Gambling advertisements are prevalent on social media platforms, promoting online casinos that entice users with the thrill of potential winnings. Recent data indicates that 72.4% of individuals aged 18-24 are exposed to these advertisements, targeting youth with incentives that encourage online gambling participation. The relationship between gambling exposure and distressed behavior among young gamblers is significant. Interactive applications can exacerbate gambling frequency and problems, often influenced by cognitive distortions such as the "near miss" fallacy. This study aimed to assess the behavioral impacts of gambling advertisements on social media among 400 undergraduate students in Manila. The researchers analyzed how exposure to such advertisements affected social norms, perceived behavioral control, attitudes, and how these factors led to the intention to behave resulting in one's gambling behavior while addressing limitations in existing literature regarding online gambling's negative effects. The study utilized a survey questionnaire for data collection and applied Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling or PLS-SEM for data analysis. Results showed that exposure to Facebook gambling advertisements significantly influenced the students’ attitudes and intentions towards gambling. Specifically, students’ attitudes and social norms have a significant role as they predict their gambling behavior. This suggests that students are vulnerable to the influence Facebook advertisements were giving them and to the belief that gambling is socially accepted among their peers. The study results supported the hypothesis that exposure to gambling advertisements significantly influences students' attitudes and intentions towards gambling, and that students' attitudes and social norms significantly predict their gambling behavior.

Keywords

Gambling advertisements, marketing strategies, exposure, behavior, attitude

Edward Joseph Villa

Affiliation

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INFLUENCE OF EXPOSURE TO FACEBOOK GAMBLING ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN MANILA