Young people are being “inundated” with gambling ads in their everyday lives, particularly sports betting ads and social casino games, amid unprecedented levels of exposure for at-risk adolescents.
Children between 12 and 17 who are at risk of becoming problem gamblers reported a wide range of sources that promote gambling, including in their home, school, social, digital and media environments.
Two new reports commissioned by the New South Wales government have highlighted the risks and roots of adolescent gambling, finding that sources of influence at this important age can “exert risk and protective influences” over gambling behaviours.
The NSW Youth Gambling Study 2022 reported that all survey participants recalled being exposed to gambling advertising since childhood, particularly television ads for sports betting.
“During adolescence, exposure to online advertising was described in all gambling groups as frequent and pervasive, especially during participants’ online gaming sessions and in their social media,” the report said.
“Most participants were critical of gambling advertising, believing it should be further restricted to limit young people’s exposure.”
YouTube was listed as the most common social media platform for gambling ads, with most participants mentioning the ads that played before videos and sponsored content by online influencers.
“Participants also mentioned seeing gambling advertising on outdoor billboards and posters at news agencies, or in-venue advertising for Keno and the Tab,” it said.
One teenage boy quoted in the report noted the ubiquity of the ads.
“There is so much advertising and even if not aimed at younger people, it is definitely seen by us, and noticed by us … I hear Sportsbet coming out my ears left, right and centre.”
The report also outlined the proliferation of gambling ads among social media influencers, with one participant quoted saying “massive wins” were shown without it being clear the post was sponsored.
“On TikTok I’ve seen a lot of people promoting online gambling websites … They’ve been sponsored by the gambling website … They show them getting, like, this massive win, and then everyone that watches it goes to their TikTok profile and there’s a link to the gambling website. So, there’s a lot of advertising through TikTok … They don’t tell you it’s sponsored,” the report quoted.
The report noted gambling ads that aren’t disclosed as sponsored “appeared to have a greater influence on some participants’ gambling and their future intentions to gamble”.
The report calls for multifaceted protective strategies that target multiple areas of influence, with the young people surveyed calling for “tighter regulation of gambling and simulated gambling products, far less advertising, age restrictions for simulated gambling features, and gambling education in schools.”
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The second report, also commissioned by the NSW government, found nearly 70% of parents who had gambled in the past 12 months did so with an adolescent present.
The Role of Parents in Youth Gambling report found that parental facilitation of adolescent gambling was the strongest indicator of adolescent problem gambling.
Other factors included adolescent simulated gambling, poor parental monitoring and less positive parent-adolescent relationships.
Over a quarter of participants said their teenage child had participated in at least one form of gambling during the past 12 months, with buying instant scratch tickets (10.2%) or buying lottery or Lotto tickets the most common type of gambling.
The report also found that fathers were reported to have higher levels of participation in gambling among adolescents, as well as higher levels of gambling problems.
It suggests that strategies need to be introduced to target fathers, particularly fathers who gamble, and parents who engage in behaviours that actively facilitate adolescent gambling.
The NSW minister for gaming and racing, David Harris, said the findings will inform “education and awareness strategies” and will be shared with local GambleAware providers, who engage with parents, schools and youth services in their local areas.
“Young people are exposed to too much betting advertising and as a result, many young people think betting is a normal part of watching sport.
“The NSW government is committed to gambling reform and reducing gambling harm. Harmful gambling not only impacts individuals, but also their loved ones and the broader community.”