The Super Bowl is just around the corner, and the expectations are huge! Sports betting brands work on their marketing strategies and create ads. However, the Super Bowl announced that only three sports betting ads will be visible during the Super Bowl.
Reduced number of sports betting ads:
General Manager for Sports Betting at NFL, David Highhill, revealed that only one sports betting ad would be available before kickoff, and during the game, the fans will be able to see only two more of them.
The NFL recently changed the policy when it comes to in-game sports betting ads. Alex Riethmiller, a spokesperson for the NFL, commented on that: “We’ve put some policies in place to limit the amount of advertising for sports betting that happens in our live games. It’s roughly one ad per quarter. All told, less than 5% of all in-game ads are sports betting ads.”
Six years after sports betting legalization, the League tries to do everything to maintain the safety and reliability of sports betting on the highest possible level, and it is accentuated during the Super Bowl due to the high interest of the audience.
The NFL has been researching the fans’ interest in sports betting since 2019, and recently the number of fans who have participated in it or plan to participate increased, while fewer people don’t want to do it. Sports betting has been popular in the US since its legalization back in 2018, and its popularity has kept rapidly growing over the years. That increased popularity led to various complaints, especially from recovering gambling addicts, as they claim that constant advertising makes them want to bet again.
Efforts to reduce problem gambling and gambling addiction:
After various initiatives to restrict sports betting ads, most of the professional sports leagues joined forces with Fox and NBCUniversal to create a body that will oversee the sports betting ads in the US in April 2023.
Highill claims that the NFL isn’t responsible for sports betting ads. He commented: “There are times when we’re held accountable for ads that are not running in our games, that are running on other sports programming or sports radio throughout the week. Unfortunately, we can’t control all ads everywhere.”
According to the Associated Press, Jeff Miller highlighted the efforts the league invested in training its employees about problem gambling responsible gambling practices and other ways to prevent any gambling harm. He said that over 17.000 employees were trained about gambling laws and practices, as well as various disciplinary measures.
On top of that, the NFL donated $6.2 million to fund gambling treatment problems and help people who are dealing with addiction through its website and helpline, according to Keith Whyte, an executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.