The UK Gaming Authority published a research project to evaluate the influence and scope of betting promotions. The study discovered that one in three bettors stated that marketing campaigns motivated them to boost their gambling expenditures in the previous year.
The authority surveyed 6,258 participants, including data analyzing the effect of gambling promotions on customer behavior. Of the 4,566 participants who had engaged in gambling in the past twelve months, 34% said they were influenced by advertising or media to increase their gambling spending during that period.
Free wagers or funds provided by gambling firms were most likely to motivate customers to gamble, with 22% of bettors reporting this.
Social media and television advertisements each inspired 15% of gamblers to participate in gambling in the previous twelve months. Direct mail marketing, sports sponsorships, and newspaper advertisements motivated 9%, 8%, and 7% respectively.
The Gaming Authority also inquired of those who reported seeing gambling advertisements whether and how these advertisements altered their gambling habits.
Of those who reported seeing traditional gambling company advertisements, such as television or print ads, 52% said these ads encouraged them to increase their gambling frequency.
A new study found that a small percentage of people claimed gambling advertisements had no impact on their spending habits. However, a substantial number of individuals reported being influenced by these advertisements.
Thirteen percent of participants indicated they began gambling for the first time after encountering these ads, while sixteen point three percent confessed to increasing their gambling activity due to conventional advertising.
Another fourteen point seven percent stated they returned to gambling after a hiatus because of these advertisements, and ten point one percent reported altering their gambling routines or experimenting with new forms of gambling as a consequence of the ads.
Promotional offers, such as free bets or bonuses, presented by gambling companies emerged as the most effective tactic for attracting new patrons. Nearly twenty-six percent of respondents who engaged in gambling and encountered advertisements within the past year asserted that free bets motivated them to commence gambling. Free bets also prompted eighteen point six percent of viewers to resume gambling after a break.
The Gambling Commission discovered that free bets exhibited the smallest proportion of respondents who declared they did not adjust their gambling expenditures, at only thirty-five point two percent.
Nevertheless, direct marketing via email, text messages, or push notifications appeared to be more effective for existing or inactive customers. This approach was cited by the majority of respondents as the rationale for augmenting their gambling activity, at twenty-one point eight percent. It was also the most prevalent reason for resuming gambling after a break, at nineteen point six percent.
An investigation revealed that a substantial majority, 85%, of participants reported encountering gambling promotions or endorsements. In general, 83% of participants indicated they had observed advertisements, while 78% stated they had witnessed sponsorships.
These figures are slightly less than those obtained in the 2019 survey, where 87% of participants reported seeing promotions or endorsements, with 86% observing advertisements and 82% noting sponsorships.
Television advertising emerged as the most prevalent form of gambling marketing, with 76% of participants indicating they had encountered this type of advertisement.
Gambling sponsorships on television, radio, or podcasts were the second most frequent method by which individuals encountered gambling promotions, at 67%. Other common locations for gambling advertisements or sponsorships included sporting goods (60%), sports stadiums (59%), and online platforms excluding social media (56%).
The least frequent location for gambling advertisements was through direct marketing, such as emails, text messages, or push notifications, with 37% of participants reporting they had encountered this type of advertisement.
Those who had engaged in gambling within the preceding four weeks were most likely to have observed gambling advertisements, at 89%. However, this figure was 85% across the entire survey population, with 88% of men and 83% of women having encountered gambling advertisements.
The proportion was lower for those who indicated they had observed gambling advertisements at least once a week, at 59% of the total survey population.
Traditional advertising, such as television, radio, or print advertising, was the most common form of marketing, with 81% of participants reporting they had encountered this type of advertisement.
Studies indicate that a substantial majority of participants encountered sponsored material, with a significant portion also viewing online advertisements.
The most frequent occurrence of advertisements was reported to be multiple times per week, considerably surpassing those who encountered ads once a week, at least once a month, or less than once a month.
Information reveals that younger individuals are more likely to be exposed to gambling promotions online. A substantial proportion of respondents between the ages of 18 and 24 reported viewing gambling advertisements online, compared to a significantly lower percentage of those aged 65 and older.
Among those who participated in the survey, the majority indicated using social media but not following gambling operators or businesses. Conversely, a notable percentage of respondents stated they do not utilize social media or streaming services, while a smaller proportion reported following or watching gambling companies.
Facebook emerged as the most prevalent platform, with a significant number of respondents indicating they follow gambling companies on the platform.
The UK Gambling Commission stated that the research confirms their existing understanding: that gambling advertising is widespread and reaches both individuals who already gamble and those who may be encouraged to begin gambling, including those who have ceased or never gambled before.
The Commission emphasized that their official data does not indicate an increase in gambling activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Commission advised operators to be cognizant of the potential risks associated with advertising reaching diverse demographics.
The survey was conducted in three phases, in March, June, and September of 2020.
This constitutes a segment of a broader investigation conducted by Yonder on behalf of the Gambling Commission. The research involved a comprehensive survey encompassing a wide range of inquiries related to gambling.
Preliminary findings from the same investigation revealed noteworthy shifts in gambling patterns during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study ascertained that mobile gambling has ceased its upward trajectory, while esports wagering is experiencing a surge in popularity.
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