Trimbos and Belgian researchers agree on the link between gambling advertising and the risk of gambling-related harm 

The debate on gambling advertising is becoming increasingly heated. Whereas a few years ago the debate focused mainly on channelling and consumer protection, attention is now shifting more and more towards the impact of advertising on public health.  

It is striking that researchers in the Netherlands and Belgium are increasingly reaching the same conclusions. Both the Dutch Trimbos Institute and the researchers behind the Belgian GAMSPON project argue that exposure to gambling advertising does more than simply inform consumers about legal providers. According to both studies, advertising contributes to the normalisation of gambling and increases the likelihood of gambling behaviour and gambling-related harm.  

The Trimbos Institute published a comprehensive analysis this week on whether a total ban on gambling advertising is desirable. According to Simone Onrust, head of the Digital Media and Gambling department at Trimbos, scientific research shows that exposure to gambling advertising is linked to a more positive attitude towards gambling, stronger gambling intentions and an increase in actual gambling behaviour. 

These conclusions are strikingly similar to those of the recently published GAMSPON study in Belgium. That four-year research project, conducted by Ghent University and Sciensano, examined the impact of gambling advertising and sponsorship on young people and adults. There too, researchers concluded that exposure to gambling advertising and sponsorship is positively correlated with gambling intentions and gambling behaviour. Furthermore, according to the study, the normalisation of gambling plays a significant role in this process.  

Gambling increasingly viewed as a public health issue  

Both Trimbos and GAMSPON argue that gambling should no longer be viewed solely as a matter of individual responsibility.  

According to the Belgian study, the consequences of gambling can extend far beyond financial losses alone. Researchers point to relationship problems, mental health issues and broader societal consequences. That is why, in their view, gambling should increasingly be approached as a public health issue.  

This view is in line with recent international recommendations from, among others, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Lancet Public Health Commission, to which Trimbos also refers.  

Instead of focusing exclusively on players who already have problems, both research institutions advocate measures that reduce exposure to gambling products and gambling marketing.  

Young people remain a key at-risk group 

Another point on which both studies agree is the focus on young people.  

The Belgian GAMSPON study shows that young people and young adults are among the groups most frequently exposed to gambling advertising. More than half of the Belgian population reported seeing gambling adverts regularly, whilst the 15–34 age group in particular is heavily targeted by marketing messages.  

Trimbos is also concerned about the impact of advertising on young adults. It points to research showing that millions of advertisements from legal gambling companies on social media reach young users.  

According to both research institutions, constant exposure can lead to gambling being viewed as increasingly normal, thereby lowering the threshold for people to start gambling themselves.  

Advertising does more than inform  

A key argument put forward by the gambling sector is that advertising is necessary to steer consumers towards legal providers.  

Trimbos, however, argues that there is little scientific evidence that advertising is actually necessary to keep players away from illegal providers. The organisation points out that factors such as bonuses, product range and the lack of restrictions often play a much greater role in the choice of illegal gambling sites. 

The Belgian GAMSPON study also questions the role of advertising. According to the researchers, advertising and sponsorship influence not only the visibility of gambling brands, but also how people experience gambling. Advertising increases brand recognition, reduces perceptions of risk and contributes to the normalisation of gambling.  

As a result, according to the researchers, the debate is no longer solely about marketing, but increasingly about the role advertising plays in the development of gambling-related harm.  

Increasing pressure on policymakers  

The similarities between the two studies are likely to put additional pressure on policymakers in both the Netherlands and Belgium.  

Although the exact details of future policy remain a matter of debate, one conclusion appears to be gaining ever wider acceptance within the scientific community: gambling advertising is no longer seen as a neutral means of providing information.  

For both Trimbos and the researchers behind GAMSPON, exposure to gambling advertising is a factor that contributes to the normalisation of gambling, particularly among young people and other vulnerable groups. As a result, the debate is shifting further and further away from marketing and consumer choice towards public health and prevention.