"Drugs and alcohol get talked about, why not betting?" Young men's qualitative insights about strategies to prevent gambling harm.

ISSUES ADDRESSED: Research is needed to understand young people's perspectives about public health promotion strategies relevant for their health and wellbeing. This study provides suggestions from young male gamblers about sports betting harm prevention and reduction strategies. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 young men aged 18 to 24 years, from Melbourne, Victoria, who regularly engaged in sports betting. A critical qualitative inquiry approach, using methods of constructivist grounded theory guided the study. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret and construct themes from the data. RESULTS: Participants indicated three main harm prevention strategies. These were online consumer protection and regulatory strategies, public education campaigns that highlighted sports betting risks and harms and the creation of formal and informal support networks to reduce stigma and encourage help seeking. They also supported being engaged in the development of harm prevention strategies and suggested ways to help reduce barriers to engagement. CONCLUSION: Young men recognise the need for regulatory, education and engagement responses to counter the risks posed by new gambling products. Young men may be difficult to engage in formal prevention activities, however, youth-led and informal interactive mechanisms may help to overcome this barrier, and contribute to a comprehensive public health approach to gambling harm prevention. SO WHAT?: Young men can draw upon their lived experiences of gambling to provide insights relevant for public health promotion. Mechanisms should be developed to engage young people in the co-production of strategies and policies aimed at gambling harm prevention and reduction.

Young men's perceptions about the risks associated with sports betting: a critical qualitative inquiry.

BACKGROUND: Gambling is an inherently risky activity. New technologies have led to the development of new, online forms of gambling such as sports betting, with round the clock availability and accessibility. While young men have been identified as a group that may be particularly vulnerable to the harms associated with these new online products, few studies have qualitatively explored young men's perceptions of the risks associated with these products. Using concepts associated with the sociology of risk, this paper sought to explore the range of factors that may influence how 18-24 year old young Australian men conceptualise the risks associated with sports betting. METHODS: Using a critical qualitative inquiry approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen participants in Victoria, Australia, who engaged in sports betting at least monthly. The data interpreted for this study included questions relating to awareness of gambling, the contexts associated with early gambling experiences; the factors that influenced current gambling behaviours, and why they engaged in gambling. A reflexive approach to thematic analysis was used to interpreted themes from the data. RESULTS: Four key themes were constructed from the data relating to the factors that influenced risk perceptions. These included: 1) 'The role of early experiences', including exposure to gambling advertising in sport, and the gambling behaviours of social networks; 2) 'The influence of peer rivalry and competition', in which sports betting was used to form connections within and across peer groups; 3) 'The normalisation of gambling', including the embedding of gambling in everyday activities; and 4) 'The influence of perceptions of knowledge, skill, and control', including the belief that they could engage in responsible behaviours and stop gambling if they needed to. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that a range of factors may influence how young men conceptualise the risks and benefits associated with sports betting. Current public health strategies for gambling that focus on individual determinants and responsibility paradigms must be broadened to target the social and commercial factors that influence young men's attitudes towards, and engagement in sports betting.

Expert by Experience engagement in gambling reform: qualitative study of gamblers in the United Kingdom.

To explore how Experts by Experience (EbyE) conceptualize key priorities for preventing and reducing gambling-related harm in the United Kingdom (UK). To identify barriers and facilitators to EbyE engagement in decisions for gambling research, education, treatment (RET) and policy development. Qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews with 20 participants from the UK between March and July 2020. Gamblers aged 29-60 years who self-reported that they had experienced gambling-related harm, and who actively used their experiences to inform strategies to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm in the UK. Participants were motivated to: advocate for gambling reform, and raise awareness of their experiences of gambling addiction or disorder. Gambling regulation was described as not adequately keeping pace with gambling industry practices, with initiatives needed to prevent the harms associated with product design, how individuals engaged with products and marketing practices. The reliance on voluntary contributions by the gambling industry for RET was perceived as a potential barrier to reform. Participants recommended new independent structures which engaged EbyE in meaningful ways in contributing to decision-making. An independent body run by and for EbyE was one mechanism that participants perceived could represent the voices of those impacted by gambling-related harm. Individuals with a lived experience of gambling-related harm, including affected social network members, bring a range of unique experiences and perspectives, and should be seen as valuable stakeholders in co-producing strategies to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm.

The focus of this study was to understand the key priorities for preventing and reducing gambling-related harm in the United Kingdom (UK), and the barriers and facilitators to engage individuals with a lived experience of gambling-related harm who are Experts by Experience (EbyE) in the development of gambling research, education, treatment (RET) and policy. The study interviewed EbyE gamblers aged 18 years and older from the UK between March and July 2020, who self-reported they had experienced gambling-related harm, and who had actively used their voice to highlight strategies to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm. Participants recommended strategies to prevent harms associated with gambling products and how individuals interacted with products, and restrictions to gambling marketing. A key barrier to achieving gambling reform was a lack of independent funding structures for gambling (RET). Participants recommended the formation of an independent body free of gambling industry funding and influence, run by and for EbyE (including social network members) to advise on gambling RET, policy and reform initiatives. There should be meaningful structures to engage EbyE (including social network members) in the development of gambling RET and policy. Their unique insights and experiences should be supported and empowered.

