Peter Vitartas

Demographic, Behavioural and Normative Risk Factors for Gambling Problems Amongst Sports Bettors

Sports betting is growing exponentially, is heavily marketed and successfully targets young adult males. Associated gambling problems are increasing. Therefore, understanding risk factors for problem gambling amongst sports bettors is an increasingly important area of research to inform the appropriate design and targeting of public health and treatment interventions. This study aimed to identify demographic, behavioural and normative risk factors for gambling problems amongst sports bettors. An online survey of 639 Australian sports bettors using online, telephone and retail betting channels was conducted. Results indicated that vulnerable sports bettors for higher risk gambling are those who are young, male, single, educated, and employed full-time or a full-time student. Risk of problem gambling was also found to increase with greater frequency and expenditure on sports betting, greater diversity of gambling involvement, and with more impulsive responses to betting opportunities, including in-play live action betting. Normative influences from media advertising and from significant others were also associated with greater problem gambling risk. The results of this study can inform a suite of intervention, protection and treatment initiatives targeted especially at young male adults and adolescents that can help to limit the harm from this gambling form.

Sports-Embedded Gambling Promotions: A Study of Exposure, Sports Betting Intention and Problem Gambling Amongst Adults

Community, media and government concerns have emerged about promoting sports betting during televised sports broadcasts, which now contain betting operators’ logos, signage, websites, commentary and betting odds. Despite large television audiences being exposed, limited research has examined how these promotions shape gambling behaviour, particularly amongst problem gamblers. Underpinned by the Theory of Reasoned Action, this study explored whether exposure and attitude to gambling promotions during televised sport predict sports betting intention and whether this relationship varies with problem gambling severity. Surveys were conducted with 1,000 adults in Queensland, Australia. Strongest predictors of greater intended frequency of sports betting were higher problem gambling severity, previous sports betting participation, more frequent exposure to the promotions, and more positive attitudes towards them. Results suggest that the audience most likely to be stimulated by these promotions are problem gamblers because they have greatest exposure and a favourable disposition to them, and report they have maintained or worsened their problem sports betting behaviours. Policy and public health interventions may be needed to counter these pervasive media messages.

Bet anywhere, anytime: an analysis of internet sports bettors' responses to gambling promotions during sports broadcasts by problem gambling severity

Promotions for online sports betting during televised sports broadcasts are regularly viewed by millions of Australians, raising concerns about their impacts on vulnerable groups including at-risk and problem gamblers. This study examined whether responses to these promotions varied with problem gambling severity amongst 455 Australian Internet sports bettors participating in an online survey. Results indicated that young male Internet sports bettors are especially vulnerable to gambling problems, particularly if they hold positive attitudes to gambling sponsors who embed promotions into sports broadcasts and to the promotional techniques they use and this heightens the risk that alluring messages contribute to excessive gambling. As problem gambling severity increased, so too did recognition that these promotions have impacted negatively on their sports betting behaviour. Because a plethora of sports betting brands and promotions are now heavily integrated into sports coverage, social marketing efforts are needed to offset their persuasive appeal and counter the positive attitudes towards them that appear linked to excessive gambling amongst Internet sports bettors.

Interface: exclusive countrysides? rural gentrification, consumer preferences and planning

