently gamble was likely to in the future. As crucial factors whether an 11-24-year old was a gambler were the attitudes of carers and peers, too. The findings showed that if young people had a carer or a close friend who gambles, they would mimic their habits becoming 6 times more likely to become gamblers themselves, than those without such connections.
When looking at exposure, the researchers found out that 96% or almost all of the 11-24-year old participants in the research had been exposed to gambling ads and messages in the course of the last month. In fact, when shown and asked to identify snippets of gambling logos, the participants in the qualitative research correctly identified an average of 8 out 10!
Researchers also found evidence that children were following gambling-related accounts on Twitter, by using an age classifier on the platform. The estimations were that 41,000 UK followers of gambling-related accounts were likely to be under 16. 6% of followers of the “traditional” gambling accounts on the social media platform were found to be children. When looking specifically at eSport gambling accounts, that figure increased to 17%!
The conclusion of the research was that with the rise of new forms of gambling ads through social media, the ways in which vulnerable adults, young people and children could engage with gambling brands increased as well, which in turn helped to establish brand loyalty. The recommendations were that more could be done in this area, such as working closely with social media platforms like Twitter to improve age screening tools, before these people were allowed to access accounts that promoted gambling.
Nevertheless, TV remained the most common source of exposure, with more than 4 out of 5 11-24-year olds reporting seeing gambling ads on TV. 70% of them noticed gambling ads on the high streets, and those aged 18 to 24 reported higher exposure to gambling through merchandise, sports events, gambling websites, smartphone apps and word of mouth. 66% reported seeing such ads on their social media channels.
Statements by GambleAware and Ipsos MORI
Marc Etches, GambleAware’s CEO said that although gambling was an adult activity, the research showed that it has become a part of the everyday life for young people, as well, thanks to the constant exposure. That had the potential for serious long-term implications for them. Age screening tools on social media could protect children from potential harmful exposure to gambling. Reminding that gambling was a public health issue with serious implications for people’s mental health, Etches said everyone needed to ensure the next generation was made aware of the risks of gambling and the support and help available via the National Gambling Treatment Service.
Ipsos MORI’s Research Director Steve Ginnis said that the research pointed to the present nature of gambling advertising beyond TV and sports and further demonstrated that exposure goes beyond traditional techniques that elicited an immediate response. There was value in taking further action to reduce exposure to gambling ads, which in turn was likely to help mitigate against the plausible risk of gambling-related harms among the groups at risk.
Ginnis also stated Ipsos MORI’s recommendations, indented to help stimulate collective discussion and action. These included: clearer and safer gambling messages, increasing the awareness of the risk of gambling, improved safe gambling initiatives, reducing gambling ads' appeal, specifically those that appeal to children, and improved use of age screening tools and ads technology to minimize exposure of such content to the groups at risk, among others.
The agency was commissioned to examine the impacts of gambling advertising on the potential groups of people at risk. The research was conducted by two different consortia, the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Ipsos MORI. Ipsos MORI wrote the synthesis of the findings.
Research on Gambling Advertising and Marketing on Groups of People at Risk
The research was commissioned to examine the effects of gambling marketing on vulnerable adults, young people and children, and shows that regular exposure to promotions can change associations and perceptions of gambling over time for these groups at risk.
The findings revealed that exposure to constant gambling promotions was one of the most important pointers of whether someone who doesn’t currently gamble was likely to in the future. As crucial factors whether an 11-24-year old was a gambler were the attitudes of carers and peers, too. The findings showed that if young people had a carer or a close friend who gambles, they would mimic their habits becoming 6 times more likely to become gamblers themselves, than those without such connections.
When looking at exposure, the researchers found out that 96% or almost all of the 11-24-year old participants in the research had been exposed to gambling ads and messages in the course of the last month. In fact, when shown and asked to identify snippets of gambling logos, the participants in the qualitative research correctly identified an average of 8 out 10!
Researchers also found evidence that children were following gambling-related accounts on Twitter, by using an age classifier on the platform. The estimations were that 41,000 UK followers of gambling-related accounts were likely to be under 16. 6% of followers of the “traditional” gambling accounts on the social media platform were found to be children. When looking specifically at eSport gambling accounts, that figure increased to 17%!
The conclusion of the research was that with the rise of new forms of gambling ads through social media, the ways in which vulnerable adults, young people and children could engage with gambling brands increased as well, which in turn helped to establish brand loyalty. The recommendations were that more could be done in this area, such as working closely with social media platforms like Twitter to improve age screening tools, before these people were allowed to access accounts that promoted gambling.
Nevertheless, TV remained the most common source of exposure, with more than 4 out of 5 11-24-year olds reporting seeing gambling ads on TV. 70% of them noticed gambling ads on the high streets, and those aged 18 to 24 reported higher exposure to gambling through merchandise, sports events, gambling websites, smartphone apps and word of mouth. 66% reported seeing such ads on their social media channels.
Statements by GambleAware and Ipsos MORI
Marc Etches, GambleAware’s CEO said that although gambling was an adult activity, the research showed that it has become a part of the everyday life for young people, as well, thanks to the constant exposure. That had the potential for serious long-term implications for them. Age screening tools on social media could protect children from potential harmful exposure to gambling. Reminding that gambling was a public health issue with serious implications for people’s mental health, Etches said everyone needed to ensure the next generation was made aware of the risks of gambling and the support and help available via the National Gambling Treatment Service.
Ipsos MORI’s Research Director Steve Ginnis said that the research pointed to the present nature of gambling advertising beyond TV and sports and further demonstrated that exposure goes beyond traditional techniques that elicited an immediate response. There was value in taking further action to reduce exposure to gambling ads, which in turn was likely to help mitigate against the plausible risk of gambling-related harms among the groups at risk.
Ginnis also stated Ipsos MORI’s recommendations, indented to help stimulate collective discussion and action. These included: clearer and safer gambling messages, increasing the awareness of the risk of gambling, improved safe gambling initiatives, reducing gambling ads' appeal, specifically those that appeal to children, and improved use of age screening tools and ads technology to minimize exposure of such content to the groups at risk, among others.
