After a recent report raised concerns over gambling warnings, GambleAware has called for a new and improved slogan.
The London gambling charity commissioned research on the effect of the national ‘Take Time To Think’ (TTTT) responsible gambling campaign. With more than 7,000 respondents, the study revealed that this slogan may not effectively raise awareness of the risks associated with gambling. Some respondents also mentioned that the slogan does not provide information on where to access support.
“In the absence of strict gambling marketing restrictions, it is absolutely vital that we see warnings on gambling advertising that highlight the addictive nature of gambling, paired with clear, unambiguous signposting for people to access support if needed,” said Dr. Raffaello Rossi, who co-authored the study.
Researchers recommend replacing marketing messages with clearer, more memorable ones. An example put forward was “Gambling can be addictive,” which 46 percent of respondents said they preferred, while 35 percent opted for the current TTTT campaign. “Gambling comes at a cost,” got support from 22 percent of respondents, while 12 percent preferred TTTT over this.
“Gambling harms are a serious public health issue,” said Alexia Clifford, chief communications officer at GambleAware. “It is vital that people are aware of the risks associated. Today’s landmark study underscores the need to replace the industry-led slogan Take Time To Think with more compelling health warnings.”
The analysis will form the basis of new guidelines, providing operators with recommendations on promoting safer gambling.
More than 100,000 users have used GambleAware’s online self-assessment tool; 28,000 of whom sought further support via the National Gambling Helpline.
