Various Sportsbooks & Casinos Agree To Restrict Youth-Oriented Advertising

• You won’t see cartoon sportsbook mascots or wagering ads during kids’ shows.
• The agreement is voluntary, though legislators could advance the concept in future law proposals.

NEW YORK – On Tuesday, US casinos and sportsbook operators agreed to abide by a set of sports betting advertising standards. The agreement bars ads that target minors, and it comes at the urging of the American Gaming Association (AGA).

This means that you won’t see sports betting associated with cartoon mascots. Nor will the betting industry use child-oriented entertainment personalities be spokespersons.

Additionally, the industry bars advertising from platforms geared toward younger audiences. There will be no sports wagering ads during your kid’s Saturday morning TV shows, for example.

This agreement is not legally binding, but because the AGA has backed it, it is a de facto industry standard.

Naturally, advertising is a big part of driving sports wagering adoption for states that are legalizing the pastime.

The closest analog to the potential for betting advertising is 2015’s daily fantasy sports campaign. This saw rival brands DraftKings and FanDuel shell out over $300 million on upwards of 80,000 ads. Both of these companies are key players in the sports betting industry.

However, it is important to remember that the DFS ad avalanche was a nationwide campaign. As sports wagering is legal only on a limited state-by-state basis, marketing approaches will be more subdued.

Nevertheless, ads will be forthcoming en masse. This agreement guarantees that reputable wagering brands won’t market directly to children.

While this pact is questionably necessary, no state’s betting legislation covers the issue. No state has comprehensive language barring specific forms of betting advertising.

This voluntary advertising restriction could have a positive effect in statehouses nationwide.  Youth access and gambling addiction are primary talking points for states considering legalization. This may give on-the-fence politicians the confidence they need to embrace the future and roll out legal sports betting in their states.

Of course, it may also lead to the perceived need to codify such limited advertising. This, in turn, could equate to more legislative red tape for states looking to launch sports wagering as soon as possible.

News tags: American Gaming Association | DraftKings | FanDuel