Concerned about the proliferation of gambling products in Jamaica, and the impact the resulting promotion of these games may be having on children and other vulnerable individuals, the Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC) is moving to introduce advertising and marketing guidelines for industry players.

The proposed guidelines include the prohibition of messaging, wording or imagery which could be deemed misleading or misrepresentative of any offer associated with a gaming product; advertisers clearly indicating that gaming is restricted to those who are 18 years of age or older; a mandatory ‘Play Responsibly’ message in promotion; and the banning of messages that suggest gaming can provide an escape from personal, professional or educational problems such as loneliness or depression.

The BGLC aims to have the Broadcasting Commission sign off on the proposed guidelines before the end of this year and have the new rules come into effect by the end of the first quarter in 2025.

“In terms of timeline, before the end of the year we hope that we will be able to put out the announcement that these guidelines are effective (at a particular date next year) to get marketers aware of and up to speed so they can make the necessary adjustments where applicable,” Wendy Robertson, BGLC’s corporate affairs and communication manager, told Observer Online.

Manager, Corporate Affairs and Communication at BGLC, Wendy Robertson

“So we may sign off before the end of the year with the Broadcasting Commission but we won’t put the guidelines in effect until maybe end of March next year,” she said.

Robertson noted that the move to introduce the guidelines – which she said the BGLC was doing for the first time ever – follows extensive research and public consultations which highlighted a very serious problem of underage gambling activity as well as gambling among other vulnerable members of society.

“There is precedent for what we are doing, we are not just pulling something out of the hat… there is research that has been conducted elsewhere that has shown that there is a clear link between marketing and advertising and the risks that it poses to children and vulnerable individuals,” Robertson said. “So we, the commission, as a result, felt that we also need to put appropriate controls in place to protect those who are vulnerable.”

According to Robertson, during the last three years, there has been an increase in the number of gambling operators and gambling products in Jamaica, and as a result an increase in marketing and advertising which she suggested may have in a negative way impacted attitudes and perceptions of gambling among the vulnerable population.

A BGLC-commissioned survey points to a worrying level of engagement in gambling activities among children.

“Children are aware of and are engaged in gambling activities – the majority of the awareness, according to them, is as a direct result of marketing and advertising of gambling products,” Robertson said.

“And then what is frightening is that the majority of them are not fully aware of the related risks of gambling,” she continued, adding “Sometimes when you speak to young people they don’t know that what they do is gambling; it’s just something that they do.”

Studies also point to a normalisation of gambling in society, with many Jamaicans endorsing the practice as an everyday part of life and a possible alternate way to earn money, while gambling ads were described as being persuasive, playing on an individual’s desire to win money or prizes through tactics such as highlighting the grand prize and the small buy-in compared to the grand prize.

“So, over 61 per cent of respondents indicated they have taken part in some form of gambling over the last 12 months,” Robertson said. “When asked about their knowledge about the risk, less than one per cent claimed to be knowledgeable.”

What’s more is that gambling is being used by some lower income individuals as a source of income, she said.

Against this background, Robertson said, a strict guideline on advertising and marketing is necessary.

“We are not telling operators that they are not to advertise, what we are saying is that they need to be socially responsible when they are doing it, in particular we need to protect young persons and the vulnerable population… the consumer needs to know what is being offered,” she said.

Asked what will be the measurement of success, Robertson said: “A greater understanding of what ought and what ought not to be among adults in communities based on our outreach and guidelines, and a reduction in underage gambling.”