Marks Golden Rules for Marketing

Professor Mark Griffiths
International Gaming Research Unit, Nottingham Trent University

 

Social responsibility in the advertising, marketing, and promotion of gambling

Quite clearly it is appropriate that gaming industry needs to advertise, market, and promote its facilities and products. However, all advertising and marketing should be carried out in a socially responsible manner. Here are some of the "golden rules" that socially responsible gaming companies should adhere to when implementing their advertising and marketing strategies…

Comply with industry codes of conduct and practice: Operators within the gaming industry should adhere not only to government regulators but also to the codes of conduct and practice formulated by their trade associations. Furthermore, all personnel should be made aware of and understand the codes.

Show commitment to social responsibility: Operators need to develop a marketing culture that is supported by socially responsible policies and procedures. It is in everyone’s interest to recognize that social responsibility is fundamental to the long-term development of the gaming industry.

Protect vulnerable groups: Arguably, the most important recommendation would be that gambling advertisements and promotions should not appeal or be deliberately targeted at vulnerable individuals such as children and adolescents, those with severe learning difficulties, problem gamblers, etc.

Focus on entertainment rather than winning money: A focus on buying entertainment rather than winning money in marketing materials should be emphasised. Problems can start when players’ primary objective is to gamble to win money.

Provide helpful information: Potential players should also be given all the information they are likely to need to make an informed choice about whether to gamble in the first place. This includes information about the probability of winning on the activity, payout ratios, prize structures, etc. There is an implicit assumption that all the games will be fair and designed in such a way to protect the player.

Provide information about staying in control: Although players are clearly responsible for their own gambling, they should still be reminded in marketing and advertising materials of the need to exercise control. Information in the form of posters or leaflets should highlight the need to stay in control (e.g., “Bet with your head, not over it”) and be prominently displayed where it can be seen by all players (e.g., next to the where the gambling product is bought and/or played).

Provide product purchase information: Providing help and advice to players in promotional materials is to be commended. However, marketing and advertising materials should not be designed to encourage players to: (i) increase the amount of money they gamble with, (ii) engage in continuous gambling for a prolonged period of time, (iii) re-gamble their winnings, or (iv) chase losses.

Provide mandatory information about problem gambling: At the core of exercising a duty of care lies the principle of assisting players to address any concern about their gambling. For instance, telephone helplines and addresses of helping agencies should be displayed on marketing posters, leaflets, and on the back of lottery tickets or smart cards. Such information should be freely available without having to ask a member of staff and should be placed in areas of high accessibility. Consequently, gaming companies should also have a good referral system with local and/or national helping agencies.

Recognise and accept the responsibilities you have as a gaming operator: Although individuals are clearly responsible for their own gambling behaviour, gaming operators have responsibility for the ways in which players are attracted to play on their products (e.g., ease of accessibility in gambling, advertising to attract custom, incentive bonuses to gamble), the design of their environments in attracting people to gamble (e.g., the use of light, colour, sound and music in gambling venues), and the design of the gambling product itself (e.g., game speed, prize structure, jackpot size, and illusion of control features on a slot machine).

Develop marketing and advertising guidelines in collaboration with independently recognised experts in social responsibility: Working with independently recognised experts is highly recommended as it shows a serious commitment to social responsibility by gaming companies. Such partnerships include an element of external audit and external review.