Online betting has become increasingly visible through websites, social media, and sports coverage. As a result, people are often encouraged to share, recommend or endorse betting-related content without considering the wider consequences.
The issue is not simply whether betting is legal. The more important question is whether promoting betting content contributes to the normalisation of gambling and encourages people to view it as harmless entertainment or a way to make money.
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Gambling can cause serious harm
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), gambling can be seen as a public health issue. In a 2024 report, it is estimated that approximately 1.2% of the world’s adult population has a gambling problem.
Gambling causes financial distress, relationship breakdown, mental-health problems and other serious consequences associated with gambling harm.
The report warns that the commercialisation and digitalisation of gambling are contributing to its rapid normalisation, through marketing, sponsorship, and promotion, and particularly through popular sports and online platforms.
All these can increase gambling activity and expose young people and vulnerable groups to gambling messages.
Betting promotion helps normalise gambling
One of the strongest reasons to reconsider betting endorsements is the role of marketing in normalising gambling.
When sports teams, celebrities, influencers and online personalities repeatedly associate betting with excitement and success, gambling can begin to look like a normal part of everyday life, influencing more people to engage in the activity.
Advertising does not automatically lead to gambling problems. However, it is important for society to seriously consider the potential consequences of making betting more visible and socially acceptable.
One of the problems with betting endorsements is the impression that gambling can provide financial security.
A bet is not an investment. The outcome is uncertain, and losses are an inherent part of the activity.
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Promoting responsible gambling messages
If gambling is going to be promoted, responsible-gambling information should not be treated as an insignificant disclaimer.
South African regulations require gambling advertisements to include warnings about addictive and compulsive gambling and to state that only people aged 18 and older may legally participate. The regulations also restrict gambling advertising aimed at people under 18.
But responsible gambling should go beyond simply adding a warning at the bottom of an advertisement. People should be given a realistic understanding of the risks rather than being presented primarily with the excitement of winning.
Before endorsing betting, people should ask:
- Who benefits from the promotion?
- What risks are being communicated?
- Is gambling being presented honestly?
The goal should not be to make betting look attractive at any cost. The goal should be to make sure people understand the reality behind the activity.
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Featured image: Pexels
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