Flemish young adults are “frequently” confronted with gambling advertising, which mainly occurs on digital platforms. So says researcher Steffi De Jans of the Communication Sciences department at Ghent University. 64 Flemish young adults between 20 and 31 were closely monitored for one week for the study.
And it shows that it has long been no big billboards or posters that encourage young adults to gamble. Young adults are most exposed to advertising for gambling brands on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And men get to see a lot more gambling advertisements than women.
The advertisements came from 31 different gambling brands, of which 20 are licensed gambling operators in Belgium. “So the young adults in the study also saw advertisements from various illegal players,” it sounds. According to the research, online gambling is increasing explosively, partly due to the Covid-19 crisis and the lockdowns.
Digital advertising should not be underestimated. “It may be more persuasive than traditional advertising as it is interactive and can be based on recipients’ personal interests and behaviors,” says De Jans. If the viewer is convinced, young adults are just one click away from effective gambling.
Nearly 60 percent of all ads were for sports betting, especially football matches. The youths in the study were also shown gambling brands through shirt sponsorships and billboards. But also in television broadcasts afterwards, when players are visible with a logo of a gambling company on their shirts.
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