GambleAware Discovers Safe Gambling Ads Aren’t Too Helpful
GambleAware looks at the performance of safe gambling ads and finds they haven’t been as effective as predicted.
Safe gambling ads found to be not very effective. © ASPhotohrapy, Pixabay
Key Facts:
- GambleAware has looked at how effective safe gambling ads have been
- The ads have been failing to convince people not to gamble online for real money
- They may even have had the opposite of the desired effect
- Some people have felt the need to gamble more after watching ads
GambleAware has looked at safe gambling ads, i.e. adverts that encourage people to gamble responsibly by cutting down on their gambling or stopping altogether. The organisation has found that these ads have been quite ineffective.
The Study and Its Findings
It enlisted Thinks Insight & Strategy to carry out a study. Professor Elliot Ludvig oversaw the study, which involved people being shown ads from gambling operators. These ads encouraged responsible gambling practices, such as enacting time/spending limits.
The study concluded that none of the ads were effective at getting people to take advantage of responsible gambling tools. No one started gambling less after watching these materials.
Some of the ads had the opposite of their intended effect; they encouraged people to gamble more. There were a few in the study that caused viewers to spend more on gambling than they had previously.
Among the ads was one specifically produced by GambleAware. It was the only one that managed to get important messages across to people. These included the need to self-reflect and emphasising that gambling-related problems are common.
Comments About the Findings
Professor Ludvig acknowledged that some ads resulted in people gambling more instead of less. This was supposedly because some materials depict gambling as a harmless and safe activity. They also portray the risks as less serious than they actually are.
There was one ad in particular that caught attention, but not for the right reason. Nearly half (45%) of people who watched it reported thinking that the ad showed gambling as harmless fun.
Alexia Clifford, the Chief Communications Officer at GambleAware, has commented on the study and its findings:
This new research shows that so-called ‘safer gambling’ videos produced by gambling operators could be doing more harm than good. It’s unacceptable that ads claiming to help people reduce their risk of harm are encouraging people to gamble more instead– Alexia Clifford, GambleAware CCO Comments on Ads Study, Marketing Week
Further Findings
The study also found that GambleAware was more trusted than any of the gambling operators whose ads people watched. Industry-based ads were less effective at promoting safe gambling than those from GambleAware, an independent organisation.
A rule states that gambling operators must spend over 20% of their broadcast and digital advertising budgets on responsible gambling messages. The study found very little work is being done to ensure operators comply with this.
Steps to Take
GambleAware also mentioned that evidence to suggest whether safe gambling campaigns are effective hasn’t yet been published. The organisation wants the government to come up with video guidelines for such campaigns.
It also wants more accountability and analysis practices to be put in place for campaigns developed by industry operators. In short, GambleAware wants the government to ensure operator ads meet minimum standards.
This is to ensure that ads created by operators have a better chance of getting their message across. The aims are to reduce the number of people with gambling-related problems and let people know how to get help.
Alexia Clifford has also asked for all gambling-related advertising to carry a health warning. In addition, she wants all adverts to clearly state where people can get help if needed.
