New research on behalf of GambleAware, conducted by Thinks Insight & Strategy, found that instead of helping raise awareness for safer and responsible gambling messages, the advertising practices adopted by some companies, or at least individual instances of advertising, may have backfired and promoted spending more time and money on the activity.
GambleAware highlights initiative meant to do good could be causing harm
The conclusion is issued by the organization, along with academic expert Professor Elliot Ludvig, after a thorough test of the effectiveness of safer gambling video campaigns that are currently deployed by major operators in the country.
It is this analysis that established that instead of limiting time and spending on gambling, the ads had the opposite effect, encouraging consumers and users to spend more.
The main issue with the advertising was that instead of putting the focus on the fact that gambling could have serious consequences, they treated it as "harmless fun" and plugged calls for "safer" and "responsible gambling" in the ads.
"This study was a Randomised Controlled Trial that tested the impact of different safer gambling advertising videos on people’s gambling behaviour, attitudes, and intentions. The aim was to produce evidence to inform guidance on the design of effective safer gambling advertising videos and to establish how to measure their impact," said Professor Ludvig, commenting on the findings.
This wasn’t enough, the research indicated, and could in fact lead to more people believing that there are no potential adverse impacts from gambling.
The research indicated that industry-produced adverts increase gambling intentions among those communities who are the most at risk, including young people or people who are already struggling with gambling-related problems.
Oversight is needed to ensure that gambling ads are hitting the mark
As Professor Ludvig indicates, the study suggests that responsible gambling videos have a "backfire effect," encouraging gambling rather than helping people who are already struggling with the activity.
"The findings from this experiment should be used to help guide the design of effective, safer gambling advertising videos and establish standards for measuring their impact," the professor thinks.
According to GambleAware, the key issue is that although there is a requirement to create such video advertisements, there is no control and oversight over the resulting products just yet. The study can be used to establish guidelines that help steer away from such practices and focus on raising awareness about the dangers of problem gambling in a sustainable way.
GambleAware Chief Communications Officer Alexia Clifford has welcomed the opportunity to strengthen oversight on video gambling ads.
"The gambling industry cannot be left to ‘mark its homework’ on such an important issue. We need stronger legislation on gambling marketing and advertising, including more effective monitoring of gambling industry-led advertising campaigns, health warnings on all gambling advertising, and for all adverts to signpost to where people can get help for gambling harms," Clifford cautioned, arguing that the industry cannot be left to its own devices.
GambleAware has conducted this research ahead of its planned dissolution next year, with the government rolling out a mandatory levy and transferring.
