A new group, the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising, has recently formed to “do their part to help ensure a responsible approach to sports betting advertising.” The group is a voluntary association involving media entities and sports leagues.
The coalition is comprised of several professional sports organizations, including the National Football League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, Women's National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, NBCUniversal and Fox.
MLB EVP, Media & Business Development Kenny Gersh noted the importance of supporting ongoing responsible gaming education and said the league is excited to join the coalition.
"Forming this coalition with fellow leaders in sports and entertainment is another important step for our industry as legal sports betting continues to grow. While providing new fan engagement opportunities to enjoy our sport in more ways, we have to continue to be mindful and deliberate with how these sports betting options are presented and to whom they’re directed.
“Layering this coalition’s work in the advertising arena on top of our efforts to promote responsible gambling and address problem gambling challenges will lead to more thoughtful planning and implementation across the board.”
The Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising said it “has committed to implement and maintain consumer protection policies consistent with six principles,” which include only marketing to legal betting-age adults, only promoting responsible gaming ads and supporting ads that are “in good taste” and are not misleading.
Meanwhile, AGA SVP Casey Clark also weighed in on the newly formed association’s efforts by saying: “We applaud the responsible advertising commitments announced today by many of America’s biggest players in sports entertainment.
"Closely mirroring commitments already made by AGA members through our recently updated Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, these efforts reflect a shared prioritization of responsible gaming and consumer protection.
“Building a sustainable legal wagering market requires alignment from the entire sports betting ecosystem, and today’s announcement is another important step.”
