Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-nmvwc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-01T12:45:53.725Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gambling advertising during live televised male sporting events in Ireland: A descriptive study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 July 2020

D. Columb Open the ORCID record for D. Columb [Opens in a new window] ,
M. C. Wong ,
V. O’Mahony ,
C. Harrington ,
M. D. Griffiths  and
C. O’Gara
D. Columb*
Affiliation:
Addiction Department, St. John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland
M. C. Wong
Affiliation:
Addiction Department, St. John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland
V. O’Mahony
Affiliation:
Addiction Department, St. John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland
C. Harrington
Affiliation:
Addiction Department, St. John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland
M. D. Griffiths
Affiliation:
Distinguished Professor of Behavioral Addiction, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
C. O’Gara
Affiliation:
Addiction Department, St. John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland UCD School of Medicine and Medical Specialties, University College Dublin, Co Dublin, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: David Columb, Senior Medical Officer, Addiction Department, St. John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland. (Email: david.columb@sjog.ie)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

There are no data relating to gambling advertisements shown during live sporting events in Ireland. The aim of the present study was to analyze gambling advertisements shown during live sporting events broadcast in Ireland and to assess these advertisements for responsible gambling (RG) practices.

Methods:

Sixty-five live televised sporting events comprising Association Football (soccer), Rugby Union, and Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) matches broadcast in Ireland were analyzed. Pre-match (up to 30 minutes before kick-off), half-time, and post-match (up to 30 minutes after the match has ended) advertisement breaks were analyzed for gambling advertisements, including in-game fixed (static advertising) and dynamic (electronic advertisements changing at regular intervals) pitch-side advertising. Gambling advertisements were studied for evidence of RG practices.

Results:

A total of 3602 television advertisements, 618 dynamic advertisements, and 394 static advertisements were analyzed. Gambling advertisements were shown in 75.4% (n = 49) games and were the seventh most commonly televised advertisement shown overall. Gambling advertising was more common in football (fourth most common advertisement) compared to rugby (12th most common) and GAA (13th most common). Static and dynamic gambling advertising were common during football matches (second and first most common advertisements, respectively). The majority of advertisements contained RG messaging, an age limit, and an RG organization. No advertisements showing responsible gambling tools were observed.

Conclusions:

Gambling advertisements are commonly shown during live televised sporting broadcasts in Ireland, especially during live football matches and typically before the adult television watershed. Gambling legislation is required to minimize harm to vulnerable groups including children.

