Gambling ads continue to penetrate people’s life at unprecedented levels while stigmatization of gambling addiction makes it harder to reach people in need of help
A new report by GambleAware has sounded the alarm over the proliferation of gambling advertising in people’s lives. Despite safeguards and a public commitment to limit the reach of such advertising, gambling ads are now more prevalent than ever, the non-profit says.
Two-Fold Problem as Advertisement and Stigma Persist
According to the charity’s findings, 67% of people say that there is still a stigma surrounding gambling addiction, which makes it difficult for those in need of help to open up and talk about the issue. The study further noted that 31% of people saw their first gambling ad before the age of 17, and 62% of interviewees agreed that gambling advertisements were everywhere already.
GambleAware wants to address this by broaching a “national conversation” that specifically focuses on the proliferation of gambling advertising and the associated stigma with gambling addiction that still prevails, the charity argues. Young people are particularly at risk, as per an earlier estimate published by GambleAware.
GambleAware is joined by other like-minded partners in the faces of Nationwide, Football Supporters’ Association, and the National Gambling Support Network among 20-odd similar organizations who have vowed to do more to reduce gambling-related harm and help people. Zoe Osmond, the CEO at GambleAware, had this to say commenting on the initiative:
Now is the time to have a national conversation about gambling harm. Only by encouraging an open dialogue can we empower people to seek the support they need without judgment.
Zoe Osmond, the CEO at GambleAware
Call for Public Conversation Involving Different Stakeholders
Osmond argued that people’s daily lives were inundated with gambling advertising and marketing despite a strong public pushback against these advertising materials.
Osmond further added that gambling advertising and marketing were helping normalize a risky activity that has already impacted people’s lives – and even the lives of their children – negatively.
The buck hardly stops at gambling advertisements, however, as a broader public dialogue is needed. There needs to be greater collaboration among industry, government, and charities so that the adverse impact of gambling-related harm can be mitigated, argues Nationwide head of customer vulnerability Kathryn Townsend.
“While most people gamble safely, we recognise the impact harmful gambling can have. That is why we are further strengthening protections for those at risk, implementing a stake limit on online slots and stricter rules on gambling marketing,” she adds.
At the same time, industry trade bodies, including the Betting and Gaming Council, have urged strict compliance with advertising rules set out for gambling.
The BGC has similarly said that the trade body took a zero-tolerance approach to gambling by children and noted that there were “legal” verticals, such as penny pushers and claw-grab machines, that were tied to a heightened risk of problem gambling among children.
