School of Sport, Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Department of Management, Leadership and Marketing, Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Sep 11;24(1):2478. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19955-z.
Gambling marketing communications create a public health risk by increasing the normalisation of gambling in sports. In a context where broad level studies report significant underage gambling, currently no evidence exists on how these communications are received by children in the Republic of Ireland (hereafter Ireland) and Northern Ireland. To build this evidence base and provide granular detail below broad level data, this study explored the sport consumption habits and views of Irish children (aged 14-17 years) on their exposure, awareness and perceptions of the relationship between sport and gambling.
Drawing on a constructivist approach to data collection, 6 face-to-face focus groups were staged with a total of 51 youth sport consumers from both sides of the border region on the island of Ireland.
Four main themes were established. First, mediated sport consumption was predominantly via mobile social media. Second, we found that their exposure to gambling marketing was high and while frequently seen through social media channels it was also prevalent in peer-to-peer conversations and on the main street. Third, we found mixed responses on their perceptions about gambling and sport. While many felt that sport and gambling were a good fit, they were aware of the financial risks involved. Few children understood the wider social risks with gambling harm. Fourth, children were sceptical of claims made in gambling communications. These findings highlight concerns about how exposure to gambling marketing is impacting children's views on sport and on gambling. These views need to be taken into consideration when broadcasters and sport organizations are entering into commercial associations.
Gambling marketing is noticed by children watching mass and social media, and in the towns in the border regions of the island of Ireland. Our study provides children's viewpoints on this topic which complements the larger quantitative studies in Ireland and Northern Ireland that highlight the growing prevalence of children and gambling. This study not only extends the literature on the exposure, awareness and perceptions of children on the island of Ireland but provides crucial evidence to public health advocates in this region demonstrating the pervasiveness of gambling communications in and around children's spaces.
赌博营销传播通过增加体育运动中的赌博正常化，带来公共健康风险。在广泛研究报告表明未成年人赌博现象严重的背景下，目前尚无证据表明这些信息在爱尔兰共和国（以下简称爱尔兰）和北爱尔兰的儿童中是如何被接收的。为了建立这一证据基础，并提供比广泛数据更详细的信息，本研究探讨了爱尔兰 14-17 岁儿童的体育消费习惯和他们对体育与赌博之间关系的接触、认知和看法。
本研究采用建构主义数据收集方法，在爱尔兰岛的边境地区与 51 名青年体育消费者进行了 6 次面对面焦点小组讨论。
确定了四个主要主题。首先，媒介体育消费主要通过移动社交媒体进行。其次，我们发现他们接触赌博营销的机会很多，虽然经常通过社交媒体渠道看到，但也在同龄人之间的对话和主要街道上很普遍。第三，我们发现他们对赌博和体育的看法存在混合反应。虽然许多人认为体育和赌博很匹配，但他们意识到其中涉及的财务风险。很少有孩子了解赌博带来的更广泛的社会风险。第四，儿童对赌博营销中的说法持怀疑态度。这些发现突显了人们对赌博营销对儿童对体育和赌博看法的影响的担忧。在广播公司和体育组织进行商业合作时，需要考虑这些观点。
观看大众和社交媒体以及爱尔兰岛边境城镇的儿童注意到了赌博营销。我们的研究提供了关于这一主题的儿童观点，补充了爱尔兰和北爱尔兰的大型定量研究，这些研究突出了儿童和赌博现象的日益普遍。本研究不仅扩展了关于爱尔兰岛儿童接触、认知和看法的文献，还为该地区的公共卫生倡导者提供了重要证据，表明赌博信息在儿童周围无处不在。
