Whatever the code, whitever the season, Australian Sports Fans are Bombarded with Gambling Ads.

Drawing on Australians’ Passion, Loyalty and Pride for Sport, The devastating health and social consequences of gambling—Cluding Financial Stress, Homelessness, Family Violence, and Mental Health Issues – Aare Largely Siddelized.

Intead, Ads Continue to Normalize Gambling, Encouring punters to Embrace Mateship and “Have a Crack” on Gambling Apps.

A Missed Opportunity

This prolific advertising has contained despite the findings of a Landmark Australian Parliamentary Inquiry in 2022, which made 31 recommendations to curb the tactics of the gambling industry.

Chair of the Inquiry, The Late Peta Murphy MP, Concluded: “If the status quo of online gambling regulation, incliding but not limited to advertising, was to continue, australians would continue to lose more – more Money, More Relationships, More Love of Sport for the Game Rather Than the Odds. “

However, Instead of Acting on the Major Findings of the Report, The Australian Government Indefinitely Shelved any meaningful advertising reforms after Meeting with Major Sporting Codes, Broadcasters and the Gambling Industry.

INTEAD, We have been left to settle for a range of soft options, Including Taglines At the end of ads that encourage us to: “Imagine what you could be married instead.”

It’s hard to be convined these calls to action are having much important compared to the seductive tactics of the gambling industry, with gambling losses continuing to spiral during a cost-off-living crisis.

A new market

While the Government Hesitates to Act on Gambling Ads, The Gambling Industry has a new set of customers in its promotional sights: Women.

Public perception is that most forms of gambling are larger male-dominated.

However, in Victoria51% of Women Gamble Each Year (Compared to 56% of Men), and in NSW48.5% of women gamble (compared to 58.7% of men).

Women are also gambling regularly. The 2023 Victorian Population Gambling and Health Study Found that of that women with gamble, 22.8% do so at least onca a week (Compared to 29.3% of men).

Our research Shows a combination of new marketing strategies, easy-to-use technology and social activities aligned with gambling venues and products may be changing the way Women (And Girls) Gambling.

How it begins

For some young women, it is a tradition To “Go down to the pokies” or the casino when they turn 18.

Some Visit these venues for other entertainment options and end up gambling. For others, gambling ads encourage them to open online accounts. As one 25-year-old woman told us: “That’s how I started sports betting, beCause it was on tv. Bonus bet, sign up today.

Young women are also also diversifying their gambling multiple products, with Technology Making It More AccessibleEasier and more socially acceptable.

This includes women betting with groups of friends, but also Think it’s easier for females to go and seek it out

Parents have even told us their friends and their friends no talk about the outs of sporting matches based on the odds of the game.

A different landscape

Gambling companies and events, include racing, are also responding the image of gambling, making it seem fun and glamorous.

This includes embedding gambling into spaces and experiences that align with women’s social and lifestyle InterestsSuch as fashion and beauty, and peer group belonging.

In Racing, Gambling is Embedded As part of an overall experience for women. As one 23-year-old told us:

“I want to the races with my friends.

New Gambling Products are branded to appeal to women, and better markets are offered on Popular reality shows such as married at first sight, the box office numbers for the open SNOW White Movie, who will win eurovision, and time’s person of the year.

But it is perhaps the use of celebrities and social media influencers that may have the most appearance appeal to women and more concerningly, girls.

Women influencers on Tiktok and Instagram Promote Betting as an extension of social activities.

In our Recent StudyOne 13-Year-old Girl Told Us: “When you recognize someone from an ad, it makes it more interesting and it makes you want to watch it more.”

Gambling companies are also sponsoring women’s sports, supporting women’s health initiatives, and even aligning with interactive women’s day.

We’ve seen this approach before

The Gambling Industry is Folling a Well-Worn Playbook, One Masters by the Tobacco Industry: When their core market of men became saturated, Big Tobacco Turned Its Attention to WomenCrafting targeted marketing strategies and novel products to engage new, long-term consumers.

However, raather than learning the lessons from Tobacco, Policymakers have been slow to recognize and respond to the playbook of the team.

If we want to disrupt the status quo and prevent harm for all Australians, We must take action against the gambling industry and its tactics, rather than the individual, as the care sector of harm.

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