A bill that would ban sports betting advertising has been introduced in the House of Representatives.
Per Legal Sports Report, Representative Paul Tonko, a Democrat from New York, introduced the bill, called the “Betting on Our Future Act.”
Tonko’s bill declares that it would be “unlawful to advertise a sportsbook on any medium of electronic communication subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.” Those mediums under FCC jurisdiction include TV, radio, and internet.
A fact sheet provided by Tonko’s office mentions that DraftKings spent $900 million on advertising in 2020 and the first two quarters of 2021. It also compares sports betting advertising to tobacco advertising, which was banned by 1965’s Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act.
The American Gaming Association released a statement about the bill, saying in part that their members “adamantly oppose any legislation that seeks to ban or limit casino gaming advertising, including for legal sports betting.” The AGA urged Congress to instead “focus its attention on combatting the predatory and pervasive offshore illegal market.”
Even if this bill goes nowhere, the flood of sports betting advertising is getting noticed by people who might be able to do something about it.
About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.