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According to those affected, gambling ads have a double effect: They make it easier to start and also reinforce continued gambling. A study shows that advertising has a strong or very strong influence for about one in three people in outpatient gambling addiction treatment in Lower Saxony.
Gambling advertising is perceived by many affected individuals as doubly problematic: It is associated with both starting to gamble and continuing gambling behavior. This is shown by the new “Client Documentation of Outpatient Gambling Addiction Counseling in Lower Saxony” ("Klienten*innendokumentation der ambulanten Glücksspielsuchtberatungen in Niedersachsen") for 2024, which was conducted by gambling researchers Dr. Tim Bastian Brosowski and Dr. Tobias Hayer from the University of Bremen.
Of the problem gamblers surveyed in outpatient gambling addiction counseling in Lower Saxony, almost one in three people who had multiple counseling contacts reported that advertising had a rather strong to very strong influence on their decision to start gambling (147 out of 529 valid responses). A similarly high proportion stated that advertising had a strong influence on their continued participation in gambling (126 out of 378 valid responses). “These figures speak for themselves,” states Tim Brosowski, one of the study’s authors. “Many of those affected experience advertising not only as an entry point, but also as a decisive factor in the continuation of harmful gambling behavior.”
Digital advertising channels were particularly influential. Among those who felt (rather) strongly influenced, most named internet advertising (63 percent), followed by social media campaigns (51 percent) and personalized advertising (44 percent). "It is precisely this digital communication that many experience as a key factor in maintaining problematic gambling behavior," emphasizes Tobias Hayer, head of the Gambling Research Unit at the University of Bremen.
According to the authors, the correlation with educational level is also striking. People with a higher level of formal education reported significantly more often that advertising – especially on social media, the internet, or in the form of personalized offers – played a role in both their initial involvement and their continued participation. Among other things, TV advertising was also cited as an influencing factor more often than average by those with a higher level of education.
Online formats play a particularly important role here: Those who say they feel encouraged to gamble by gambling advertising report problems with online gambling services significantly more often – especially with online slot machines, poker, sports betting, or classic casino table games like roulette and blackjack. Classic slot machines in arcades or restaurants, on the other hand, are mentioned less frequently. Video games involving money, such as loot boxes, virtual treasure chests with random contents, also play a greater role in this context.
“From an addiction prevention perspective, this is highly relevant,” explains Tobias Hayer. “Regulations on advertising should not only address initial contact and prohibit any enticing offers, such as opaque bonuses, but also take the influence on the risk of relapse and the continuation of problematic gambling seriously.”
The “Client Documentation of Outpatient Gambling Addiction Counseling in Lower Saxony” is a data compilation from outpatient gambling addiction counseling. The current evaluation is based on 876 documented cases from 2024, which were systematically recorded by specialists at 24 counseling centers in the state – including both people with their own gambling problems and their relatives. The documentation is compiled annually on behalf of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sport and Digitalisation and provides a comprehensive snapshot of the situation regarding outpatient gambling addiction counseling. When interpreting the results, however, it should be noted that the information is based on self-assessments made during counseling sessions, that the individuals surveyed represent a specific clientele, and that the analysis cannot prove any direct cause-and-effect relationships.
Dr. Tim Bastian Brosowski
Gambling Research Unit
University of Bremen
Email: timbro@uni-bremen.de
Phone: +49 (0)421 218-68710
https://media.suub.uni-bremen.de/entities/publication/275dc049-6c9f-4b65-adfe-27...
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