The integration of gambling into the culture of sport — through sponsorships, media exposure, and social practices — has created an environment where gambling is increasingly seen as a normal part of sports life.
In Part of the Game? Exploring the Prevalence and Normalization of Gambling in Belgian Sports Clubs (Constandt et al., 2022), the authors explore how sports organizations, stakeholders, and athletes in Belgium interact with gambling, and how these interactions may promote normalization and associated harms.
The study highlights the dual challenge policymakers face: while gambling generates sponsorship and financial support for sports, it also contributes to problematic behaviors, social harm, and distorted risk perceptions.
Key Concepts
1. Gambling and normalization theory
The normalization of gambling is described as
“The interplay of socio-cultural, environmental, commercial, and political processes which influence how different gambling activities and products are made available and accessible, encourage recent and regular use, and become an accepted part of everyday life for individuals, their families, and communities.”
In sports settings, gambling becomes normalized through routine exposure, peer conversations, sponsorships, and media advertising, which all shape perceptions of betting as an ordinary, harmless leisure activity.
Even when gambling does not reach pathological levels, normalization alone can produce harm — by making risky behavior socially acceptable and blurring the boundaries between entertainment and addiction.
2. Demographic and behavioral risk factors
The study found that being male and aged 26–35 years significantly increases the likelihood of problem gambling in sports.
Additionally, football (soccer) participants were shown to have higher problem gambling levels compared to other sports.
The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), developed by Ferris and Wynne (2001), was used to assess gambling risk.
Elite athletes, surprisingly, were identified as more vulnerable to problem gambling than recreational participants — possibly due to competitive drive, risk orientation, and financial incentives embedded in their sporting environment.
3. Social mechanisms of normalization
Within sports clubs, gambling is often socially integrated rather than externally imposed.
Conversations about betting, casual wagers, and shared experiences contribute to the sense that gambling is “part of the game.”
Even though peer pressure is not explicitly observed in Belgian clubs, social acceptance and shared norms sustain the practice.
These micro-level behaviors reinforce macro-level normalization, where sports organizations rely on gambling sponsors for funding, creating a structural dependency that makes regulation politically and financially sensitive.
4. The role of sponsorship and commercialization
Many sports clubs depend heavily on sponsorship from gambling operators.
Such partnerships increase visibility of betting brands through team jerseys, stadium advertisements, and broadcast integrations.
This commercial relationship deepens public association between sports and gambling, promoting the idea that betting enhances the viewing experience rather than endangering participants.
The phenomenon, known as “gamblification of sport” (Lopez-Gonzalez & Griffiths, 2018), transforms sports events into marketing platforms for gambling operators, while diverting attention from the risks of addiction and financial harm.
5. Psychological and social harms
Problem gambling in sports can lead to:
- Relationship breakdowns
- Financial debt
- Anxiety and depression
- Suicidal ideation
Moreover, gamblers often misjudge their level of control, believing that sports knowledge or betting systems can reduce risk — a misconception that fuels cognitive distortions and persistence in losing behavior.
Alarmingly, most gamblers in this study did not know where to seek help for gambling-related issues, exposing gaps in public education and mental health infrastructure.
6. Regulatory and educational imperatives
The authors argue that stronger regulations and educational measures are essential to denormalize gambling within sports culture.
These measures should include:
- Clearer restrictions on gambling sponsorships and advertisements;
- Educational programs targeting athletes, staff, and supporters;
- Transparent public health campaigns that highlight gambling-related harms;
- Accessible support services for at-risk individuals.
Without proactive intervention, the commercial benefits of gambling partnerships may continue to outweigh the ethical and health concerns.
7. Study limitations
The research acknowledges its limitations, including a small sample size and potential self-selection bias — as participants with an interest in the topic may have been more likely to participate.
Nevertheless, the findings provide critical insight into how normalization processes operate in real-world sporting environments and why regulatory reform is urgently needed.
Selected Citations
- “Ferris and Wynne (2001) developed the PGSI as part of their Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI).”
- “Gambling behaviour itself does not need to be problematic to cause harm.”
- “The normalization of gambling … involves the interplay of socio-cultural, environmental, commercial, and political processes.”
- “Aggressive gambling advertisements mark a potential turning point concerning society’s perspective on gambling.”
- “Most gamblers appeared to lack knowledge on where to go when experiencing gambling-related questions and issues.”
Academic Reference
Constandt, B., Rosiers, J., Moernaut, J., Van Der Hoeven, S., & Willem, A. (2022). Part of the Game? Exploring the Prevalence and Normalization of Gambling in Belgian Sports Clubs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19.
External References
- Ferris, J., & Wynne, H. (2001). The Canadian Problem Gambling Index: Final Report. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.
- Hing, N., Russell, A., Tolchard, B., & Nower, L. (2015). Risk Factors for Gambling Problems: An Analysis by Gender. Journal of Gambling Behavior, 32.
- Latvala, T., Lintonen, T., & Konu, A. (2019). Public Health Effects of Gambling: Debate on a Conceptual Model. BMC Public Health, 19.
- Lopez-Gonzalez, H., & Griffiths, M. (2018). Betting, Forex Trading, and Fantasy Gaming Sponsorships — A Responsible Marketing Inquiry into the “Gamblification” of English Football. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 16.
- McGee, D. (2020). On the Normalisation of Online Sports Gambling Among Young Adult Men in the UK: A Public Health Perspective. Public Health, 184.