Keywords

Gambling addictiongambling advertisementsgambling disorderIrelandresponsible gambling
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , June 2023 , pp. 134 - 142
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bray, J (2019). New gambling authority will not be in place for at least 18 months. Retrieved from https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/new-gambling-authority-will-not-be-in-place-for-at-least-18-months-1. 3832989. Accessed 20 November 2019.Google Scholar
Cassidy, R, Ovenden, N (2017). Frequency, duration and medium of advertisements for gambling and other risky products in commercial and public service broadcasts of English Premier League football. Report. SocArXiv: Goldsmiths, University of London, Retrieved from https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/f6bu8/ CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Columb, D, O’Gara, C (2018). A national survey of online gambling behaviours. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 35, 311–319.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Conway, R (2018). Gambling firms agree ‘whistle-to-whistle’ television sport advertising ban. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/sport/46453954. Accessed 15 November 2019.Google Scholar
Davies, R (2019). Half of Premier League clubs to have gambling sponsors for 2019-20 season. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/19/half-of-premier-league-clubs-to-have-gambling-sponsors-for-201920. Accessed 18 November 2019.Google Scholar
Deans, EG, Thomas, SL, Daube, M, Derevensky, J (2017a). The role of peer influences on the normalisation of sports wagering: a qualitative study of Australian men. Addiction Research & Theory 25, 103–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deans, EG, Thomas, SL, Daube, M, Derevensky, J, Gordon, R (2016). Creating symbolic cultures of consumption: an analysis of the content of sports wagering advertisements in Australia. BMC Public Health 16, 208.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deans, EG, Thomas, SL, Derevensky, J, Daube, M (2017b). The influence of marketing on the sports betting attitudes and consumption behaviours of young men: implications for harm reduction and prevention strategies. Harm Reduction Journal 14, 5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Duncan, P, Davies, R, Sweney, M (2018). Children ‘bombarded’ with betting adverts during World Cup. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jul/15/children-bombarded-with-betting-adverts-during-world-cup. Accessed 17 November 2019.Google Scholar
Fédération Internationale De Football Association (2018). More than half the world watched record-breaking 2018 World Cup. Retrieved from https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/more-than-half-the-world-watched-record-breaking-2018-world-cup. Accessed 17 November 2019.Google Scholar
GambleAware (2019). GambleAware lanches ‘Bet Regret’. Retrieved from https://about.gambleaware.org/news/gambleaware-launches-bet-regret/. Accessed 23 November 2019.Google Scholar
Gambling Commission (2019). Gambling participation in 2018: behaviour, awareness and attitudes. Report. Gambling Commission, Retrieved from https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/survey-data/Gambling-participation-in-2018-behaviour-awareness-and-attitudes.pdf Google Scholar
Griffiths, MD, Auer, M (2013). The irrelevancy of game-type in the acquisition, development, and maintenance of problem gambling. Frontiers in Psychology 3, 621.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrington, J (2018). Congress votes to ban gambling company sponsorship. Retrieved from https://www.gaa.ie/news/congress-votes-ban-gambling-sponsorship/. Accessed 23 November 2019.Google Scholar
Hing, N, Lamont, M, Vitartas, P, Fink, E (2015). Sports bettors’ responses to sports-embedded gambling promotions: Implications for compulsive consumption. Journal of Business Research 68, 2057–2066.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
iGaming Business (2019). Italy’s AGCOM sets out scope of gambling advertising ban. Retrieved from https://www.igamingbusiness.com/news/italys-agcom-sets-out-scope-gambling-advertising-ban. Accessed 24 November 2019.Google Scholar
Ingle, S (2019). Nigel Adams says Derby giving Wayne Rooney No 32 shirt is ‘very crafty’. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/13/nigel-adams-derby-county-wayne-rooney-very-crafty. Accessed 19 November 2019.Google Scholar
International Olympic Committee (2012). London 2012 Olympic Games: Global broadcast report. Report. Olympic.org, Retrieved from https://www.olympic.org/olympic-studies-centre/collections/official-publications/ioc-marketing-and-broadcasting Google Scholar
Jones, SC, Barrie, L, Chapman, M, Corr, NJ, Davoren, S (2013). Alcohol advertising during televised Australian Football finals. Proceedings of the ANZMAC. Auckland, New Zealand.: University of Auckland.Google Scholar
Lole, L, Li, E, Russell, AM, Greer, N, Thorne, H, Hing, N (2019). Are sports bettors looking at responsible gambling messages? An eye-tracking study on wagering advertisements. Journal of Behavioral Addictions 8, 499–507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lopez-Gonzalez, H, Estévez, A, Griffiths, MD (2017). Marketing and advertising online sports betting: A problem gambling perspective. Journal of Sport and Social Issues 41, 256–272.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Medialive (2018). Television Market Overview Top 20 Categories (2018). Retrieved from https://www.medialive.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1013:television-market-overview-2018&catid=42:television-market-overview&Itemid=427 Google Scholar
Monaghan, S, Derevensky, J, Sklar, A (2008). Impact of gambling advertisements and marketing on children and adolescents: Policy recommendations to minimise harm. Journal of Gambling Issues 22, 252–274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monaghan, SM, Blaszczynski, A (2007). Recall of electronic gaming machine signs: a static versus a dynamic mode of presentation. Journal of Gambling Issues 20, 253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrison, C (2019). Super Bowl commercials: What are the world’s most expensive ads really worth to businesses? Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/super-bowl-commercials-cost-worth-pepsi-budweiser-value-business-a8758971.html. Accessed 19 November 2019.Google Scholar
Newall, P, Walasek, L, Singmann, H, Ludvig, E (2019). Testing a gambling warning label’s effect on behavior. PsyArXiv; Retrived from https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/dxfkj CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oakes, O (2017). Sky Bet launches ‘Responsible Gambling’ as key message of its latest ad. Retrieved from https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/sky-bet-launches-responsible-gambling-key-message-its-latest-ad/1450444. Accessed 22 November 2019.Google Scholar
Parke, A, Harris, A, Parke, J, Rigbye, J, Blaszczynski, A (2015). Responsible marketing and advertising in gambling: A critical review. The Journal of Gambling Business and Economics 8, 21–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pitt, H, Thomas, SL, Bestman, A, Daube, M, Derevensky, J (2017). What do children observe and learn from televised sports betting advertisements? A qualitative study among Australian children. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 41, 604–610.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pitt, H, Thomas, SL, Bestman, A, Stoneham, M, Daube, M (2016). ‘It’s just everywhere!’ Children and parents discuss the marketing of sports wagering in Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 40, 480–486.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Premiership Rugby (2019). Premiership rugby announces new partnership with BetUK.com. Retrieved from https://www.premiershiprugby.com/2019/05/30/premiership-rugby-announces-new-partnership-with-betuk-com/. Accessed 24 November 2019.Google Scholar
Staines, M (2019). Addiction services call for watershed on gambling advertising. Retrieved from https://www.newstalk.com/news/independent-gambling-regulator-859784. Accessed 19 November 2019.Google Scholar
The Rugby Paper (2018). Gambling sponsorship and Rugby: is the link too strong in the UK? Retrieved from https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/featured-post/30930/gambling-sponsorship-and-rugby-is-the-link-too-strong-in-the-uk/. Accessed 25 November 2019.Google Scholar
Thomas, S, Lewis, S, Duong, J, McLeod, C (2012). Sports betting marketing during sporting events: a stadium and broadcast census of Australian Football League matches. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 36, 145–152.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Toscano, N, Duke, J (2018). Betting ads banned during live sport broadcasts. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/betting-ads-banned-during-live-sport-broadcasts-20180316-p4z4qq.html. Accessed 25 November 2019.Google Scholar
Wardle, H, Moody, A, Spence, S, Orford, J, Volberg, R, Jotangia, D, Griffiths, M, Hussey, D, Dobbie, F (2011). British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010. The Stationery Office: London, UK.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Columb et al. supplementary material

Columb et al. supplementary material

Download Columb et al. supplementary material(File)
File 27.2 KB