A survey conducted among 1,000 Irish adults who had participated in gambling in the past year reveals that frequent messages from operators and specific events significantly influenced their decision to gamble. This research, released by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on Wednesday, aligns with Ireland's ongoing efforts to create a regulatory framework under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.
The study indicated that four in five respondents owned an online gambling account. Of those account holders, 53% had more than one account, and 44% of all participants reported that they gambled both online and in person.
It's important to note that the sample was weighted based on age, gender, region, and social grade, although it was recruited from a pre-existing online panel rather than a randomly selected probability sample.
The findings highlighted that common activities prompting the opening of online accounts included betting on horses, sports, and lotteries. Notably, 38% of those who began betting on horses or sports later expanded to other gambling options such as casino games, slots, bingo, or scratchcards.
Operator communications played a significant role in shaping gambling behavior. Nearly two-thirds of account holders reported receiving emails, 52% received app notifications, and 16% reported text messages. Approximately 25% of individuals who received app alerts noted receiving them daily or more frequently.
About one in seven individuals indicated that their latest online gambling session was influenced by an email, notification, or advertisement. Other notable influences included reminders about upcoming events, watching sports, and feelings of boredom or stress. Specifically, feelings of boredom or stress accounted for 16.4% of the recent online gambling sessions, while 5.6% of participants cited attempts to recover prior losses as their reason for gambling.
The survey also explored the impact of gambling on other activities. Among online gamblers who had deposited funds in the past year, 70% considered the deposit process “very easy,” while 57% felt the same way about withdrawing winnings. However, nearly 20% of those who closed accounts rated that process as difficult.
When it comes to betting frequency, roughly two-thirds of online gamblers reported placing at least one bet per week, compared to 48% of individuals who engaged in in-person gambling. Around 20% admitted that their latest gambling session interrupted another activity, with work disruptions occurring most often due to online gambling and family time being most impacted by in-person gambling.
The intention to gamble less was expressed by one in four respondents, with a third of that group stating they were gambling at the same rate as or more than the previous year. Many relied on willpower as their method for cutting back; 48% of those seeking to reduce online gambling and 63% of those attempting to gamble less in person reported this approach. Notably, fewer than one in ten utilized self-exclusion as a tool.
Additional research referenced by the ESRI estimated that one in 30 adults in Ireland suffers from problem gambling, with another one in five exhibiting some signs of gambling-related issues.
The report urged further examination of customer consent for notifications, the ease of withdrawing funds compared to depositing, and the potential harm linked with moving to new gambling products. The researchers emphasized that these findings pose important questions for the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) as it implements the 2024 Act. This legislation includes measures for marketing controls, operator communications, account limits, consumer protections, as well as a centralized self-exclusion system.
Pending full enactment, the legislation features some of the strictest penalties in the European Union for allowing underage gambling. The GRAI was established last year to facilitate the implementation of this act.
Earlier in the year, the GRAI launched a national campaign focused on helping parents and guardians recognize and respond to underage gambling. This initiative followed research conducted by the GRAI, in collaboration with the ESRI, which disclosed that children who engage in gambling are twice as likely to encounter gambling-related issues in adulthood. Findings revealed that 64% of surveyed adults had gambled before turning 18, with such early engagement contributing to an 83%-87% increased likelihood of developing a gambling problem later in life. Additionally, individuals with a parent who gambled were 80% more likely to experience their own gambling problems.
