The American Gaming Association’s (AGA) new marketing code for betting has come into effect.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) has introduced the Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering which is intended to prevent the irresponsible advertising of sportsbook products.
This comes in time for the start of Responsible Gaming Education Week (RGEW) in the US.
Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering
The AGA’s marketing code states that “messages will not promote irresponsible or excessive participation in sports wagering” and that “each message will contain a responsible gaming message, along with a toll-free helpline number where practical.”
On top of this, the code states that advertisements may not suggest that sports wagering can guarantee “social, financial or personal success.”
The code also states that sports wagering advertising should not be “licensed for use on clothing, toys, games, or game equipment intended primarily for persons below the legal age for sports wagering.”
The AGA code also states that adverts “should adhere to contemporary standards of good taste.”
Sports wagering also cannot be promoted on college or university campuses. Last week, the Australian sportsbook operator PointsBet, which is not an AGA member and therefore not required to adhere to the code, signed a deal with the University of Colorado Buffaloes which will allow the operator to promote its product at the University’s stadium.
AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said: “Responsible Gaming Education Week provides a perfect opportunity to launch this important initiative, holding everyone accountable to a standard set by responsible operators.
“By adhering to this code, US sports betting operators are putting consumers first, and I’m thankful to the distinguished industry representatives on the compliance review board who will help raise the bar for the marketing of sports betting activity in the United States.”
Enforcing the marketing code
The AGA’s new responsible marketing code will be overseen by a Code Compliance Review Board, which is made up of two independent co-chairs and five AGA member representatives.
The five AGA member representatives include:
- Laura McAllister Cox, vice president of regulatory compliance & legal counsel at Rush Street Gaming
- Stephen Martino, senior vice president & chief compliance officer at MGM Resorts International
- Sharon Otterman, chief marketing officer at William Hill
- Paul Pellizzari, vice president for global social responsibility at Hard Rock
- Chris Soriano, vice president & chief compliance officer at Penn National Gaming
AGA members will provide training on the marketing code and will deliver copies of the code to advertising agencies, third-party marketers like affiliates and media buyers.
