Hosted by the School of Psychological Science

Abstract: 

Recent figures from the UK Gambling Commission estimate that up to 85,000 children in the UK experience ‘gambling problems’, a concerning statistic that has been linked to the pervasive presence of gambling advertising. Despite regulations prohibiting gambling ads from ‘strongly appealing’ to minors, social media marketing often uses emotional and subtle content marketing strategies that engage young audiences. This presentation draws on two studies to explore these issues.

The first study, with over 650 participants aged 11 to 78, shows that gambling ads are significantly more appealing to children and young people than adults. Children predominantly experience positive emotions after exposure, while adults show negative reactions, raising concerns about the role of advertising in priming children for gambling.

The second study uses biometric measures alongside self-reported data to explore the unconscious appeal of gambling ads to 58 children aged 11–17. Content marketing emerges as particularly problematic, being four times more appealing to children than conventional ads. Only 7% of children identified such content as advertising. A national educational intervention aimed at improving recognition and reducing appeal showed limited success, underscoring the challenge of mitigating these risks.

Together, these studies reveal the hidden dangers of gambling advertising for young people and call for stricter regulations, innovative educational strategies, and enhanced research methods to better protect vulnerable audiences.