While sports betting advertising isn’t departing live events any time soon, a pair of networks and several pro leagues (including all of the “big four”) have outlined policies regarding sports betting advertising in the future.
Per the Sports Business Journal, Fox Sports, NBCUniversal, and seven pro leagues (MLB, MLS, NASCAR, NBA, NFL, NHL, and WNBA) have formed the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising, which will “craft and implement joint policies governing sports betting advertising.”
The major requirement put forward by the coalition will force advertisers “avoid glamourizing betting or using misleading language that makes it appear to be without risk.”
Here are some of the coalition’s other guidelines, via SBJ.
Other initial guidelines include limiting sportsbook advertising to programming in which a “significant majority of the audience (can be) reasonably expected” to be of legal betting age and requiring all ads include a “clear, prominent” responsible gambling message. The coalition also called for TV networks and online sites to train staff on responsible ad policies and implement compliance processes, with materials reviewed by those outside their marketing and sponsorship departments.
The onslaught of sports betting advertising has been a pain point for fans recently, and also came to the attention of the federal government. A bill introduced in February would ban sports betting advertising, though it hasn’t made it out of the House Energy and Commerce committee.
Guidelines for sports betting advertising are nothing new, and these policies are similar to those that were already implemented by the American Gaming Association.
Ultimately, while this probably won’t alter the amount of ads on broadcasts, maybe it’ll make them a slight bit more palatable.
