Abstract
Safer gambling messages are one potential input to a public health approach toward reducing gambling-related harm, and yet there is no strong evidence supporting current messages such as “gamble responsibly” or “keep the fun in the game”. Furthermore, sports betting is increasing in popularity in multiple jurisdictions, such as Australia and the US, increasing the need to design effective messaging campaigns for race and sports betting. Compared to other gambling formats, such as electronic gambling machines, the level of potential skill involved in race and sports betting may raise unique issues regarding the design of effective messages. This review first highlights research from the related public health domains of alcohol and tobacco. Then, five potential areas for further messaging based research in race and sports betting are discussed: teaching safer gambling practices, correcting gambling misperceptions, boosting conscious decision making, norm-based messages, and emotional messages. A broad approach to message design is encouraged, given the potential for individual differences in message receptivity, and for frequently repeated messages to be ignored or cause negative psychological reactance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 913–928 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Journal of Gambling Studies |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 24 Mar 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:In the last three years, Matthew Browne has received research funding from the Gambling Research Australia, NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, NSW Liquor and Gaming, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, and the South Australian Office for Problem Gambling.
Funding Information:
Philip Newall is a member of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling – an advisory group of the Gambling Commission in Great Britain, and in 2020 was a special advisor to the House of Lords Select Committee Enquiry on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry. In the last three years Philip Newall has contributed to research projects funded by the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling, Clean Up Gambling, Gambling Research Australia, NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, and the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. Philip Newall has received open access fee grant income from Gambling Research Exchange Ontario.
Funding Information:
In the last three years, Tess Armstrong has received research funding from Gambling Research Australia, and the NSW Responsible Gambling Fund.
Funding Information:
In the last three years, Alex Russell has received research funding from Gambling Research Australia, NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, NSW Liquor and Gaming, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, South Australian Office for Problem Gambling, and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Funding Information:
In the last three years, Nerilee Hing has received research funding from the Gambling Research Australia, NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, NSW Liquor and Gaming, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, South Australian Office for Problem Gambling, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Funding Information:
In the last three years, Hannah Thorne has received research funding from Gambling Research Australia, NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, NSW Government, and the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.
Funding Information:
In the last 3 years, Matthew Rockloff has received funding from Gambling Research Australia, NSW Responsible Gambling Fund, NSW Liquor and Gaming, The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, The New Zealand Ministry of Health and the South Australian Office for Problem Gambling.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
Keywords
- Gambling
- Gambling messaging
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This is the final published version of the article (version of record). It first appeared online via Springer Nature at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-023-10203-4. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.