Who 'Likes' Gambling? The Impact of Social Media Marketing

1. The University of Sydney Page 1
Who ‘likes’ gambling?
The impact of social media
marketing
Presented by
Dr Sally Gainsbury
Deputy Director
Gambling Treatment Clinic & Responsible Gambling
Research Group
Senior Lecturer
School of Psychology
Editor
International Gambling Studies

2. The University of Sydney Page 2
Gambling advertising is highly regulated

3. The University of Sydney Page 3
Inappropriate advertisements may be banned

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The Internet has changed marketing methods
– 48% of Canadians have used social media to find
products
– 40% of Canadian Millennials value and respect
brands interacted with on social media
– 38% have purchased products/services they found
through social media

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Social network site (SNS) ad spend to reach C$1 billion by 2017
Social network ad spend in Canada
– 2015 $267.1 million
– 2016 $695.2 million
– 2017 $1 billion
3.7 x spend

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Social media = Interactive marketing
• Better business
performance
• Increased sales
• Profitability

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Gambling companies are using social media to reach
consumers

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Gambling companies can work around advertising restrictions
on SNS

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But, are all social media posts advertisements?
Current events
Customer service
Consumer
engagement
User-generated
content

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Social media may not fall under advertising restrictions
Ordered to take
down – put up online
Posted out of
jurisdiction

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Age restrictions are not effective on SNS

12. The University of Sydney Page 12
What is the impact of social media on gambling?
An Australian study by:
Sally Gainsbury, Daniel King, Paul Delfabbro, Nerilee Hing, Alex
Russell, Alex Blaszczynski, Jeffrey Derevensky
Research commissioned by Gambling Research Australia
GRA had no involvement in the research design, conduct, analysis, or the
preparation of this presentation.
Research conducted at Southern Cross University with the University of
Sydney and University of Adelaide

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What did we do?
– Interviews with gambling operators
– Interviews with Internet users
– Audit of social networking sites
– Online survey of Australian Internet users
– Case study of Facebook
 Also looked at social games

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Social media audit – Most gambling operators on SNS
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% % % % %
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Google+
Betting agencies
Casinos
EGM venues
Lottery

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Wagering operators have the greatest social media presence
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
Casinos EGM
venues
Lottery Betting
agencies
Facebook
Twitter
Average number of followers
Wagering &
lottery are legal
online

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Stated aims of social media use
• Brand awareness
• Customer engagement
• Customer loyalty
• Personal relationship with brand
• Broader brand reach
• Reputation building

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Sales and revenue appear to be at least an indirect aim

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Social media content and ads have a limited reach
– 1,339 adult (553 adolescent) social media users
– 41% (44%) had seen any promotions or content from gambling operators
– What content is seen?
– 19% (17%) paid or promoted content
– 10% (12%) shared content
– 11% (10%) official page
– 8% (11%) videos posted by operator
– 5% (6.5%) promoted content
– 3% (5%) operator tweets
– 5% (7%) official page

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Less than one-fifth of users engage with gambling operators on
SNS
– 82% (81%) have no engagement
– 4% liked
– 5% (6.5%) clicked on ad
– 2% (3%) posted comment
– 2% (3%) shared content
– 2% (3%) followed or retweeted
– 6% (7%) watched video
– 2% (3%) shared video

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The target audience are interacting with gambling operators on
SNS
Younger adults/older adolescents
Males
Spend more on gambling - adults

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Why do adults engage with gambling operators on social
media?
1. Special offers, bonuses, promotions & discounts
2. To ask for help and advice
3. News, product updates & information

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Adolescents are looking for entertainment and social
interactions
– Humorous or entertaining content important
– Recommendation by friend
– Want to connect with others

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SNS promotions have a limited impact on users
75% No impact
11% decreased gambling
13% increased gambling
Adolescents have similar report (14% decrease, 11% increase)
Greater impact is seen on desire to gamble 17% (20%) increase

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But, some vulnerable gamblers are affected by SNS promotions
Gamblers reporting increased gambling due to social media more likely to be:
Male Gamble more frequently
Younger Spend more money gambling
Higher education Use social media more often
Work full time At-risk & Problem gamblers
Ethnically diverse
Male adolescents more likely to increase gambling
Older adolescents had increased desire to gamble

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There were few posts about responsible gambling on SNS
– 60% users never noticed RG messages by
operators on SNS

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Considerations
Social media is a dynamic and rapidly changing platform
Regulation and policy needs to catch up

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Consider what is appropriate for gambling companies on SNS
– Address volume, timing, and targeting of content
– Consider public image & reputation

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Consider – should gambling companies be posting about this?

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Companies are responsible for user-generated content

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Proactively monitor and
assess ALL posts for
breaches of advertising
code

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What counts as advertising?
– Branded content
– Official pages
– Videos and media
– Free-play games
– Shared content

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Next steps?
– Can social media be regulated?
– What about offshore companies?
– Can companies self-regulate?
– How can the community respond?
– Role for counter-advertising & help?
– Thoughts…?

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Thank you!
Dr Sally Gainsbury
Deputy Director, Gambling Treatment Clinic & Research Group
Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Sydney
Editor, International Gambling Studies
Research affiliate, Southern Cross University
Email: sally.gainsbury@sydney.edu.au
Website: http://sydney.edu.au/science/people/sally.gainsbury.php
@DrSalGainsbury

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References
– Gainsbury, S.M., King, D.L., Russell, M.T., Delfabbro, P., Derevensky, J., & Hing, N. (2016). Exposure to and engagement
with gambling marketing in social media: Reported impacts on moderate risk and problem gamblers. Psychology of
Addictive Behaviors, 30(2), 270-276. http://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/adb0000156
– Gainsbury, S., Delfabbro, P., King, D.L., & Hing, N. (2016). An exploratory study of gambling operators' use of social media
and the latent messages conveyed. Journal of Gambling Studies, 32(1), 125-141. DOI 10.1007/s10899-015-9525-2
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10899-015-9525-2
– Gainsbury, S., King, D.L., Hing, D., Delfabbro, P. (2015). Social media marketing and gambling: An interview study of
gambling operators in Australia. International Gambling Studies, 15(3), 377-393.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2015.1058409
– Monaghan, S., Derevensky, J., & Sklar, A. (2008) Impact of gambling advertisements on children and adolescents: Policy
recommendations to minimize harm. Journal of Gambling Issues, 22, 252-274. DOI 10.4309/jgi.2008.22.7
http://jgi.camh.net/doi/pdf/10.4309/jgi.2008.22.7
– Gainsbury, S., King, D., Delfabbro, P., Hing, N., Russell, A., Blaszczynski, A., Derevensky, J. (2015). The use of social
media in gambling. Gambling Research Australia. Available at: http://www.gamblingresearch.org.au/resources/d06679ec-
3577-4cb0-867c-594ce741dbf6/grasocialmediareport.pdf
– Hing, N., Cherney, L., Blaszczynski, A., Gainsbury, S. M., & Lubman, D. I. (2014). Do advertising and promotions for online
gambling increase gambling consumption? An exploratory study. International Gambling Studies, 14(3), 394-409.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2014.903989