Posted on: December 5, 2024, 10:29h.
Last updated on: December 5, 2024, 10:29h.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) is expanding its public service campaign related to sports betting.
In 2019, the AGA debuted “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” The initiative seeks to promote responsible sports wagering participation through education.
On Thursday, the AGA unveiled a fifth core principle of the “Have A Game Plan” tutorial — “Keep Your Cool.” The additional pillar emphasizes the importance of not harassing players, coaches, referees, or anyone else involved in the outcome of a sporting event.
Winning and losing are part of the game, so remember — no matter the outcome — to keep your cool. Criticizing players or officials, online or in-person over a lost bet, crosses the line. Keep the focus on having fun. Good sportsmanship isn’t just for players on the field. It’s for everyone,” the AGA said.
The AGA’s “Have A Game Plan” PSA came a year after the United States Supreme Court struck down a federal law that had limited single-game sports betting to Nevada. The landmark decision gave states the right to determine whether sports gambling is allowed. Over the past six years, 39 states and Washington, D.C., passed laws to legalize sports betting.
Keeping It Fun
Before the 2018 SCOTUS decision, sports betting was confined to Nevada and parlay wagering in Delaware. The bulk of the nation’s sports gambling action was facilitated underground with illegal bookies and unregulated websites.
The court’s finding that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act violated the U.S. Constitution brought sports gambling out from the underground and into the mainstream. It ushered in millions of new gamblers to the gaming industry, with young men accounting for the bulk of the new market.
The AGA says legal, regulated sports betting protects consumers and negatively impacts the black market. But the commercial and tribal gaming trade group stresses that with more gaming and sports betting, more safeguards are needed.
“Have A Game Plan” launched with four core principles — set a budget, keep it social, know the odds, and play legally. The campaign urges sports bettors to establish and stick to a financial loss or wagering limit, bet responsibly as part of a shared activity, know the terminology and odds of each wager, and only participate with a legal, regulated sportsbook.
“Keep Your Cool” expands on the campaign to encourage bettors to refrain from negative response actions — both in-person and online.
Responsible gaming efforts like ‘Have A Game Plan’ and other proactive efforts by legal operators are resonating with consumers and making a difference,” said Bill Miller, president and CEO of the AGA. “‘Keep Your Cool’ builds on this momentum by reminding bettors that a betting result is not an invitation to criticize a team, official, or athlete.”
The AGA’s “Have A Game Plan” initiative is sponsored by the MLB, NBA, NHL, WNBA, PGA Tour, and NASCAR. Several leading sportsbooks, including BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, are also listed as program partners.
Sports Betting Continues Growth
The AGA reports that oddsmakers won about $10 billion through three quarters of 2024. That’s up almost 38% year-over-year, or a gain of approximately $2.7 billion.
U.S. bettors legally wagered more than $98.9 billion with sportsbooks during the nine months. The top five sports betting states by handle and revenue are New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
The only states that still do not permit some form of legal sports betting are Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.
