Overview
- Peer-reviewed research in the Journal of Gambling Studies surveyed 782 students in Galicia, average age 15, and found teens who actively follow betting “tipsters” are more likely to intend to gamble and to do so more often.
- Active followers also showed lower awareness of gambling harms and stronger money-driven motives to bet, compared with peers who do not follow tipsters or do not know them.
- Tipster content presents betting as routine and profitable, highlighting wins and hiding losses, which can create a false sense of control for adolescents.
- Many tipsters monetize through affiliate deals that pay them to bring new customers to betting operators, turning their picks into a form of marketing.
- The authors call for stricter limits on affiliate marketing on social platforms and for early prevention through media-literacy programs for schools and families.