New betting advertisement limitations might be considered in New York

New York Commission Could Restrict Sports Betting Advertising

By Lisa Spencer Senior Editor Updated: 08 March 2023

Lisa Spencer Senior Editor

As a Senior Editor at Betting.US, Lisa Spencer is a valuable member of our expert team. With a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Lisa is adept in gambling theory and analyzing odds. She contributes by writing online sportsbook reviews and finding competitive markets to help our readers make an informed choice.

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As the nation battles to tackle gambling addiction among sports bettors, New York is one of several states considering restrictions on advertisements for sports betting. It has been reported that the New York State Gaming Commission is looking to make changes to its regulations in relation to sports betting advertising, which will have a huge impact on operators across the state.

While some states are restricting sports betting ads to deal with addiction in general, New York commissioners appear to be focusing on reducing exposure to underage individuals. As such, the aim is to make advertisements less appealing to those who are underage and not to make it sound like sports betting is part of becoming an adult.

The Use of Predatory Tactics

The proposal for the regulation changes was put forward by Edmund Burns, general counsel for the New York State Gaming Commission. He is said to have used a range of sources to put the information together for consideration.

In a statement, Burns wrote:

Elements of the proposal are derived from the American Gaming Association’s Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, which is a private trade association’s voluntary self-regulation code, and sports wagering advertising regulations from other states, such as Arizona, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virginia.

It is reported that a number of sportsbook operators in New York have used what is described as predatory tactics since online sports betting went live just over a year ago. Changes to the rules would help to eliminate this issue, as it would help to limit exposure to underage people.

As part of the rule changes, operators would not be allowed to use cartoon characters, music that influences younger people, or advertise in higher education environments. Officials believe that putting these rules into place would ensure that marketing was not targeted at younger individuals who are not of the legal age to bet on sports.

Addressing the Wider Gambling Issue

Like other states, New York officials are also keen to address the wider issue of gambling addiction, which is partly fueled by enticing promotions and advertisements. This is something that a lot of states are now clamping down on, and it is something that the gaming commission in New York is also keen to tackle.

In addition to dealing with exposure of underage people to betting ads in the state, commission officials also want to promote responsible gaming and reduce the risk of gambling addiction. In a bid to achieve this, there would be further stringent rules put into place regarding advertisements from sports betting operators.

When marketing their platforms, operators would not be able to use terms such as ‘risk-free’, ‘cost-free’, or ‘free’ if the promotion involves gamblers wagering their own money first and risking financial losses.

In addition, when advertising certain promotions, operators would need to make it clear how much the bettor would need to wager in order to receive any bonus or freebie being advertised. This information also has to be in the same font as the wording relating to the bonus or freebie so that it is not missed by gamblers.