The UK’s leading independent gambling harm charity has called for health warnings on gambling advertisements.
The report commissioned by Gamble Aware was based on a survey of 7,000 people. Its publication comes following a push from the charity to prioritize public protection in advertising legislation, particularly regarding children and young people who might be more vulnerable to the influence of gambling ads.
An independent consortium of researchers and academics reviewed messaging from gambling advertisements, finding that current safer messages shown in gambling advertisements don’t go far enough to highlight the risk of gambling-related harm.
Widely used slogans like ‘Take Time To Think' were found to be inadequate at protecting vulnerable consumers, with analysts recommending the introduction of more effective health warnings in its place.
Protecting the public
The report is highly critical of the slogan, suggesting that it isn’t powerful enough to convey the dangers posed by gambling addiction. The report also states that the slogan doesn’t signpost where players can get support, and is therefore ineffective in its mission to protect players from problem gambling.
“Gambling harms are a serious public health issue, and it is vital that people are aware of the risks associated," said Alexia Clifford, Chief Communications Officer for GambleAware.
Dr. Raffaello Rossi, the co-author of the research and Bristol University marketing lecturer, stated: “In the absence of strict gambling marketing restrictions, it is absolutely vital that we see warnings on gambling advertising that highlight the addictive nature of gambling, paired with clear, unambiguous signposting for people to access support if needed. We need to see better regulation of gambling operators who are widely bombarding us with their ads.”
Support for problem gambling was also analyzed as part of this study, following concerns that the Gamble Aware logo in isolation doesn't provide enough information to players.
Researchers recommended that a short message or call to action be added wherever the logo is used, to direct players to available support. In particular, the report recommended adding wording such as ‘Worried? Search GambleAware' or 'GambleAware. Advice. Tools. Support' to give players the information they need for available support.
Following suit
Gamble Aware’s latest recommendations are in line with recent UK government reports, which recently responded to a December report on gambling regulation, concluding that a more precautionary approach to advertising is needed.
The response stated that there is scope for further regulation, and more needs to be done to minimize children’s exposure to gambling advertising.
