New York regulator pushes for tougher line on underage gambling ads
Empire state authorities call for measures to bar endorsements by college athletes and depictions of underage individuals
Representatives from the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) have tabled amendments to the Empire State’s rules clamping down on college and underage sports betting advertising.
Central to these changes is the ethos of preventing gambling by college-age individuals, with the regulator understood to be concerned about a rise in problem-gambling related calls to the New York-based council on its problem gambling helpline.
Changes on the table, which are set to be discussed further during the NYSGC’s meeting later today, include a ban on the promotion of sports betting on college or university-owned assets including school newspapers, radio stations, etc.
One important exemption to this proposal is any advertisement specifically not targeted to the individual area of a college or university in the state, language which could potentially make for a difficult enforcement.
Depiction of individuals under the minimum age for wagering in the state (currently set at 21) in any form of sports betting advertisement, include professional athletes during sporting events, would be expressly prohibited.
In addition, all endorsements made by non-professional athletes under the statewide age for sports betting showcased in a sports betting advert would likewise be prohibited under the proposals.
Under New York’s current state gambling laws, residents are prohibited from placing bets on in-state college teams.
The proposed rules are the latest in a slew of mooted changes to how sports betting is advertised in the US, with considerations on both local advertising and advertising at a federal level all on the legislative merry-go-round.
In December, legislation was introduced in New York State seeking to curb so-called “predatory” advertising by sportsbook operators following concerns about over promotion of sports betting in the state in the wake of its launch in January 2022.
Ohio, which launched in January, has some of the strictest sports betting advertising rules anywhere in the US, with several operators being fined in the early stages following market launch.
Massachusetts, which went live with retail sports betting in January, is set to follow Ohio’s lead with proscriptive advertising regulations when its own online sports betting market goes live next month.
Several operators have committed to the curbing of terms like ‘risk-free’ in their sportsbook advertising, while others have said they will no longer pursue advertising-related deals with colleges and universities.
At a federal level, the biggest challenge to national sports betting advertising is the Betting on our Future Act (BOFA), introduced earlier this year, that would see sports betting advertising prohibited almost completely in the US.