The Psychosocial and Marketing Factors That Motivate and Sustain Youth Sports Betting in Australia
A Qualitative Study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15440236 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Gianluca Di Censo (0000-0002-6512-857X, Flinders University, corresponding author), P Delfabbro (0000-0002-0466-5611, The University of Adelaide), Daniel L King (0000-0002-1762-2581, Flinders University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 1383-1401 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1557-1874 • E-ISSN: 1557-1882 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11469-025-01457-7 |
| OpenAlex | W4408151581 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 48 |
The advent of online sports betting and its accompanying features have fundamentally altered the nature of sports betting and potentially amplified its negative consequences. Identifying the interplay of factors that contribute to young people’s initial interest in and sustained engagement in sports betting is essential for developing effective policies to protect them from potential harm. The current qualitative study employed thematic analysis to examine the betting experiences of 20 Australians aged 18–24 years old. The overarching themes that emerged were initial interest, perpetuating factors, and perceptions of risk. Young Australians developed an initial interest in sports betting as a result of early exposure to gambling from their family and peer groups, exposure to advertising portraying betting as a common and acceptable pastime, and personal motivations such as the desire to win money and participate in a new hobby. Their sports betting behaviour was sustained by a desire to not miss out on potential winnings, their mutual interest in sports betting with their peers, and the availability of betting promotions. Respondents were cognisant of the adverse consequences that could result from disordered gambling behaviours, including the financial, psychological, and interpersonal consequences. The study suggests that restricting advertising and implementing interventions to reduce the social norms of sports betting may be effective in reducing potential gambling-related harm among young Australians
Business · Environmental health · Health psychology · Marketing management · Psychiatry · Psychosocial · Public health · Qualitative research · Relationship marketing · Social marketing · Social science · Sociology · Sports marketing · Sports medicine · Applied Psychology · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Gambling Behavior and Treatments · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Sports Analytics and Performance · Marketing
Human Brands
Young people’s views about the use of celebrities and social media influencers in gambling marketing
“It is always there in your face.” Australian young people discuss exposure to gambling activities and promotions
The Social Identity Theory of Intergroup Behavior
Saturation in qualitative research
A Thematic Analysis of Sports Bettors’ Perceptions of Sports Betting Marketing Strategies in the UK
Sports-Embedded Gambling Promotions
Young People’s Perceptions of the Effects and Value of Sports Betting Inducements
Internet-Based Structural Characteristics of Sports Betting and Problem Gambling Severity
A content analysis of how ‘normal’ sports betting behaviour is represented in gambling advertising
Eat, drink and gamble
Creating symbolic cultures of consumption
A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation
Using thematic analysis in psychology
I can sit on the beach and punt through my mobile phone
Culture and Consumption
Marketing and Advertising Online Sports Betting
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |