RESPONSIBLE GAMING
difference between heavy gambling and problem gambling, although not everybody is aware of the distinction. On the other hand, not every piece of advertising has the same influence on gamblers. Furthermore, not all advertising is aimed at increasing gambling. Despite these nuances, the Mexican intention to restrict gambling advertising brings it into line with many regulatory bodies in other jurisdictions around the globe who have issued, or are considering issuing, general bans and restrictions on gambling advertising. These are being imposed regardless of the means used, the impact, the benefits, and the gambling companies’ rights. More importantly, they are being introduced regardless of the nature of responsible gaming as a whole. The problem with problem gambling Since the premise of gambling advertising restriction is its contribution to problem gambling, we believe it is essential to know what problem gambling is. The definition of problem gambling appears to be logical: implicit in the name it that it concerns problems with gambling. However, if we take a closer look, problem gambling it is not as simple as it sounds. Per Binde, Associate Professor of Social Anthropology of the University of Gothenburg, uses a definition of problem gambling which states that ‘two criteria need to be fulfilled (cf. Williams & Volberg, 2013): a) The individual has impaired control over time or money spent on gambling; b) Gambling has negative consequences for the individual or someone close to him or her’. Indeed, there are ‘heavy’ gamblers – also known as high rollers – who can frequently gamble considerable sums of money and may be seen as ‘problematic’ gamblers by others; yet as long as they do not gamble compulsively or their gambling conduct does not harm themselves or others, they do not meet this criteria. The Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health provides a distinction between serious social gambling and pathological gambling. The first defined as ‘people [that] play regularly’ and the later as people ‘unable to control the urge to gamble´ 4 .
Not every gambler has a problem, and not every gambler has the same propensity to develop a problem with gambling and therefore, it does not follow that the elimination of advertising would decrease the occurrence of problem gambling. Furthermore, a ‘cursory comparison of countries around the world now and in the past […] does not suggest that extensive advertising is related to high prevalence [of problem gambling] rates. There are countries with high prevalence and little gambling advertising, and on the contrary there are countries with average or low presence and relatively heavy advertising’ . The complex nature of advertising Advertising is the most visible part of the gambling ecosystem so we should not be surprised that it is the object of scrutiny. Advertising can be perceived as a way to persuade people to buy or use something they do not need, but a cursory glance shows that this is not universally the case. Advertising is a useful tool not only to sell goods but also to spread messages on a large scale; ‘similar methods are used to encourage people to drive safely, to support various charities, or to vote for political candidates’ 5 . Moreover, advertising is a strong contributor to the economy and a free press as in many countries advertising is the most important source of income for the media. As with other controversial activities, advertising cannot be defined as inherently good or bad per se, since whether it results on something beneficial or harmful will depend on the use to which it is put. For instance, in gambling advertising ‘impact is defined as perceived changes in gambling involvement, awareness towards gambling, or knowledge about gambling forms and operators because of gambling advertisement’ 6 . Gambling advertising does not necessarily aim to increase sales: it can also be designed to raise awareness of the risks in gambling or to present a regulated gaming company in a way that players feel safe when using its products. With general restrictions or complete bans, regulatory bodies seem oblivious to the fact that gambling advertising may also be used to advertise the risks in gambling and to inform players about the alternatives to gamble responsibly. Gambling advertising, in almost every country where gambling is
4 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Problem Gambling. https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/prob- lem-gambling 5 Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, March 3). advertising. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/advertising. 6 Syvertsen, A., Erevik, E.K., Hanss, D. et al. Relationships Between Exposure to Different Gambling Advertising Types, Advertising Impact and Problem Gambling. J Gambl Stud 38, 465–482 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-021-10038-x.
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IMGL MAGAZINE | APRIL 2023
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