Over the last two decades, rural localities within advanced capitalist societies have witnessed unprecedented changes and ruptures to local economies, new demands for rural space, and shifting rural politics, leading to a dramatic reconstitution of rural populations and the formation of a new set of rural social geographies (Bell & Osti, 2010; Marsden, 2009). Many rural places, for example, have experienced profound changes to housing and land markets (Smith, 2007) with a growing desire for rural living and an extended spatial mobility that is leading to increased competition for rural resource use. With the demise of dominant productivist agricultural models and the emergence of diverse consumer and societal demands for rural space, spatial planning has the potential to move centre-stage in the regulation of the countryside and managing rural change processes. However, as Campbell asked in a 2003 Interface on rural planning, which and whose countryside are we planning for? This Interface aims to explore one dimension of this changing countryside, by examining the gentrification of rural space and its implications for planning practice in rural localities. Gentrification, referring to the transformation of an area into a middle-class space, has most commonly been studied in urban contexts in advanced capitalist societies; however, increasingly authors have broadened the geography of gentrification studies to include gentrification processes within suburban and rural localities. While early accounts of gentrification were largely associated with distinctive landscapes of urban renovation and renaissance (Davidson & Lees, 2005) as working class neighbourhoods in global cities were transformed by new social geographies, as gentrification matures, both as a concept and as a process, new spaces of gentrification have emerged, both globally and down the urban hierarchy (Lees et al., 2010). Butler (2007), for example, suggests that the growth of large city regions have created whole new areas that have become desirable places to live, not just in the city, but also in the suburbs and beyond where previous inhabitants have found themselves moving aside for the new expanded post-industrial classes. Similarly, Phillips (2004) has been critical of the narrow gentrification research focus on urban geographies, while Smith (2002) argues that gentrification is not only apparent in a range of spatial scales, but also manifests at a range of locations—suburban, rural, inner urban and retirement hotpots such as coastal resorts. This has led Smith to call for the need to “widen the spatial lens” of gentrification studies. In this context, Davidson and Lees (2005) suggest four key elements of gentrification not attached to a specific landscape or

On the Spur of the Moment: Intrinsic Predictors of Impulse Sports Betting

Betting on impulse, without thoughtful consideration, research or informed decision-making, may cause financial and other harms and lead to the development of gambling problems. Impulse betting undermines responsible consumption of gambling because it reflects self-regulatory failure, impaired control, unreflective decision-making and betting more than planned. In this paper we define impulse gambling and report on a study that aimed to understand more about the intrinsic characteristics of sports bettors who have a greater tendency to bet on impulse. Specifically, the study aimed to identify behavioural, psychological and socio-demographic predictors of impulse sports betting. A sample of 1816 Australian sports bettors completed an online survey that measured the proportion of their bets placed on impulse both before and during sporting events, as well as bets that were researched and planned in advance. Impulse betting was common, accounting for nearly one-half of all past-year sports bets by respondents. Over three-quarters of respondents had placed one or more impulse bets in the last year and one in seven respondents had made all of their sports bets on impulse. More impulsive sports bettors were characterised as having higher trait impulsiveness, higher problem gambling severity, more frequent sports betting and a shorter history of sports betting. They favoured betting on in-match contingencies instead of overall match outcomes. While health promotion strategies are needed to discourage impulse betting, research into contextual factors that arouse urges to bet would also provide direction for harm minimisation measures that help consumers to resist impulsive betting decisions.

Improving the participation and engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in business education

ABSTRACT Most Australian universities have among their goals to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at their institutions. In the Australian higher education context, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are seriously under-represented, particularly in business education compared to other disciplines. An understanding of why a larger proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students do not choose to study a discipline that provides promising employment opportunities, is fundamental to improving the status quo. This paper reviews the literature to identify key barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ participation and engagement in business education. Apart from multiple general barriers to participation in higher education, factors specific to business as a profession and as an academic discipline are also considered. The paper then discusses a number of strategies Australian educational institutions could pursue when seeking to increase participation and engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in business. Drawing on the review, the paper concludes with recommendations for higher education institutional policy to further improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student participation and engagement in business studies.

