TLDR
- A new experiment tracked 227 Australian gamblers over two weeks and found direct marketing from betting companies leads to heavier gambling and more harm
- Gamblers who opted out of free bet offers made 23% fewer bets and 39% fewer wagers than those who kept receiving promotions
- The opt-out group experienced 67% fewer short-term gambling-related harms, including emotional pain tied to gambling
- Researchers say this is the first real-world study to show direct gambling marketing can causally increase harm, not just correlate with it
- The findings are fueling calls for stricter advertising rules and could even support a full ban on direct gambling promotions
A new study has found that free bet offers and direct marketing from betting companies are linked to heavier gambling and increased short-term harm among active account holders.
The research was conducted by Central Queensland University in Australia and the University of Bristol in the U.K. It tracked the behavior of 227 Australian gamblers over a two-week period.
The participants were mostly men aged around 45 who regularly gamble on sports and racing. They were split into two groups for the experiment.
One group continued receiving direct marketing from betting companies as normal. The other group opted out of those promotions for the duration of the study.
The results showed clear differences between the two groups. Gamblers who opted out of marketing made 23% fewer bets than those who kept receiving offers.
The opt-out group also made 39% fewer wagers overall. On top of that, they experienced 67% fewer short-term gambling-related harms, such as emotional pain connected to their betting activity.
The study was titled “Direct gambling marketing, direct harm: a randomised experiment.” It was funded by Gambling Research Australia, a partnership between the federal government and Australian states and territories.
Researchers Say Study Is First to Prove Causal Link
Co-author Dr. Philip Newall from the University of Bristol said this is the first study to show in a real-world setting that direct gambling marketing can causally increase gambling-related harm. Previous research had only shown a correlation, not a direct cause.
Dr. Newall also suggested that similar harmful effects could come from gambling advertising on television or social media. However, this particular study focused only on direct account-based marketing like free bet offers and promotional emails.
He pointed to a 2023 white paper from the U.K. government that opposed stricter controls on gambling marketing. At the time, the government said there was no clear evidence to justify tighter rules.
Dr. Newall said this new research could help fill that gap. He believes it may resonate with people who feel that constant betting offers are contributing to their gambling problems.
Calls Grow for Tighter Regulation and Consumer Protection
The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research aims to raise public awareness of gambling-related harm. It also works to improve consumer protection through new legislation and expand rehabilitation services.
Professor Matthew Rockloff, the lead author from Central Queensland University’s Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, said the research provides evidential support that gambling advertising contributes to harm.
In his view, the strength of the results supports tougher regulation of gambling marketing. He said the findings could even justify a full ban on direct gambling promotions.
Rockloff argued that such a ban would better protect consumers from the pressures of constant promotional offers.
The study’s release noted that its findings point to the need for stricter controls on gambling advertising across multiple channels. Gambling Research Australia funded the project as part of its ongoing work examining the effects of marketing on betting behavior.
