Gambling on sport sponsorship: a conceptual framework for research and regulatory review

Commercial gambling providers (CGPs) have recently intensified the promotion of theirproducts and services through sport sponsorship. Consequently, gambling products andservices now gain substantial exposure to large audiences via media broadcasts of sport.Due to the mainstream appeal of some sports, television audiences and fan-bases caninclude youth, at-risk and problem gamblers, who may be prompted to gamble, or toincrease their gambling, by the direct marketing, alignment of gambling with a ‘healthy’activity and increased normalisation of gambling. Therefore, sport sponsorship by CGPspromotes a potentially risky behaviour and may exacerbate the public health issue ofproblem gambling. Regulatory measures have been implemented by governments andprivate organisations in relation to sport sponsorship by tobacco companies in recognitionof the potential harmful impacts of this form of marketing. Subsequently, the involvementof ‘unhealthy products’ including alcohol, junk food and gambling in sport sponsorship hasbeen publicly questioned. This may lead to further regulatory changes that would directlyaffect the management of sport organisations. Few studies have examined these issues andthere is little knowledge of the impacts that sport sponsorship arrangements have onsociety. Research is needed to inform prudent decision-making about the appropriateregulation of sport sponsorship. This paper reviews the current gambling sportsponsorship landscape and proposes a conceptual framework aimed at facilitating asystematic, interdisciplinary research agenda for examining corporate social responsibilityissues pertinent to the sponsorship of sport by CGPs.