​Project team:

Jonathan Hallett¹, Louise Francis¹, Gemma Crawford¹, Bronwyn Myers², Samantha Thomas³, Daniel Vujcich¹, Jonine Jancey¹, Christina Pollard¹, Krysten Blackford¹, Justine Leavy¹, Mike Daube¹, Brooklyn Royce¹

1. Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health (CERIPH), School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia.

2. Curtin enAble Institute, Curtin University, Western Australia.

3. Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Victoria.

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Partnering Agencies:

• Youth Affairs Council of WA (YACWA)

• WA Council of Social Services (WACOSS)

• Public Health Association of Australia (WA Branch)

• Australian Health Promotion Association (WA Branch)

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Background: The gambling industry has a history of inappropriate and predatory behaviour including extensive advertising, marketing and promotion directed across the community. Exposure to direct and indirect forms of advertising and marketing may contribute to gambling normalisation and initiation for children and young people. Prior research into this issue has been limited to a few eastern Australian states, with research on gambling advertising and marketing to young people absent for Western Australia (WA).

This exploratory project investigated WA young people's exposure to gambling advertising, marketing and promotion and how this influences their attitudes and behavioural intentions to gamble. A major aim was to guide policy interventions to reduce health and social harms.

The research was conducted through the R.E.V. Project (Reform.Evidence.Voices), which engaged young people as citizen scientists to document their everyday exposure to gambling marketing and develop recommendations for policy change. 

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Approach: This project adopted a mixed methods design involving three phases of enquiry:

1. Desktop regulatory review to identify the scope of Australian laws around gambling advertising, and the extent to which they are currently violated/enforced in WA.

2. Focus group discussions with WA young people to ascertain attitudes towards and nature of exposure to gambling advertising in the current regulatory framework.

3. Participatory action research with WA young people as citizen scientists to document exposure to gambling marketing, develop ideas for improving regulations, and design interventions to minimise youth exposure to gambling-related harms.

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Key Insights:

1. There are significant gaps in WA legislation as it relates to gambling advertising. Compared to other Australian jurisdictions, fines administered by WA are relatively low, with the majority set at $1,000 when breaches occur.

2. Young people described gambling marketing as pervasive and inescapable across multiple environments, including television, social media, sports stadiums, and public spaces.

3. The gambling industry appeals to young people through culturally valued identities, including the use of celebrities, influencers, humour, and colourful imagery.

4. Gambling has become normalised and embedded in everyday activities. Young people observed that gambling advertising is particularly prominent around sports, contributing to gambling being seen as a routine part of viewing sport.

5. Young people demonstrated sophisticated understanding of corporate marketing tactics, including the strategic placement of embedded links and interactive features on social media platforms designed to increase engagement.

6. Young people expressed concern about gambling industry donations to political parties, with many likening this practice to bribery and questioning its influence on regulatory decisions.

7. The majority of young people surveyed supported implementing marketing bans for gambling products similar to those applied to tobacco.

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Implications for Health Promotion:

Findings from this research will be used to make recommendations to decision-makers regarding opportunities aimed at reducing young people's exposure to gambling marketing and prevent young people from experiencing gambling-related harm. This includes informing:

• Future iterations of the WA Health Promotion Strategic Framework and Problem Gambling Support Services Committee Strategic Plan

• Sponsorship practices and guidelines through Healthway, Lotterywest and other relevant organisations

• Policy development by the Gaming and Wagering Commission of WA

• Government objectives towards mechanisms for a greater voice from young people in policy making

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Publications

• Royce, B., Crawford, G., Francis, L., Thomas, S., & Hallett, J. (2025). Exploring perspectives towards the Gambling Industry and its marketing strategies among Young People in Western Australia. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 36(2), e955.

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Funded by Healthway

This project was funded by Healthway through a Health Promotion Exploratory Research Grant: 2022 Targeted Research Round – Impact of harmful industry marketing on children and young people.

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For more information:

Associate Professor Jonathan Hallett

j.hallett@curtin.edu.au​​​​​

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