The National Football League (NFL) is joining forced with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) in an effort to help fans keep their gambling habits in check. The campaign encourages fans to plan ahead, and budget when betting on America’s favorite sporting obsession.
“Stick to Your Game Plan. Always Bet Responsibly,” is the central message of the effort and will be backed by a multi-million dollar advertising campaign. At the center of the effort is the website responsibleplay.org, where fans can find tools that encourage responsible gambling. Messaging on the site revolves around making a gaming plan, and only working with licensed operators.
Christopher Halpin, NFL Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer expressed this sentiment in a press release on NFL.com saying, “We feel it is critical that the NFL uses the power of our voice to educate and encourage fans who choose to bet to do so in a safe and responsible way. We also recognize that responsible betting programs across the country are under-resourced, especially as legalization spreads nationwide.”
“Collectively, all of us in the sports and betting industries need to learn from international examples and make sure the development of education and support programs matches the state-by-state growth in legalized sports betting. In collaboration with the National Council on Problem Gambling and our commercial partners, the league is fully committed to advancing responsible betting awareness, education, and problem-gambling support,” he added.
The NFL’s responsible gaming message will start appearing on advertisements and on in-stadium branding immediately.
Given the NFL’s decades-long opposition to regulated sports betting, and its recent embrace of regulated sports betting, the new campaign is, at the very least, a smart PR move.