Study of 525 Women Raises Fresh Debate on Gambling Ads

A new Australia study looked at how gambling marketing is shaping attitudes among women in Victoria. Researchers said modern promotions, influencer content, sports ties, and brand campaigns are making betting feel more normal while softening how risk is viewed.

Good to Know

• The study involved 525 women in Victoria aged 18 to 40.
• 79% said they had gambled in the previous 12 months.
• Researchers said influencer campaigns, women sports sponsorships, and cause-linked promotions were key concerns.

Researchers from Deakin University and Curtin University said many women in the study saw gambling as more socially acceptable because of how betting is now marketed. Instead of focusing only on direct ads, the paper pointed to softer tactics such as influencer partnerships, novelty markets tied to entertainment, and campaigns linked to women sports or social causes.

Three themes ran through the responses. Gambling felt more normal, women felt more encouraged to take part, and risk looked smaller than it really was. Some participants said betting promotions were designed to “encourage”, “attract”, and “tempt” new users, especially younger women whose interests and daily habits line up closely with Instagram, TikTok, and similar platforms.

The survey ran online from June 14 to July 1, 2024, and focused on women aged 18 to 40 living in Victoria. Most lived in metropolitan Melbourne, representing 76% of the sample, and the average age was 31. Researchers said 79% had gambled in the prior 12 months.

Some of the strongest reactions were aimed at tone and presentation. Women in the study said promotions often framed betting as light, social, or harmless. One participant said: “I think there is a lot of harm in promoting gambling in this way for anyone.” She added: “It makes an addictive activity appear harmless.”

Another participant said: “They make it seem harmless and can become a light joke.”

The paper said influencer marketing played a key role in that effect. “Social media influencers were described as ‘relatable’ and ‘desirable’, and their involvement in gambling promotions was seen to make gambling seem glamorous and aspirational” reported the survey.

Researchers also highlighted what many respondents saw as gender-focused image management by gambling companies. Campaigns tied to International Women Day or breast cancer awareness month were often viewed with suspicion. Even so, some women said those efforts could still build trust in gambling brands, which in turn could make marketing more effective.

Fear of missing out also appeared in the responses. Some participants said once betting is woven into entertainment, sport, and social media, it can start to feel like a routine part of modern life. In that setting, gambling may look less risky and more like something people are expected to try.

The paper placed those findings inside a wider Australia context. It cited data showing that annual gambling participation among women in Victoria was close to the level seen among men, with about 50% taking part each year and around one-third gambling monthly.

Researchers argued that existing rules may not go far enough because much of the pressure now comes through indirect promotion rather than straight advertising. They called for tighter controls covering influencer deals, pop culture-linked novelty markets, and corporate social responsibility activity that can double as brand promotion.

The authors also backed public education aimed specifically at helping women spot those tactics and assess gambling risk more clearly.

At iGaming.org, we would be careful about giving a study like this too much weight in a policy debate. A sample of 525 people is limited, the format is subjective, and the conclusions rest heavily on open-ended attitudes rather than measured market behavior. It is also fair to ask why the survey focused only on women and whether that framing gives the research added legitimacy that the underlying data may not fully support.

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