Celebrity endorsements have long been a marketing staple, and the gambling industry has been no outlier. But do famous faces actually help these brands — or do they risk alienating audiences? New YouGov data among gamblers suggests that while celebrity-led ads can catch eyeballs, the effect is far from universal.

Do celebs in gambling adverts boost perception?

Roughly a quarter of gamblers (25%) say seeing a celebrity in a gambling ad makes them view the brand more positively. Within the general population, just under a tenth say the same (8%). For most people, the effect is neutral — about 63% in both groups say celebrity involvement “makes no difference.”

But could seeing gambling ads with celebs in them be detrimental to brand perception? While only 9% of gamblers say such ads make them think less of a brand, a fifth of the wider public say it has a negative impact (19%).

Diving deeper into subsets of the gambling audience, regular gamblers – i.e., those who place bets once a week or more often – are more likely to respond positively to seeing celebs endorse betting brands, with nearly a third of them saying it results in them having a more positive view (31%). Among less regular gamblers (those who bet less often than weekly but at least once every few months), only 12% say that celebs in gambling adverts help cultivate a more positive impression.

Mixed feelings behind the endorsement effect

Asked to evaluate a series of attitude statements, gamblers show ambivalence toward the use of celebrities in betting promotions. About two in five agree (38%) that 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 that featuring celebrities “makes the brand seem more trustworthy,” but 40% disagree — showing that trust remains a sticking point.

It is worth noting that nearly half (48%) believe using celebrities makes brands “appear less serious,” and only 18% reject that idea.

Among the general public, scepticism is generally higher (as is to be expected). For instance, only 16% feel that featuring celebs makes a gambling brand seem more trustworthy, whereas 56% disagree.

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 of them say they are “not very” or “not at all likely” to be swayed by celebrity appearances (55%). So, while celebrity campaigns may raise awareness, conversion isn’t guaranteed.

The right kind of star matters

Not all celebrity types are created equal in this space. Professional athletes and gambling professionals top the suitability rankings among gamblers, with about 39% and 38% respectively seeing them as appropriate endorsers. These figures drop only slightly for actors (36%) and “other entertainers” such as musicians or comedians (34%), while reality TV stars are viewed least favourably — only 28% find them suitable, and nearly 40% see them as poor fits.

General population responses paint a more sceptical picture across the board, though the hierarchy of preference is similar: sports figures lead, reality stars lag behind. The pattern suggests that gamblers respond better to celebrity associations that feel credible or connected to the gambling context itself.

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 being “very” suitable – markedly ahead of gambling professionals (16%) and actors (15%).

Takeaway for brands

While using celebs in endorsements can certainly attract eyeballs, brands must be careful to tailor messaging such that brands don’t seem overly promotional and risk getting undervalued in the minds of the core audience.

Image Credit: Getty Images

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