Session Title

Session 2-3-B: Identifying Gambling Patterns to Reduce Harm

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation

Location

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Start Date

24-5-2023 1:30 PM

End Date

24-5-2023 3:00 PM

Disciplines

Behavioral Economics | Econometrics | Public Policy

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction:

The pervasiveness of gambling advertising and its relationship with football have been identified as areas of concern in the UK. Following the liberalisation of advertising laws in the 2005 Gambling Act, there has been increasing recognition of its public health impact. To date, there is a lack of evidence of the impact of advertising on behaviour in “real-world” settings.

Methods:

This study employs a natural experiment measuring the impact of television gambling advertising on the frequency of impulsive football bets placed during the World Cup. Longitudinal betting data collected from a sample of men (aged 18-45) will be linked with individual exposure to two TV channels: ITV (adverts) and BBC (no adverts). This is a unique opportunity to measure the causal impact of gambling advertising on behaviour during a widely-televised sporting event.

Data Analysis:

Panel data statistical models will be employed; advertising will be determined using the television channel. Statistical analyses will estimate the interaction effect between watching a live game which occurs on ITV. Alternative windows of impulsive betting around the live game will be tested.

Results:

Data collection commences in November, with data analysis complete by early 2023.

Statement of implications:

If a relationship exists between television gambling advertising and impulsive football betting, then policies which restrict advertising around live sports might be a crucial part of a public health approach to tackle gambling-related harm. If no relationship exists, then current industry policies might not be sufficient in reducing harm.

Keywords

Gambling, Advertising, Behaviour, Football, Public Health, Economics

Author Bios

Ellen McGrane is a PhD student on the Wellcome trust programme in Public Health, Economics and Decision Science at the University of Sheffield. She has a background in economics (BA) and health economics (MSc), and a general interest in policy evaluation and behavioural economics. This work makes up part of her PhD thesis exploring the public health impact of gambling advertising around live televised sport.

Elizabeth (Liddy) Goyder is a Professor of Public Health in the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield. She has over twenty years’ experience as a public health researcher, with expertise in health inequalities, knowledge mobilisation and in the evaluation of complex interventions. Recent projects include systematic reviews on a number of gambling related topics: interventions to reduce gambling harm, screening for gambling related harm and impact of gambling advertising.

Dr Rob Pryce is a Research Fellow at the School of Health and Related Research (SCHARR), University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. His background is in Economics and his research interests span alcohol, tobacco, diet, and gambling. He has a particular focus on consumer behaviour, policy evaluation, and cost-effectiveness modelling.

Matt Field is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Sheffield. He conducts research into the psychological mechanisms that underlie alcohol use disorder, gambling disorder and other addictions. He is particularly interested in the roles of decision-making and impulse control in addiction, recovery, and behaviour change more broadly. His work includes laboratory research to investigate determinants of motivated behaviour, and studying the process of recovery.

Funding Sources

This work is funded by Ellen McGrane's Wellcome Trust PhD grant in Public Health, Economics and Decision Science (grant number 224852/Z/21/Z).

Competing Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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May 24th, 1:30 PM May 24th, 3:00 PM

The effect of television advertising on gambling behaviour: A quasi-experimental study during the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Abstract

Introduction:

The pervasiveness of gambling advertising and its relationship with football have been identified as areas of concern in the UK. Following the liberalisation of advertising laws in the 2005 Gambling Act, there has been increasing recognition of its public health impact. To date, there is a lack of evidence of the impact of advertising on behaviour in “real-world” settings.

Methods:

This study employs a natural experiment measuring the impact of television gambling advertising on the frequency of impulsive football bets placed during the World Cup. Longitudinal betting data collected from a sample of men (aged 18-45) will be linked with individual exposure to two TV channels: ITV (adverts) and BBC (no adverts). This is a unique opportunity to measure the causal impact of gambling advertising on behaviour during a widely-televised sporting event.

Data Analysis:

Panel data statistical models will be employed; advertising will be determined using the television channel. Statistical analyses will estimate the interaction effect between watching a live game which occurs on ITV. Alternative windows of impulsive betting around the live game will be tested.

Results:

Data collection commences in November, with data analysis complete by early 2023.

Statement of implications:

If a relationship exists between television gambling advertising and impulsive football betting, then policies which restrict advertising around live sports might be a crucial part of a public health approach to tackle gambling-related harm. If no relationship exists, then current industry policies might not be sufficient in reducing harm.