In the advertising industry, gaming operators are known to be some of the boldest players. They often employ shock tactics and publicity stunts to attract attention – and, some concerned citizens feel that they are going too far.
Serge Sardo, Chief Executive of the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, has told the Sydney Morning Herald that gambling advertising standards have reached a new low – especially when it comes to the depiction of women. He notes that many gambling ads objectify women, and also mislead men into thinking that they can woo a beautiful woman if they are successful gamblers.
"These tactics are a disturbing reflection on how far some gambling companies will go to sell their products," Mr Sardo says. "This style of advertising is crossing the line between sexist to outright misogynistic." One of the most recent ads to come under fire was launched by SportsBet. It was a spoof of the hit film and book series, Fifty Shades of Grey, and depicted a sexual relationship between a woman and a greyhound.
Aside from the obvious issue of depicting a human being sexually involved with an animal, the ad very blatantly uses sex and the objectification of women to sell SportsBet’s services. These types of ads are also problematic because they are viewed by millions of young people across the country.
In the same way that gambling ads have the potential to influence youths’ attitudes towards betting, they can also have an effect on how young males view and treat women. Sardo continues: "It can also be argued that such advertising is contributing to and reinforcing a sexist culture where negative stereotypes of women are accepted without question”.
Many complaints have been made about gambling advertisements, and it is up to advertising standards regulators to step up. Sexist gaming ads seem to be a growing problem, and it may be time to introduce stricter regulations.
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