Shaq attack

Today we're launching our new series, ‘Under the Campaign Hood’, in which we take a closer look at some of the specific projects and campaigns that we’re engaged with that illuminate different perspectives on our work and how we put theory into practice.

First up, Marg explores how the insidious nature of the gambling industry manages to manipulate and co-opt the social capital of worthwhile causes and trusted public figures and unpicks how seemingly innocent media moments are benefitting an industry that extracts $25 billion from the community each year and the uphill battle gambling reform advocates face everyday. 

If you caught even a moment of media coverage last weekend, you no doubt saw iconic basketballer Shaquille O'Neal making headlines. 

From requesting meetings with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, to shooting hoops with Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, ‘Shaq’ as he is endearingly known, was everywhere – his star power palpable.

Shaq is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but you might also know him from his high-profile gambling ads that aired during the pandemic, after signing on as a brand ambassador and receiving equity in Australian online bookmaker PointsBet. 

This brand association is unsurprising given, according to PointsBet, “US sports, particularly professional basketball, continue to be the fastest-growing betting sport in Australia”. It is, however, frustrating to see so many trusted public figures lend their platform to someone with such deep and damaging links to the gambling industry.

Given how normalised gambling has become in this country, it is an association that is easily overlooked or dismissed. ‘He’s lending his voice to an important issue’; ‘he’s fundraising for a worthy cause’. This, of course, makes him difficult to critique, and this tension is precisely what the gambling industry relies upon when leveraging the social capital of others to market their products. It’s also a tactic straight out of the tobacco industry’s playbook.

As someone quite familiar with said playbook, I can’t help but think that it was the Prime Minister who was co-opted in this unusual exchange. Shaq didn’t explain his interest in First Nations justice, but sought a meeting with Albanese to “learn more” and following their meeting agreed to make a series of videos in support of the Voice to Parliament. 

While on the face of it this might be welcomed as a celebrity throwing their weight behind an important issue, if his press appearance was anything to go by, how committed is he really? Albanese explained this as an opportunity to “engage with people who can connect with young people in particular.” But questions remain around why is Shaq engaging in Australian politics at all and who does it actually benefit?

Of course, Shaq knows his audience. PointsBet knows his audience. Clearly the PM also knows his audience and has no qualms linking a gambling industry powerhouse with an issue of national significance in an effort to reach that audience. And if this week is anything to go by, with extensive media coverage of the press conference followed in quick succession by another onslaught of gambling ads featuring Shaq, one can only imagine what is coming when the government’s promotional videos go to air.

Not 24 hours later, AFL players Phil Davis and Josh Kelly reportedly raised $67,000 for their chosen charities at ‘Shaq’s shootout’. Another seemingly honourable act we should be praising, if not for the fact that the event was lined with wall-to-wall gambling advertising. While this is certainly not a dollar figure to scoff at, the organic reach of sports stars, media personalities and social media influencers in attendance alone no doubt generated a handsome return on that investment.

Perhaps most disappointing of all was the attendance of highly respected athlete, disability advocate and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott – who was not only photographed wearing a PointsBet jersey, but then went on to share this image to his 245,000 strong instagram followers on Sunday night.

The PointsBet marketing team no doubt thought they hit the literal jackpot when the Australian of the Year agreed to slide on that jersey. Not only were they reaching the eyeballs of a very valuable audience, the brand association and social licence imbued on that image will continue to be used for years to come.

One can only assume Alcott felt there was sufficient value in the exchange, given he even went as far as tagging the gambling company in the social media post. Of course his sporting accomplishments and disability advocacy are beyond reproach. Alcott is a hero to many (myself included), but how would we respond to this tacit endorsement if this was a tobacco (or vaping) industry-sponsored event?

Gambling harm is pervasive across all parts of Australian society – we have the highest losses per capita in the world – that the Australian of the Year saw fit to share his platform with an industry that extracts $25 billion from the community each year is indicative of a much larger conversation we need to be having about that harm and normalisation.