According to a new study, four leading online gambling brands could be regularly breaching the industry’s self-imposed marketing regulations.
Academics at the University of Bristol have led the review into what they describe as being one “of the first to focus on social media gambling advertising in the U.S.”
The findings show that nearly 1,700 gambling advertisements were posted on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook by four leading sports gambling brands during a single week.
That equates to more than 230 ads per day, with the team of researchers finding that three-quarters of the organic ads contained no responsible gaming messages or help hotlines.
“A significant proportion of them (8%) were also judged to be especially appealing to children, potentially flouting American Gaming Association (AGA) regulations,” writes the University in a press release.
The lead author Dr Raffaello Rossi said: “What we have seen in several countries, including the US, is that self-regulation of advertising in the gambling industry often falls short of protecting young and vulnerable audiences; instead it tends to prioritise the industry’s interests.
“The fact that over 1,000 ads appear to breach regulations, with many having strong appeal to minors is deeply concerning.
“The sheer volume of gambling ads, paired with a lack of warnings and responsible gaming messaging, reflects an aggressive marketing strategy that aims to normalize gambling as a harmless and fun activity.”
All paid-for gambling social media ads were found to be compliant with the regulations
The 1,353 organic ads that were studied by the team of researchers generated more than 29 million views, 1.1 million likes, and were shared almost 60,500 times.
The team says that a large percentage of the organic ads were found to be non-compliant, but all 320 paid-for ads stuck to the regulations.
The Guardian has reported that the American Gaming Association disagrees and has dismissed the findings as an “irresponsible misinterpretation.”
The AGA has also told the publisher that it was “pleased” the study had found that all paid-for gambling ads on social media compiled with its code. “However, categorizing all social media posts as ads misses the basics of brand communication,” said Joe Maloney, senior vice-president.
Featured Image: Via Ideogram
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