APG hears from cross-border research body YouGaMSI on recent report examining young people’s exposure to gambling marketing through media and live sport
On Tuesday (8 October), the All-Party Group (APG) on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling were briefed by Prof Aphra Kerr of Maynooth University and Dr Paul Kitchin of Ulster University on their new report: 'Code Red: Young People and their Exposure to Gambling Marketing through Media and Live Sport on the island of Ireland’. The report, published on Friday 4 October, looked at how gambling companies market their product through sport to young people. Speaking to the APG, Prof Kerr said that the research revealed that youth exposure to gambling marketing is very high, with some sports having reached “saturation” level, particularly darts and horse racing. She also highlighted the prevalence of gambling marketing in Premier League football broadcasts on pitch-side billboards and on shirts. The research also tracked references to gambling made by commentators and broadcasters, which Prof Kerr said help to integrate gambling into the experience of watching sports.
Dr Kitchin spoke on how young people consume sports, which he described as highly individualised. Most young people watch sports on their phone, often in the form of highlight videos, and many consume sports content produced by social media influencers. He said that focus groups conducted with young people showed that gambling marketing is changing young people’s perception of gambling, with many believing that there is a “natural relationship” between gambling and sports. Prof Kerr spoke more about gambling marketing on social media, highlighting its very diverse nature, with different companies using different strategies. The research found that Responsible Gambling discourse provided very little in the way of counterbalancing on social media; for instance, warnings on gambling ads appeared in small fonts that were almost unreadable on social media. Meanwhile, logos for gambling companies were clearly visible in sponsored content.
The research team discussed the report’s recommendations with members of the APG, including updating media practice guidelines and requiring sports organisations that receive state funding to eliminate gambling marketing from sporting venues.
The full report is available here.