Gambling continues to expand in the United State as more individual states begin to launch services or work on legislation to increase their offerings. One area that continues to grow is sports betting. This year’s NCAA March Madness should be the biggest one yet in the US as more states offer land-based and online sports betting. To prepare players to be more responsible, the American Gaming Association (AGA) has decided to launch a new responsible sports betting campaign.
Have a Game Plan, Bet Responsibly
The new campaign is titled Have a Game Plan, Bet Responsibly and is already launched in two sports arenas. The first can be found in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena and the second is in Washington, D.C. at the Capital One Arena. In Las Vegas, sports betting is alive and well, having been on offer for decades. In D.C., the option is legal but has yet to launch.
The AGA will be adding the campaign in other legal markets in the near future. According to the group, around 100 million Americans will be able to legally wager on sports betting by the end of 2020. It is more important now than ever to be proactive regarding the gambling industry and equipping bettors with the tools needed to enjoy wagering in a responsible way.
The new campaign focuses on improving gaming engagement in a responsible manner via the sports leagues, teams and other groups.
A Clear Message
In the campaign, the AGA makes it clear as to how players can gamble responsibly. For starters, players are encouraged to set a budget for betting and keep it. They are also encouraged to bet socially with friends, family and co-workers.
The AGA suggests players become informed and learn all the details of the sports betting industry. Player should choose to wager via licensed and regulated sports betting operators. The launch of the new campaign comes during Problem Gambling Awareness Month and just before March Madness begins.
Additional Protections
The AGA also took time to release a responsible marketing code for operators of sports betting services. The new code focuses on several areas to ensure operators are following regulations. This includes respecting the age limit for sports betting and not providing messaging that would appeal to anyone who is legally underage for betting.
Operators are to support responsible gaming and avoid promoting excessive betting as well as provide a toll-free helpline for players. A AGA member-controlled sites must also use geolocation on all their gambling pages.
The goal of the new responsible marketing code is to ensure that operators are keeping player safety in mind when marketing their sports betting operations. As the industry continues to grow, continual efforts need to be made to provide a safe and structured environment for bettors to gamble responsibly. The campaign is just one example as to how advocates of gamblers are working to promote player safety.
