Celebrity endorsements have long been a marketing staple, and the gambling industry is no exception. But do famous faces actually help these brands – or do they risk alienating audiences? New YouGov data suggests that while celebrity-led ads can catch gamblers’ eyeballs, the effect is far from universal.
Roughly a quarter of gamblers (25%) say seeing a celebrity in a gambling ad makes them view the brand more positively, compared to just 8% of the general population. For most people, the effect is neutral – about 63% in both groups say celebrity involvement “makes no difference”. Negative sentiment, however, diverges sharply. Just 9% of gamblers say such ads make them think less of a brand, versus nearly one in five (19%) among the wider public. In other words, while celebrities may divide mainstream opinion, they resonate more with gambling audiences specifically.
Diving deeper into subsets of the gambling audience, regular gamblers (those who place bets every week) are more likely to respond positively to seeing celebs endorse betting brands, with nearly a third saying it results in them having a more positive view (31%). Among less regular gamblers (those who bet less than once a week but at least once every few months), only 12% say that celebs in gambling adverts help cultivate a more positive impression.
Asked to assess some attitude statements, about two-fifths (38%) agree celebrity-led ads “make betting brands stand out”, while a similar share (39%) say such appearances make them “more likely to notice” an ad. Around 28% feel featuring celebs “makes the brand seem more trustworthy”, but 40% disagree – showing trust remains a sticking point.
It is worth noting that nearly half (48%) believe using celebs makes brands “appear less authentic and overly promotional”, and only 18% reject that idea. Among the general public, disagreement tends to be even stronger – reinforcing the idea that celebrity marketing is a more forgiving play within the gambler segment than outside it.
Will it drive consideration?
When asked directly whether they’d be more likely to consider gambling with a brand that features celebrities, around one in three gamblers say yes (11% “very likely”, 21% “fairly likely”). But more than half say they are “not very” or “not at all likely” to be swayed (55%). So, while celebrity campaigns may raise awareness, conversion isn’t guaranteed. Professional athletes and gambling professionals top the suitability rankings among gamblers, with 39% and 38%, respectively, seeing them as appropriate endorsers. These figures drop slightly for actors (36%) and “other entertainers” such as musicians or comedians (34%), while reality TV stars are viewed least favourably – 28% find them suitable, and nearly 40% see them as poor fits.
General population responses paint a more sceptical picture, though the hierarchy of preference is similar: sports figures lead, reality stars lag behind. The pattern suggests gamblers respond better to celebrity associations that feel credible or contextual. Regular gamblers are especially likely to view sportspersons as a suitable fit, with 46% of them saying so. This includes the 21% who view athletes as “very” suitable – markedly ahead of gambling professionals (16%) and actors (15%).
The key takeaway is that while using celebs in endorsements can certainly attract eyeballs, messaging should be tailored so that brands don’t seem overly promotional and risk being undervalued by the core audience.
Richard Moller is a research director for the Consumer division at YouGov, providing data and insights for clients across sectors such as gambling, retail, travel, leisure and entertainment.
He has 20-plus years’ research experience working within both large and small agencies, over 12 of these at his current company.
The post Celebs in gambling ads: a double-edged bet for brand image first appeared on EGR Intel.
YouGov’s Richard Moller gauges how gamblers perceive operators based on the type of famous person used in marketing campaigns
The post Celebs in gambling ads: a double-edged bet for brand image first appeared on EGR Intel.