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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/12/influencers-gambling-ads-children-cool-research-data-government-inquiry>
"Children as young as 12 believe celebrities and influencers who are paid to
promote gambling are making the practice seem safe, normal, attractive and fun,
according to a new study.
The study, funded by the Australian Research Council, heard from children who
believed the use of stars such as the former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal
in ads were making their peers more likely to consider gambling.
The researchers, from Deakin, Wollongong and Curtin universities, said the
comments from the children surveyed demonstrate the need for strict advertising
restrictions to “prevent the next generation from gambling harm”.
The federal government has been considering the recommendations of a
parliamentary inquiry into online gambling, led by the late Labor MP Peta
Murphy, which called for a comprehensive ban on ads and criticised celebrity
endorsements.
Many of the 64 children from New South Wales and Victoria who were interviewed
for the study, which was published in the journal
Health Promotion
International, said influencers on social media had young and impressionable
audiences.
“Well, if my idol, my favourite YouTuber, Instagrammer, TikToker is gambling
maybe I should give it a try,” the 12-year-old boy said.
A 13-year-old girl from NSW said influencers were making her peers more
inclined to try gambling. “As soon as they see a famous YouTuber or TikToker or
Instagram [identity] … they think that suddenly it’s cool,” the girl said.
A 15-year-old boy said some ads gave the impression that gambling could lead to
an improved lifestyle or appearance: “I think you kind of get shown a bit of
their lifestyle and think that if you can win like they are then you can like
have that lifestyle that they’re living in the ads.”
A 16-year-old girl said the gambling ads were deceptive and misleading:
“They’re acting like … they’re just gambling, but they’re getting paid. It’s
all set up for them.
“It’s not at all like what real gambling is like, so it’s kind of like tricking
you into wanting to do it.”
Another 13-year-old girl from NSW criticised celebrities for partnering with
gambling companies and described the practice as disheartening: “They’re just
thinking about the money that they’re going to earn through doing the ad.
“They’re not thinking about the young people that are watching it. So, I don’t
really think that they should be participating in these ads.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
