EXPERT ADVISORY: May 4 2023 – R0036
As Ontario considers banning famous faces from gambling ads, Brock University experts are sharing insight on the influence of celebrity endorsements, particularly among youth.
Professor of Marketing and Consumer Psychology Antonia Mantonakis says “valid concerns” have led to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) exploring the potential ban, which would prevent celebrities from promoting the province’s sports betting websites and online casinos.
The younger the consumer, the bigger the sway celebrities may potentially have, says Mantonakis, whose research focuses on consumer psychology and the role of celebrity sponsorships.
“There’s a big difference between an adult who chooses to spend time gambling based on their own experiences, knowledge and understanding of themselves as a consumer, as opposed to someone younger without those life experiences,” she says. “Youth are still trying to figure out their identity and preferences, making them more susceptible to influence. And they may be looking to celebrities to provide that influence.”
It’s not only the age of the consumer, but also the age of the celebrity ambassador that can have a significant impact on the level of influence, Mantonakis says.
“The younger you go when choosing a celebrity endorser, the more it seems you’re targeting younger consumers,” she says. “When an ad with (Edmonton Oilers Captain) Connor McDavid pops up promoting a gambling site, there are a lot of younger aspiring hockey players who are looking up to someone like that. You have to question the ethics and why that person was chosen.”
Youth who have no knowledge of online gambling may be encouraged to seek out more information based simply on seeing a familiar celebrity promoting a website or app, Mantonakis says, adding the shift from in-person to online gambling has created more access than ever before.
Michael Naraine, Associate Professor of Sport Management, says celebrity endorsements play a significant role in the saturated market that is online gambling, especially where sports betting is concerned.
“In a hypercompetitive marketplace where customer acquisition is so important to extracting long-term value from consumers, using endorsers to amplify products and services can impact someone on the fence from one ecosystem to another,” he says.
Younger sports fans, he adds, are particularly susceptible to advertising and promotion.
“When they watch sporting events and are exposed to ads suggesting there’s a good bet to make because of shifting odds, there is a stimulus added, and those under 19 might want to start placing bets, whether through their parents or illegally through grey/black market means,” Naraine says.
To help address this, he believes the AGCO should be doing more work to fund research and education.
“They are making decisions now based upon public reactions and will likely temper their stance with consultation with gambling operators in the next month or so,” says Naraine, calling the ban under consideration a “reactionary instead of proactive” move.
“The Alberta government has been funding arms-length research on sports gambling for more than a decade, and Ontario has not taken these crucial steps to know the true, realized impact of advertising, consumer behaviour and outcomes such as addictions and harms.”
Brock University Professor of Marketing and Consumer Psychology Antonia Mantonakis and Associate Professor of Sport Management Michael Naraine are available for media interviews on the topic.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Doug Hunt, Communications and Media Relations Specialist, Brock University dhunt2@brocku.ca or 905-941-6209
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