Young people's reflections on the factors contributing to the normalisation of gambling in Australia.

OBJECTIVES: To explore young people's perceptions of the factors that may normalise gambling, and their opinions about the messages they see about gambling in their environments. METHODS: An analysis of qualitative data from a mixed methods study of n=111 young people aged 11-16 years in Victoria, Australia. Questions investigated: i) the normalisation of gambling in sport; ii) the impact of advertising on young people; and iii) potential strategies to alert young people about the risks associated with gambling. An inductive approach was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Participants perceived that gambling was a regular and everyday activity and that gambling was becoming normalised in sport. However, some directly challenged this alignment. They were particularly critical that gambling advertising may influence young people's current and future gambling-related attitudes and intentions. Most participants supported public health interventions, including more advertising restrictions. CONCLUSION: Young people's awareness of gambling and gambling marketing may be increasing their perceptions of the alignment between gambling and sport. Implications for public health: Strategies should be developed to increase young people's awareness of the risks associated with gambling. Young people's voices and views should be considered by policy makers in responding to this new public health issue.

Young people's recall and perceptions of gambling advertising and intentions to gamble on sport.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increased international policy focus on the factors that may contribute to, and prevent, the normalization of gambling for young people. However, there is still limited research, which investigates the role of advertising in shaping young people's gambling attitudes and consumption intentions. METHODS: Mixed methods study of 111 young people aged 11-16 years recruited from community basketball stadiums in Victoria, Australia, between May and July 2018. Interviewer-assisted surveys investigated recall and awareness of sports betting brands, perceptions of promotional strategies, intention to gamble, and reasons for betting on particular sports. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and χ2 tests. Thematic analyses were used to interpret qualitative responses. RESULTS: Young people had high recall and awareness of advertising, with most able to name at least one betting brand (n = 90, 81.1%), and many demonstrating a high awareness of the distinct characteristics (such as colors and appeal strategies) of different brands. A fifth of young people (n = 25, 22.5%) expressed intentions to gamble at 18 years, with boys significantly more likely than girls to state they would gamble (χ2 = 10.90, p = .001). Young people perceived that advertising strategies associated with inducement promotions would be the most influential in encouraging individuals to gamble. While many young people took promotions at face value, there was evidence that some were able to critically engage with and challenge the messages within marketing. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Current regulatory structures appear to be ineffective in limiting young people's recall and awareness of gambling advertising. Lessons from tobacco control support the application of precautionary approaches as a more effective way to limit young people's development of positive gambling attitudes and behaviors.

Young people's awareness of the timing and placement of gambling advertising on traditional and social media platforms: a study of 11-16-year-olds in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Research has demonstrated that the promotion of gambling, particularly within sport, may have a significant impact on positively shaping young people's attitudes towards gambling. While some governments have implemented restrictions to limit young people's exposure to gambling advertising, few studies have investigated where young people recall seeing gambling advertising, and whether they perceive that advertising restrictions have gone far enough in reducing exposure to these promotions. METHOD: Mixed methods, interviewer-assisted surveys were conducted with n = 111 young people aged 11-16 years, who were self-reported fans of basketball in Victoria, Australia. Interviews were conducted at basketball stadiums between May and July 2018. The study assessed media viewing patterns; recall and awareness of the timing, placement, and content of gambling advertising; the impact of gambling advertising restrictions; and attitudes towards sporting organisations' roles in the promotion of gambling. RESULTS: The majority of young people recalled seeing gambling advertising on television (n = 101, 91.0%), with most recalling advertising within sporting matches or games (n = 79, 71.2%). Most young people recalled seeing gambling advertising in the early evening before 8:30 pm (n = 75, 67.6%). Just over half of young people described seeing gambling advertisements on social media (n = 61, 55.0%), and over a third (n = 40, 36.0%) recalled gambling advertising on YouTube, predominantly before watching sporting or gaming videos. The majority stated that they continued to watch sport after 8:30 pm (n = 93, 83.7%), which is when restrictions on advertising in live sport in Australia end. The majority (n = 88, 79.3%) stated that there were too many gambling advertisements in sport. Three quarters believed that sporting codes should do more to prevent young people from being exposed to advertising for gambling in sport (n = 84, 75.7%). CONCLUSIONS: There is now a clear body evidence that current regulatory systems for gambling advertising are ineffective, with further restrictions urgently needed across a range of media channels to prevent exposure to promotions that may encourage young people's interest and involvement in gambling.