A dramatic surge in gambling advertising across media channels is sparking widespread concern by gambling harm support services and members of the public about the potential impact, particularly on young people.
Andree Froude Director of Advocacy and Public Health at the Problem Gambling Foundation says a petition has been launched after growing unease about the lack of regulation for gambling advertising and the sheer volume of ads people are being exposed to.
“We have received many complaints and heard from concerned members of the public about the TAB aggressively advertising over recent months, promoting sports betting and offering sign-up inducements to encourage gambling,” she says.
“The TAB has also launched its new betcha betting platform specifically targeted at young people aged 18 to 29 years with ads all over TikTok, offering a 200% deposit match offer with up to $50 in bonus cash.”
“We are hearing from parents about their children discussing sports betting at school which is concerning - we don’t want to see a whole new demographic experiencing harm from gambling.”
The Government has also announced its intention to operate a licensing system for up to 15 online casinos, with licensed operators permitted to advertise with “strict limits”.
Andree Froude says this will contribute to a significant increase in gambling advertising.
“The cumulative impact of the advertising activity of 15 new online casino operators in a new market with the existing marketing from the TAB and Lotto will have a saturation effect, despite any restrictions that might be imposed,” she says.
“The research is clear, gambling ads are harmful particularly for kids and young adults and we don’t want a situation like Australia where three out of four kids now think gambling is a normal part of sport.”
Purapura Whetu Trust Chief Executive Karaitiana Tickell agrees saying gambling products knowingly cause harm to whānau and our tamariki.
“We impress upon the Government and our community, the urgent need to regulate gambling advertising," he says. Gambling harm support services are urging people to sign the petition during Gambling Harm Awareness Week and have their say about the harm caused by gambling advertising.
Asian Family Services, Mapu Maia Pacific Service, and Purapura Whetu Trust, will be collecting signatures during Gambling Harm Awareness Week from 2 – 8 September 2024.
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Background
Relevant research on the impact of gambling advertising:
1. Marketing has a significant impact on the normalisation of gambling for youth across the globe. This has included shaping positive attitudes towards gambling, as well as
increasing the social and cultural acceptance of gambling – particularly aligned with valued activities such as sport. Because of this, public health experts argue that gambling marketing poses a significant risk to the health and wellbeing of youth.
Pitt, H., McCarthy, S., Randle, M. et al. “It’s changing our lives, not for the better. It’s important that we have a say”. The role of young people in informing public health and policy decisions about gambling marketing. BMC Public Health 24, 2004 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19331-x
Also from Pitt et al’s study:
Public health academics and practitioners have increasingly focused on how marketing may be one factor, alongside family, peers and other cultural factors, in normalising gambling for young people. Thomas and colleagues defined the normalisation of gambling as: The interplay of socio‐cultural, environmental, commercial, and political processes which influence how different gambling activities and products are made available and accessible, encourage recent and regular use, and become an accepted part of everyday life for individuals, their families, and communities.
2. A 2020 critical and meta-analytic review, explored the relationship between gambling ads and gambling attitudes, intentions and behaviours: “The research suggests a positive association between exposure to gambling advertising and gambling-related attitudes, intentions and behaviour. The association is greatest for gambling behaviour. There is some evidence for a dose-response relationship.”
Ayoub Bouguettaya, Dermot Lynott, Adrian Carter, Oulmann Zerhouni, Silke Meyer, Isak Ladegaard, John Gardner, Kerry S O’Brien. The relationship between gambling advertising and gambling attitudes, intentions and behaviours: a critical and meta-analytic review, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.02.010.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Andree Froude
Advocacy and Public Health Director
PGF Services
Ph 027 489 4801
Karaitiana Tickell
Chief Executive
Purapura Whetu Trust
027 535 6708
karaitiana@pw.maori.nz.
Kelly Feng
Chief Executive
Asian Family Services
Ph: 027 7888966 kelly.feng@asianfamilyservices.nz
Pesio Ah-Honi
Chief Executive
Mapu Maia
Ph 027 497 0021
