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Engage in key conversations that are shaping the future of responsible gambling today and be part of the change. Join industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers for essential discussions on the future of responsible gambling. From AI’s role in safer play to policy shifts and human-centered approaches, Discovery 2025 is where the latest insights come to life. 

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RG RESEARCH
Exploring Perspectives Towards the Gambling Industry and Its Marketing Strategies Among Young People in Western Australia

Issue addressed: The gambling industry utilises a range of strategies to attract and retain customers and limit meaningful gambling reform. Industry marketing strategies have demonstrated appeal to young people; however, little is known regarding how young people perceive and engage with gambling and industry marketing strategies in a Western Australian context. Young people's perspectives are vital to effectively respond to the harmful impacts of such commercial determinants on health and social outcomes.

Methods: Constructivist Grounded Theory guided data collection and analysis of online group interviews with 25 young people aged 12 to 17 years old residing in Western Australia. Eligible participants received parent or caregiver consent, had lived in WA for at least 5 years, had access to technology, and able to communicate in English.

Results: Five key themes were constructed regarding young people's perspectives towards gambling and industry marketing strategies in Western Australia: exposure to gambling marketing is pervasive and inescapable in multiple environments; industry appeal to young people through culturally valued identities; gambling is normalised and embedded in the everyday; corporate power and government reciprocity protects commercial gambling interests; personalising responsibility for preventing gambling harms.

Conclusion: This research provides further evidence about young people's everyday exposure to gambling and the need for comprehensive approaches to protect them from industry marketing. Findings reinforce the ubiquity of young people's exposure to gambling and the highly engaging and sophisticated tactics used by industry to engage young people in their harmful products. Researchers, advocates, practitioners and policymakers can use these findings to further advocate for increased restrictions on children's exposure to gambling marketing.

NEW! 

RG RESEARCH
Gambling in Connecticut adolescents: Prevalence, socio-demographic characteristics, trauma exposure, suicidality, and other risk behaviors

Adolescent gambling is a public health concern and has been linked to suicidality, various risk behaviors, and poor health outcomes. However, there is a limited understanding of specific risk and protective factors that may influence gambling behavior in Connecticut adolescents, especially in changing gambling environments.

This study examines relationships between adolescents reporting gambling in the past-year and a range of health risk behaviors including vaping, traumatic experiences, academic performance, and receipt of social support. Data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in Connecticut high school students stratified by gambling status were examined in bivariate and multivariate analyses. Among 1,807 adolescents, past-year gambling was reported by 453 individuals [25.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 22.7-28.1%].

Gambling prevalence was higher among older males and lower in adolescents of Asian origin. Gambling was further associated with suicidality and risk behaviors including substance use, smoking [traditional tobacco and electronic vapor use], risky use of digital technologies, unsafe sex, and aggressive behaviors. Gambling was also associated with traumatic experiences, depression/dysphoria, poor academic performance, and less familial social support.

The results provide an up-to-date estimate of the current prevalence and correlates of gambling among Connecticut adolescents. The results provide recent estimates of the prevalence and correlates of gambling among Connecticut adolescents. The findings highlight the need for further investigation of specific factors like social support that help with designing and implementing tailored interventions.