The Psychosocial and Marketing Factors That Motivate and Sustain Youth Sports Betting in Australia: A Qualitative Study

The advent of online sports betting and its accompanying features have fundamentally altered the nature of sports betting and potentially amplified its negative consequences. Identifying the interplay of factors that contribute to young people’s initial interest in and sustained engagement in sports betting is essential for developing effective policies to protect them from potential harm. The current qualitative study employed thematic analysis to examine the betting experiences of 20 Australians aged 18–24 years old. The overarching themes that emerged were initial interest, perpetuating factors, and perceptions of risk. Young Australians developed an initial interest in sports betting as a result of early exposure to gambling from their family and peer groups, exposure to advertising portraying betting as a common and acceptable pastime, and personal motivations such as the desire to win money and participate in a new hobby. Their sports betting behaviour was sustained by a desire to not miss out on potential winnings, their mutual interest in sports betting with their peers, and the availability of betting promotions. Respondents were cognisant of the adverse consequences that could result from disordered gambling behaviours, including the financial, psychological, and interpersonal consequences. The study suggests that restricting advertising and implementing interventions to reduce the social norms of sports betting may be effective in reducing potential gambling-related harm among young Australians.