Several Canadian TV channels have recently begun airing advertisements for the bookmaker BETMGM, whose official ambassadors are Conor McDavid and Wayne Gretzky.
Against the backdrop of the public and various initiative groups trying to fight betting and gambling advertisements in Canada, this looks defiant. Almost immediately, this news resonated, and in an interview, Conor McDavid was asked what he thought of his contract with the bookies. He didn’t answer that question and asked to be asked only about hockey.
Betting advertisements in betting shops can have a negative effect on people, including children. It often uses bright colors, attractive characters, and promises of quick riches to attract viewers’ attention. This can promote gambling behavior in people, including children, who may be impressionable and susceptible to the effects of advertising.
Frequent exposure to betting advertisements can give the impression that gambling is a normal and acceptable part of life. This can increase the risk of developing gambling addiction and financial problems in the future.
Children and teens may be particularly vulnerable to betting advertisements. Some advertisements do not comply with age restrictions and may be shown during sports broadcasts or on popular Internet platforms that children widely use.
Many betting ads promise an easy way to make money and get rich quickly, which can lead to false hopes and financial problems. People may risk more money than they can afford to lose and end up in debt or a financial crisis. Before investing any cash, it is important for people to look for Bingo website comparison and reviews to help make an informed decision.
In the U.K., according to GambleAware, 55,000 children between the ages of 11 and 16 had gambling problems in 2019. Advertising for betting and free cash no deposit casinos was one of the factors associated with the development of problem gambling behavior among minors. Teenagers blindly believed the promises of free money and started gambling in casinos.
There were studies in Australia that showed that children between the ages of 8 and 16 considered betting advertisements to be one of the main reasons why they were interested in gambling. More than half of the respondents said they noticed betting advertisements on social media and television.
In Canada, a study found that 28% of underage gamblers said that betting ads were their first exposure to gambling.
A study in Ireland found that 64% of children ages 11 to 16 had seen betting ads on social media. More than half of the respondents also said they found betting ads “attractive” or “very attractive.
These data exclusively show some trends and can vary by context and country. They highlight the potential negative effects of betting ads on children and youth, including encouraging gambling behavior, normalizing gambling addiction, and financial problems.
