Is the media a friend or foe of the igaming sector?

The mainstream media covers the betting and gaming industry negatively and unfairly. Well, according to 79.2% of industry insiders responding to a recent Twitter poll that ran in preparation for this article. From experience, that is a view I know to be prevalent across the sector and this article will attempt to firmly present the alternative case, not merely to put a friendly arm around the sector but to highlight the danger of that opinion becoming accepted as fact.

Just 3.9% of those who voted thought the press covered the sector positively, with 16.9% suggesting the industry is subject to a neutral hearing. My job now is to convince the 79.2% they should spend more time listening to the minority as I firmly believe not only is the narrative that the media is an enemy is false, it’s incredibly damaging.

What is often perceived to be ‘bad’ coverage more likely than not stems from bad practice. Batting away and dismissing criticism as the inevitable by-product of having permanent bad press is dangerous as it creates a distraction from looking within and promising to be better, learning from mistakes and improving is where the focus should be. Hardly a month goes by without a major fine being reported and instead of complaining about not getting a fair hearing, operators should focus on implementing the right technology in the first place to prevent the fines being imposed at all.

A stubborn attitude of ‘no one likes us, we don’t care’ is also counterproductive when it comes to engaging with those seen to be sitting on the other side of the table and intently watching every move.
A roaring success
Just look at the reception for the Virtual Grand National to see what’s possible when the industry does something hugely worthwhile and goes on the front foot, communicating and engaging with everyone positively and constructively. It demonstrated the sector at its very best and the way in which all parties cooperated should lay the grounds for many more moments like this in future. At an absolute minimum, crisis or not, we should set a precedent for similar initiatives and storylines to be a part of the biggest public betting moments in down the line.

Secondly, do not underestimate the hundreds, if not thousands, of pro-betting articles which run every week across every form of media. Every article telling a betting tale or weaving odds into the storyline, whether it be running the rule over Westminster, The Love Island villa or the latest football transfer market, is an endorsement that betting informs, entertains and frames debate editorially.

Senior editors across major news websites often tell us that betting-based stories often top the charts for clicks and shares. In the right place there’s a welcome home for the right betting content.

Simply put, the overwhelming majority of media coverage that customers scroll through, click on and share day in, day out, is positive. The press is a friend of our industry, because it’s mostly pretty reflective of the tastes of the audience who love the currency and narrative that betting adds. Just consider how prevalent the language of the racecourse and betting ring is in all walks of life and punditry; if our industry was so toxic, terms like ‘runners and riders’, ‘dark horses’ and ‘odds-on favourites’ would start to disappear from the public lexicon. My father-in-law, an avid consumer of political news and someone who has never had a bet in his life, loves to literally shout the odds with me in relation to the latest SW1 fluctuations.

In summary, it’s important to remember that context is everything and despite the world becoming an increasingly partisan place, as an industry we are not even close to being as disliked as we might think. If we keep minds and dialogues open, I hope this time next year the same survey yields a different result – all of our own doing.

Alex Donohue is the founder and managing director of Press Box PR, a digital public relations agency serving clients in betting, publishing and sport.