Australia - Sports fans from the Land Down Under, Australia, are now being targeted as recipients of gambling-related advertisement as operators get more innovative when it comes to reaching bettors.
In a report, Dr. Alex Russell — a senior postdoctoral fellow in the Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory at Central Queensland University — elucidated how a study has determined how successful this kind of advertising is and its potential effect on gamblers.
Proponents of the study asked 98 sports bettors and 104 race gamblers to answer surveys each day for a week. It was discovered that each sports bettor, on average, received 3.7 emails and 2.3 texts during the week. However, race bettors were targeted with 6.5 emails and 4.3 texts in the same period.
A lot of the messages that were received were regular promotions, while others utilized a more personalized tactic, stating: “FOR YOU: Deposit up to $200 and we’ll match it.”
Although the research participants got more gambling advertising emails than texts, the researchers believed that the use of text messaging was more effective. And because of this finding, they believe gambling operators will ramp up this form of advertising.
Russell says this is due to the fact that texts are more likely to be acted on compared to emails. He stresses that only 22% of emails are even opened. However, 2013 data indicates that text messages are read 98% of the time, with a 90-second response time on average.
“Many of us check our smartphones regularly and can immediately place a bet via various sports betting apps,” Russell said.
The research also found out that customizing an email or a text message is also something that gambling operators are becoming adept at. A gambling venue may utilize a technique known as behavioral insights or behavioral tracking, which is based on historical information regarding how and when a person placed a bet. By sending cues to a gambler, an operator may be able to entice them to bet once again.
The study cites examples of tailored messages used to hone in on Australian gamblers. These include “Last time this team played, you won $20!” as well as “They’re playing in 10 minutes. Quick, BET NOW! Click on this link to open our app on your phone.”
In March of this year, it was reported that gambling ads would no longer appear on live sporting events on Australian TV. The goal was to diminish children’s exposure to the industry. Yet, while it was emphasized that the ban only applied five minutes before the beginning of play and five minutes after play concludes, it was still considered a positive step.
However, when it comes to private advertising through emails and texts, the same rules do not at all apply. However, with five to 12% of Australians projected to experience one or more gambling-related problems each year, the research calls for risks to be considered.
But, as the report indicated, while gambling limitations are introduced, operators will still find ways to sidestep them, creating a “cat-and-mouse game.”
