Caesars facing calls to end Michigan State University sports betting partnership

Faculty staff at Michigan State University (MSU) have launched a petition calling for the “immediate termination” of its $9m partnership with Caesars Sportsbook.

Launched on Tuesday, the petition cites a faculty and staff commitment to look after students’ mental health, particularly in the wake of the shooting of three MSU students on campus in February.

“Like universities throughout the nation, MSU already faced a mental health crisis that the campus violence greatly exacerbated,” the petition states.

“As faculty and staff at MSU, looking after our students and doing what is best for them is something we have always taken pride in.  We have shown repeatedly how much we care about student wellbeing,” it adds.

However, the petition highlights “one glaring contradiction” to MSU staff’s ability to look after students wellbeing, namely, the partnership with Caesars, which includes signs at the Breslin Center student arena and the Spartan Stadium, which plays host to the MSU Spartans.

Also included in the agreement are broadcast and video advertisements aired during games, emails to MSU students, free tickets to games for Caesars employees, as well as an alleged non-specific clause which allows the firm to “Caesarize” tailgating spaces outside the Spartan Stadium.

The petition includes references to a recent article published in The New York Times on the MSU/Caesars partnership which questioned tactics used by Caesars to potentially induce college students to place bets, slamming both the firm and MSU for their respective conduct.

“Taking a page from the stereotypical image of a drug pusher, Caesars and the other large online gambling companies lure customers with free bets worth hundreds of dollars,” the petition states.

“Even the American Gaming Association (AGA) has a code of conduct against advertising gambling on university campuses, but MSU has embraced it.

“The number of MSU students engaging in online gambling is unknown, but given our large student body, the number is probably high. If we create even one problem gambler that will be too many, but probably we are creating hundreds of them,” it adds.

In December, Caesars confirmed to Massachusetts regulators that it would not pursue any further sports betting partnerships with colleges or universities following the backlash from The New York Times series of articles on industry practices, which included an expose on the Caesars/MSU partnership.

AGA recently strengthened its code of conduct for responsible gambling to include prohibitions on college sportsbook partnerships  and marketing practices in the sector. However, Caesars is not currently a member of AGA.

“With our partnership with Caesars, this is who MSU is: selling out for profit at the expense of our students’ wellbeing” the petition states.

“MSU should immediately terminate its agreement with Caesars. We ask interim President Woodruff and the Board of Trustees to honor our commitment to protect and take care of our students and community,” it concludes.