Young people’s views about the use of celebrities and social media influencers in gambling marketing

Bibliographic Data

ID22944252
AuthorsHannah Pitt (0000-0002-4259-6186, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University , Locked bag 20000, Geelong, Vic 3220 , Australia, corresponding author), Simone Mccarthy (0000-0003-2671-3511, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University , Locked bag 20000, Geelong, Vic 3220 , Australia), Melanie Randle (0000-0001-9129-1701, University of Wollongong), Mike Daube (0000-0002-3479-2785, Curtin University), Sabrina Lynette Thomas (0000-0003-1427-7775, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University , Locked bag 20000, Geelong, Vic 3220 , Australia)
Year2024
Volume39
Issue1
Publication date2024-02-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/daae012
PMID38341758
OpenAlexW4391735289
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited52

Young people’s exposure to gambling marketing has had a clear impact on their gambling attitudes, risk perceptions and consumption intentions. Celebrities and social media influencers (SMIs) are increasingly used by the gambling industry in a wide range of promotions. While there is evidence that these types of promotions are influential in shaping young people’s attitudes towards other harmful products, there is limited evidence in relation to gambling. Qualitative focus groups (n = 22) with n = 64, 12–17 year olds were conducted in Australia. These investigated young people’s exposure to celebrity and SMI marketing for gambling and the influence they perceived this marketing had on young people’s gambling attitudes. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to construct four themes from the data. First, young people perceived that celebrities and SMIs created additional appeal and recall of gambling advertisements because they were attention grabbing and familiar. Second, young people thought that celebrities and SMIs increased the trust, legitimacy and social acceptance of gambling. Third, the use of celebrities and SMIs lowered the perceptions of risk associated with gambling. Lastly, there were suggestions to reduce the impact of celebrity and SMI gambling promotions on young people, such as bans and restrictions. This study highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to preventing young people’s exposure to gambling marketing, that not only considers imposing stronger regulations to restrict the way the gambling industry is allowed to promote its products, but also aims to counter the novel ways the gambling industry attempts to appeal to children and young people.

Advertising · Appeal · Business · Construct (python library) · Consumption (sociology) · Influencer marketing · Newspaper · Perception · Political science · Qualitative research · Relationship marketing · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Digital Games and Media · Gambling Behavior and Treatments · Marketing · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology · Social Psychology

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