🎰 The gambling ad blizzard

If your feed’s anything like mine, it’s flooded with gambling ads.

Sportsbet. Ladbrokes. TAB. And now, Dabble — a newer betting app that just launched a flashy campaign featuring retired F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.

Because at this point, are you even a retired Aussie sports star if you haven’t done a gambling ad?

📱 So, what actually is Dabble?

According to Ricciardo, it’s like WhatsApp and Instagram meets sports betting, but with way more banter”.

What he forgot to mention: also way more losing money.

Dabble isn’t really new — it’s a stripped-back sports betting platform with chat functionality, an easy-to-use interface, and a slick social media feel. In 2022, Tabcorp bought 20% of it for $33 million.

The pitch is all about “community” and “shared experience,” but in reality that shared experience is losing money. Australians lost $32 billion to gambling in 2022–23.

🧒 Why young people are the target

The design of apps like Dabble suggest they are clearly aimed at younger users.

According to The Australia Institute:

  • Between 30–40% of 12 to 17-year-olds surveyed had gambled.

  • By 18, that figure jumped to 46%.

  • Most young people don’t gamble alone — the behaviour is often social, introduced by family, friends, or through games.

The Institute says that informal gambling starts early — through loot boxes, smartphone games, and bets between kids — and becomes normalised by the time real money is involved.

🕵️‍♂️ How easy is it to use?

I signed up to Dabble and placed a $5 bet without having to prove I was over 18.

The app asked my age — but there was no verification check.

This ease of access, combined with the social pitch and celebrity endorsements, is part of a wider strategy: lock in the next generation of users.

📺 The reform that’s not happening

Australia’s roadmap to reform gambling ads exists — but it’s gathering dust.

More on that here.

Despite overwhelming public support for restrictions and a comprehensive plan from a parliamentary committee, the government hasn’t taken serious action, and it’s not looking likely this term.

Meanwhile, Ricciardo’s ad is just the latest reminder: gambling companies aren’t slowing down — and neither is their push to make betting feel social, normal and fun.

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