Study Finds Gambling Is Seen as Normal in Sports by Irish Children

Over the last decade, gambling companies and professional sports teams have created strong ties that only intensified with the growing popularity of wagering. New markets attracted audiences, including across the United States where close to 40 states offer some form of legal betting.

Across the ocean, in Great Britain, betting is also popular with thousands of betting shops available and strong gambling sponsorships between operators and sports teams. Amid the growing popularity of wagering on sports, concerns continue to mount and new research sounds the alarm about the impact of gambling sponsorships on children.

New Study Focuses on the Exposure and Impact of Gambling Marketing on Irish Children

Authored by Paul James Kitchin, Erin McEvoy, Aphra Kerr and John O’Brennan, the newly released study focused on the impact of betting marketing on Irish children, exploring the effect of the exposure. Titled “Understanding mediated sports consumption by Irish children: a qualitative study exploring their exposure and understanding of gambling marketing, risks and harms,” the research was published by BMC Public Health, a peer-reviewed open-access scientific journal that covers the epidemiology of disease and various aspects of public health.

The analysis of data included a total of 51 “youth sport consumers,” who were divided in six face-to-face focus groups. Ultimately, the study sought to analyze the children’s views when it comes to consuming sports, as well as their exposure, awareness and perceptions about gambling and sports.

Children Exposed to Gambling Marketing via Different Channels

Notably, the research uncovered that participants within all age groups were exposed to gambling marketing through sports. This exposure was present regardless of the communications channel as children saw gambling marketing on social media and displays of retail betting outlets.

Moreover, gambling was also part of peer-to-peer discussions. According to the experts, the different forms of exposure suggested that gambling marking and communication was deeply embedded in the daily lives of many children.

“These myriad forms of exposure indicate a saturation of gambling communications in these children’s lives,“

reads the newly released research

Respondents admitted to seeing gambling marketing via a range of social media channels, including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. Concerningly, YouTube is recognized as the most frequently mentioned. The children admitted to seeing a gambling ad on every two videos, “especially if the team is sponsored by one of them.”

Few of the Children Recognize Gambling’s Societal Risks

Many of the children who participated in the study admitted that gambling and sports were a “good fit.” They also demonstrated awareness about the financial risks related to gambling but only a few of the children recognized the societal risks related to gambling. Moreover, children admitted to being “skeptical of claims made in gambling communications.” The researchers pointed to the importance of the findings of the new study. They said that policymakers, broadcasters and sports organizations can rely on the findings of the recent study.