For the UK study (with Channel 5), they monitored live televised coverage, sports news programming, sports news radio, and social media over the first weekend of the English Premier League in August 2023. Across all media channels the study identified a total of 10,999 gambling messages. This high figure illustrated the persistence of gambling marketing during this period, which translates to an average of 2,750 messages per day or 115 messages every hour. Match broadcasts accounted for the majority of the gambling messaging totalling 6,966 messages (63%), followed by Sky Sports News with 2,014 messages (18%), social media with 1,902 messages (17%), and TalkSport Radio with 117 messages (2%).
Social media gambling ads during the weekend amounted over 30 million views – highlighting its reach and importance in amplifying gambling advertisement. The study also revealed the extent gambling advertising in football is in breach of basic advertising regulation. Of the 391 content marketing ads sent by major gambling brands, 92% were in breach of regulations as they were not clearly identifiable as advertising.
Watch the Ch5 news report.
Dr Raffaello Rossi said: "Our study highlights a serious issue with social media gambling marketing - especially content marketing. A staggering 92% of content marketing ads are not clearly identifiable as advertising, breaching key advertising regulations. We urgently need to strengthen those regulations to protect consumers – in particular children, who are especially vulnerable to sneaky advertising."
For the Canadian study (with CBC News), they monitored gambling-related marketing during the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) broadcasts shown on TV in Ontario and across social media for five days in January 2024. The research revealed more than 4,100 gambling messages were exposed to audiences over just seven NHL and NBA matches, 3,537 of which were found during the televised broadcasts. Most of the gambling messages (93.9%) during the coverage were clearly visible on the playing surface or on advertising hoardings. More than a fifth (21.6%) of the total duration of live broadcasts contained gambling logos or references to gambling, according to the study, and only a tiny fraction – less than 3% – featured harm reduction or age restriction messages. During a single NBA match, between Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls, 799 gambling messages were found. Almost half (48%) of the logged social media gambling adverts flouted an important national advertising regulation.
Dr Jamie Wheaton said: “The sheer volume of gambling marketing shown during NHL and NBA games shows they are inescapable. Audiences, including children, are bombarded with logos widely visible, as well as studio coverage dedicated specifically to sports betting. This risks the normalisation of gambling as part of sports coverage, with hardly any acknowledgement made to the significant risks gambling poses.”
Watch the CBC report.