20-year-old Tom is getting ready for a big day on the punt with two of his friends as they prepare to throw their money at the nine horse races on the day. Tom has been betting since he turned 18 and is one of many young Australians who engage in sports betting and gambling practices.
In recent years, a gambling culture has been created with young Australians as the saturation of gambling advertising and marketing has socialised them into normalising gambling habits. This is partly due to the marketing of sports betting products no longer being confined to specific gambling environments such as gambling venues or betting companies’ websites or mobile apps. They are now entrenched in everyday spaces that are not traditionally aligned with gambling such as in the community and in the media. This placement of sports betting marketing has created a cultural meaning in that betting is now a core part of the sporting experience.
The gambling culture in young Australians focuses more on sports betting as it is seen as a more contemporary form of gambling. This helps with its appeal as research has shown that participants view it as different to traditional ways of gambling like older gamblers betting on the horses at the local TAB.
Legal sports betting is something that has become a rite of passage as people reach the legal age of 18 and is now tied in with being able to drive alone, vote, and buy alcohol. Tom recalled similar anticipation in the lead up to him turning 18 as he and his mates at school were keen to get onto Sportsbet “for some fun stuff and to place a few bets”.
“I remember before my actual birthday, downloading Sportsbet on my phone and just preparing what I was going to do,” he said.
The normalisation of sports betting has led to it becoming part of the cultural capital young people possess as it has become a topic of discussion in many environments. Research from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation has shown that 77 per cent of sports betters’ motivation was because they “enjoy a punt”. Other motivations included good knowledge of the sport, boredom, an adrenaline rush, and that it makes watching sport more interesting.
Tom shared similar thoughts as he said he “love[s] sport in general, but it would make a more neutral game that you would normally watch more interesting”.
“I probably would not have previously watched all of a random NBA game, but if I had something on it I would be more likely to watch it,” he said.
One of the more key factors in the socialisation and normalisation of betting practices in young Australians is the accessibility and opportunity to bet. Coupled with a decreased stigma in engaging in betting, it allows tech-savvy young people to place a bet on any game, anywhere and anytime.
While betting on horses has existed just as long as horse-racing has, sports betting is a relatively new practice. Strategic Advisor, Knowledge and Policy Manager for the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation Tony Phillips said the arrival of the smart phone was a big technological change which assisted sports betting practices.
“It went from, you can bet online but you have to turn on your computer, boot it up and get its internet connection going and do it that way, or go down to the local TAB shop,” he said. “All of a sudden the arrival of the smart phone, tablets, and apps opened up the ability to bet and bet much more frequently”.
Naturally, the more accessible something is, the more frequently it will be used or engaged with. Cigarette smoking has become much less popular over time and except for the obvious health risks, it is partly due to the increase in price and decrease in advertising.
“With anything in public health, whether it be alcohol, or gambling, or cigarettes, one of the first things that public health people will raise is: you will have a problem if you make this product too accessible,” Mr Phillips said.
Sports betting participation is emerging as a significant contributor to those who experience harm from gambling, especially among younger men. The online accessibility of sports betting, as well as the saturation of advertisements and promotions, has led to the normalisation of sports betting in Australia. But how has gambling advertising evolved into what it now is?
The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation said on their website that “while smartphones, apps and social media have multiplied the marketing possibilities, a High Court decision in 2008 also played a major part in the dramatic increase in gambling advertising”.
The ruling allowed bookmakers to offer bets anywhere in Australia, where each state or territory previously regulated it.
“The ruling also made it clear that states and territories were unlikely to be permitted to ban advertising from other parts of the country,” the Foundation said. “The states and territories with bans, including Victoria, amended their legislation to remove them”.
The High Court case and ensuing ban removal caused a significant rise in the number of gambling companies operating across Australia and a highly competitive market.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the gambling industry spent $273 million on advertising in Australia in 2018, up from $90 million in 2011.
Research from the Foundation found that there was an average of 374 gambling ads broadcast per day on Australian free-to-air TV in 2016. Around five times the number of alcohol ads reported in previous research. The authors (O’Brien & Iqbal) concluded that the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice has not achieved its purpose of protecting children and young people from gambling advertising.
Lead researcher at the Foundation Samantha Thomas said that “an eight-year-old watching AFL footy today will have never seen a game without gambling ads”.
As Tom has been betting for two years, he admits that advertising does not really impact his gambling. It merely attracts him back onto the app if a favourable promotion is running. What the advertising does do is attract new members and grow gambling members.
Mr Phillips said that “all of us to some degree are what we grew up with”.
“Restrictions on gambling advertising would certainly take away what is one of the major impetuses for growing the amount of people that gamble and the more people that gamble the more people there will be that are at risk of being harmed by their gambling,” he said.
While the advertising on social media is harder to regulate, The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is the Commonwealth regulator responsible for overseeing commercial advertising, including advertising for betting service providers. There has been progress in regulations and restrictions in recent years around gambling advertising.
The Foundation website said “in Australia, ads for betting products are not permitted during TV programs classified G or lower from 6 to 8.30 am and 4 to 7 pm, or in programs directed at children between 5 am and 8.30 pm. Until 2018, these restrictions excluded sport broadcasts. On 30 March 2018, bans on gambling ads during broadcasts of live sport were introduced between 5 am and 8.30 pm”.
Prior to that, advertising for pokies machines was also banned with the most advertising allowed is a sign indicating a venue has the machines.
The Foundation also runs a “Love the Game” campaign which dominates a whole round of the AFL season with exclusive signage and no gambling advertising at games. The campaign has also run into local sporting clubs who are educated on the risks of gambling and sign a charter to protect children at the club from being exposed to gambling media.
The responsible gambling message is dominated by the superior budget that the gambling industry possesses.
“The gambling companies are providing money, not just in taxation, but they’re also providing money to the sports,” Mr Phillips said. “So, the sports are getting a reward from there being gambling on the sport, and so are the media companies that broadcast the sport because they get the advertising”.
Of course, the budget the Foundation receives from taxes from gambling is too little to compete for advertising space.
The Foundation and other organisations will continue to strive for greater regulations on gambling advertising and greater education on the risks of gambling harm and have already made progress despite the steep rise of sports betting in the past decade.
No matter the regulations, there will still be gamblers and a big part of the Foundation’s goal is to also destigmatise the step in asking for help for those who need.
“Deciding that you’re not happy with the gambling that you’re doing and that you’d like to do something about it is a major first step,” Mr Phillips said.
While Tom admits he was close to seeking help at one point, he feels much more under control now and would implore his mates to speak up if they needed help.
If you or anyone you know may be experiencing harm from gambling, the free, confidential, and 24/7 service from Gambler’s Help can be reached at 1800 858 858.
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