Perceptions of Innovation from Australian SMEs: A Regional Perspective

This chapter describes the results of an Australian national survey undertaken in late 2011, with the specific focus of innovation in regional areas. The data reflects information from over 500 respondents from small and medium sized business across the full range of industry categories. The key themes were that innovation is well understood by regional businesses and is practiced across marketing, management and operational processes, as well as (to a lesser extent) the development of goods and services. Where is occurred, collaboration predominantly happened between businesses rather than with other entities, and the primary drivers for innovation were profit motives and the ability to be responsive to customer needs. On the other hand, barriers to innovation included the cost of development, government regulation or a lack of additional funds. As a nation, Australia benefits from regional businesses innovation through stronger productivity and profitability, better networks and links across sectors and community wellbeing. These findings suggest the need to provide support for businesses by providing additional business planning advice and developing links and networks between businesses. There is also the need for government organizations and departments, universities and economic development organizations to find ways to support and foster innovation by businesses, for example, through networking and alliance building. Further strategies for innovation include supporting population growth in regional areas and improving transport infrastructure.

Understanding persuasive attributes of sports betting advertisements: A conjoint analysis of selected elements

Background and aims Despite recent growth in sports betting advertising, minimal research has examined the influence of different advertising message attributes on betting attitudes and behaviors. This study aimed to identify which attributes of sports betting advertisements most engage attention, interest, desire and likelihood of betting among non-problem, low-risk, moderate-risk, and problem gamblers. Methods A novel approach utilizing an experimental design incorporating conjoint analysis examined the effects of: three message formats (commentary, on-screen display, and studio crossover); four appeals (neutral, jovial, ease of placing the bet, and sense of urgency); three types of presenters (match presenter, sports betting operator, and attractive non-expert female presenter); and four bet types (traditional, exotic key event, risk-free, and micro-bet). A professional film company using paid actors produced 20 mock television advertisements simulating typical gambling messages based on the conjoint approach. These were embedded into an online survey of 611 Australian adults. Results The most attention-grabbing attributes were type of presenter and type of bet. The attractive non-expert female presenter gained more attention from all gambler groups than other presenters. The type of bet was most persuasive in converting attention into likely betting among all gambler groups, with the risk-free bet being much more persuasive than other bet types. Problem gamblers were distinct by their greater attraction to in-play micro-bets. Discussion and conclusion Given the potential for incentivized bets offering financial inducements and for in-play micro-bets to undermine harm minimization and consumer protection, regulators and wagering operators should reconsider whether these bet types are consistent with their responsible gambling objectives.

The Contribution of Business Operators to Regional Areas: Roles, Skills, Benefits Beyond the Store Front

Why would an entrepreneur leave a secure position or business, with all their creature comforts, and move to a regional area of Australia to take on a new business venture? The statistics on regional populations have indicated that these areas are aging; the young have no interest in staying in regional areas and are moving to the cities for education and job opportunities. Further, regional areas suffer from a lack of services and infrastructure. Yet rural regions are still attracting people; many of whom are willing to establish an enterprise as a means of employment. This chapter specifically reports on data from self-employed business operators who have moved to a regional community. The data was collected as part of a larger study on professional and other highly skilled workers, that examined how rural communities can capture maximum benefit from an increasingly mobile and transitory workforce (Kilpatrick, S., Vitartas, P., Homisan, M., & Johns, S. (2010) The Mobile Skilled Workforce: Optimising benefits for rural communities. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, ACT). In this work, the new business operators are examined as a subset of mobile skilled workers, with the objective of identifying the benefits that regional areas derive from their skills; as well as exploring the contribution that business operators make beyond the services and produce of their enterprise. These new business operators face many challenges in integrating into the community and running their businesses. Their work and efforts often go unrecognised because they operate in the private sector and there is an expectation that their efforts are rewarded through the profit of their business. In this context, innovative community settings that could encourage and support new operators are identified and discussed.

Factors Influencing Local Government Capital Works Procurement: Developing a Research Agenda

Capital works procurement policies and processes have a wide variation in type and style, however it is unclear whether and how the different types of procurement approaches impact on delivery and operational outcomes for capital works projects. This paper reviews the extant literature on procurement, focusing particularly on capital works procurement, to examine the range of relevant factors that contribute to procurement decisions. It concludes with offering a testable framework to assist in determining the elements included in optimal capital works procurement processes.