Xiaohongshu
What would you like the union to work on?
I am suggesting the Union join the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA). The coalition is based on a simple understanding: that gambling advertisements are a key driver for a rise in gambling addiction, which in turn is quickly becoming a public health crisis.
Per CEGA, this would be the Union's level of responsibility upon joining: "There isn’t a fee to be a member, and the expectations of members are limited to being
publicly displayed in CEGA materials and on the website, and to what each member is able to offer and take part in beyond that."
Why would you like to do this?
The following quotes give a flavour of the gambling harms that students are facing as part of a larger public health crisis.
Per research collated by CEGA (accessible on their website: https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=43&q=cega&cvid=a04da1ea843141d1a2d1b8a3d15b478e&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQABhAMgYIAhAAGEAyBggDEAAYQDIGCAQQABhAMgYIBRAAGEAyBggGEAAYQDIGCAcQABhAMgYICBAAGEDSAQgyNjYxajBqMagCALACAA&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=HCTS)
"While no gambling is free of risk of harm, this risk increases sharply above low levels of participation." This is especially concerning for 18-24 year olds (the majority of our student community because they are "are especially vulnerable to risky behaviour (Valentine, 2016)" like gambling.
"Younger groups are more likely to see online advertising than older age groups. Most gambling brands’ followers on social media are under 25 years old; ‘paid-for ads target specific young people, whilst organic ads thrive by being shared across youth user networks’"
Ygam, 2023 research:
"[A] survey of 2,000 students across the UK revealed that 71% had gambled in the last 12 months. Amongst those students who had gambled in the previous year, 28% were found to be at ‘moderate risk’ and 24% had behaviour categorised as ‘problem gambling’"
"Half of all respondents reported that gambling had impacted their university experience, with 13% having trouble paying for food, 10% missing lectures and tutorials, 10% saying gambling affected their assignments and grades, and 9% struggling to pay bills or for accommodation"
What effect will this have on student life?
Students in particular sit at the heart of this crisis. Gambling is a popular pastime for students, yet recent evidence points to worrying trends. Focusing on undergraduates in particular, studies have shown that a proclivity for risk and increased stress while studying heighten the chances of their problematic gambling. Given the bombardment of ads on their phone, during sports broadcasts, and on the high street, the chance that these high-risk students will subsequently rein in this behaviour is low. In fact, research makes clear that data-driven gambling ads online target with greater intensity those who already gamble, creating a vicious cycle.
Data has also evidenced at-risk individuals in two communities that UCL should be particularly alert to: those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and international students. Concerningly, positive correlations have been found between levels of problematic gambling and access to financial hardship funds. Furthermore, early evidence suggests that students studying abroad are at increased risk of problematic gambling while away from home. Given UCL’s position as “London’s Global University,” this is something the SU should take very seriously.
Ideally, the threats posed by all of the above can be mitigated against by an end to gambling ads. As a starting point, the SU joining will put pressure on the current government in Westminster, and also those like Mayor Sadiq Khan, to begin curbing the level of gambling ads students, and the wider community, see everyday.