Research published by the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) has shown that almost 80% of Australians believe that they are seeing too many gambling ads on a weekly basis.
64% of Australians believe government should step in to limit gambling ads
According to the poll, 41% of adults stated that they see or hear gambling ads at least four times per week with many believing that this level of advertising encourages people to gamble for the first time of to take bigger risks when gambling.
Increasing Support for Daytime Ban on Gambling Ads in Australia-
Increasing Support for Daytime Ban on Gambling Ads in Australia
- 34% of gamblers increased their stake after seeing or hearing an ad Increasing Support for Daytime Ban on Gambling Ads in Australia Increasing Support for Daytime Ban on Gambling Ads in Australia
In the past year, 75% of Australians polled took part in some form of gambling, with 38% gambling on a weekly basis. However, men tended to gamble more frequently and spend more money on various types of betting, such as sports, racing, and pokies.
NSW had the highest participation rate, whereas Tasmania had the lowest. On an average gambling day, individuals spent AU$83 on sports betting, AU$93 on racing, and AU$109 on all other forms of gambling, including pokies, casino games, and lotteries.
64% of those surveyed believed that it was the federal government’s responsibility to regulate how betting is advertised while 50% agreed that celebrity endorsements should be banned. Meanwhile 47% agreed that all gambling advertising on social media should be banned.
AGRC executive manager Dr Rebecca Jenkinson said of the research:
“We know the harms that gambling causes – at an individual, family, and societal level – including impacts on finances, relationships, and health and wellbeing. The report also captures the concerns of the Australian public that wagering advertising normalises gambling activity.”
According to the AGRC, Australians lose around AU$25 billion (€15.4 billion) each year on legal forms of gambling. This represents that largest per capita losses in the world.
The research comes ahead of a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling which is set to be finalized at some point in 2023.
