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Edited by Yamini003 at 22-12-2023 08:49 PM
The topic of gambling advertisements has recently gained popularity in Australia. With tightening regulations, TikTok's cautious approach to promoting gambling ads has sparked discussions. Concerns about the harms of gambling have resurfaced. According to ABC News, TikTok's advertising policy regarding gambling ads has undergone slight changes. TikTok has made a 180-degree turnaround in its gambling advertising policy, testing a new pilot program that allows a single operator, Sportsbet, to run sports gambling ads.
TikTok's advertising policy prohibits all forms of gambling ads, from promoting fantasy sports or bingo games to ads from or featuring gambling brands, as well as sponsorship content. However, there is an explanation on the platform's Business Help Center regarding the current situation in Australia: "A closed trial of sports gambling is currently being operated by a managed client that has obtained permission from TikTok through an application process." TikToks on this issue all bear the slogan "gamble responsibly," complying with current government requirements and age restrictions. The content of these ads is challenging to distinguish from regular entertainment content, raising concerns among some industry experts that these preventive measures may not be sufficient to ensure safety.
Native advertising—or commonly known as sponsored content—is designed to feel organic and not easily recognized as crafted advertisements. While some may find this questionable, this type of advertising should always be accompanied by some form of additional information that makes it clear to discerning viewers. Despite this, most people opposing TikTok's promotion of any form of gambling ads do not condemn the move based on the details. TikTok and social media in general are known for targeting young people, and age restrictions have proven to be rather ineffective, as nearly all major platforms have examples of underage users. This is the first point of contention—age restrictions alone are not sufficient. According to a report by the American Broadcasting Corporation, Nicholas Carah, Director of Digital Culture and Society at the University of Queensland, said that limiting the exposure of gambling ads to those above 21 is difficult for TikTok.
Targeting young people, especially young adults, is not a new phenomenon and is certainly not unique to the gambling industry. Young people have a higher lifetime value as consumers compared to older demographics, making them a primary target audience for advertising. The report cites criticism of this move by Samantha Thomas, a gambling researcher at Deakin University, who said, "We're really concerned about starting to see these kinds of posts appear on the platform."
According to the report, Professor Thomas previously stated that when asked, young people only remember gambling ads on the platform as funny clips and videos, not as advertisements. When confronted with an ad, some people have a natural aversion, and carrying a specific virus video is actually a limited signal for an advertisement, which bypasses this. The government is addressing this issue not only on social media but across all forms of gambling ads, with its latest plan involving changing the language entirely by conveying the potential dangers and harms of gambling more clearly.
Australia has been closely watched in discussions about gambling issues and harms. The Australian Gambling Research Centre has listed the country as having the highest per capita gambling losses in the world, indicating potential significant issues. A comprehensive study on Australian gambling was released last September, outlining another concerning trend—the increase in gambling problems within the average population, reaching 5.2% in 2018, involving approximately 1.3 million people. |
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Post time 1-10-2023 14:30:44