According to researchers, around 78% of the survey’s respondents were already aware of mobile/web applications for gambling and/or tried these at least once. “So, we decided to look deeper and find emerging trends that can be a harbinger for audits and regulatory measures to monitor this burgeoning industry,” he told TOI.
Thus, it can be concluded that for every ten-unit increase in the endorser’s attractiveness, trustworthiness, or familiarity, the target customer’s propensity to gamble increases nearly six-fold,” the study said. “Celebrity endorsement, i.e., the use of attractive, trustworthy, and familiar celebrities for advertising online gambling applications, was found to have a statistically significant impact on the propensity to gamble among youth. This wasn’t the case-noting an almost 50% reduction in the chances of an individual gambling-if a non-celebrity gave the statutory warning. But, the survey also found, that this tendency reduced if the same celebrity who had endorsed the app also gave the warning against gambling addiction that is mandated under Indian laws. The figures changed based on scores given to different celebrities based on their “attractiveness, trustworthiness and familiarity”. Their survey concluded that the intent to gamble multiplied when a celebrity endorsed a gambling app.
