Persuasive Communication Strategies on Online Gambling Websites

Abstract

This qualitative research, titled “Persuasive Communication in Online Gambling Websites,” investigates how the persuasive communication strategies employed in online gambling advertisements and the myths embedded within those advertisements. The study employs textual analysis as its primary methodology, using purposive sampling to select content that clearly exhibits persuasive intent. Data were collected from the 10 most accessed Thai-language online gambling websites through the Google search engine and analyzed based on both textual and visual communication elements. The study focuses on extracting persuasive messages and textual representations related to online gambling and is divided into two main parts an analysis of the textual content itself and an analysis of the accompanying modes of communication within the content.

The findings reveal that the persuasive communication of online gambling websites is not merely informative regarding services offered but strategically constructed to reshape users’ perception frameworks. Through the deployment of various signs and symbols at both denotative and connotative levels, these communications form a new kind of myth, a system of meaning that normalizes online gambling within society. Despite the illegality of gambling in Thailand, these websites have managed to sustain and expand their presence through subtle, persuasive advertising tactics. The study identifies dominant myths that reframe online gambling as a socially acceptable activity, particularly influencing those in emotionally or economically vulnerable conditions. Youth are especially susceptible to entering the cycle of gambling without awareness, which poses a risk of developing Gambling Disorder recognized as a psychiatric condition akin to substance addiction. This phenomenon contributes to broader societal problems in Thailand, including informal debt, stress, violence, criminal activity, and mental health issues.