Ohio Unveils Responsible Gambling Campaign Ahead of Jan 1 Sports Betting Debut

Ohio’s regulated online and mobile sports betting market will be going live the day after tomorrow, January 1, 2023. So, as the Buckeye State draws closer to its date with destiny, the state is keen to ensure that its citizens are protected. As a result, a tough-talking memo from the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) was sent out to operators across the state, reminding them of proper gaming conduct. The notice emphasized three tenets, namely:

All ads must feature a responsible gambling message.
All Responsible Gambling (RG) messages must be conspicuous.
Ads can’t target individuals under 21 years old.

This stern memo comes hot on the heels of notable operator violations recently punished by Ohio’s gaming ombudsman. For example, PENN entertainment, the soon-to-be parent company of Barstool Entertainment, was recently slapped with a $25,0000 fine for airing gambling advertisements to underage individuals.

In an obvious response to this incident, the heavily worded memo read in part:

Quote

“In recent weeks, the advertising actions of the industry at large have been concerning. As you know, back in June, the commission published FAQs allowing advertising prelaunch and clearly stating the standards the industry would be held to- the standards in Ohio law. However, the commission has seen the industry break three of those tenets recently.”

In the memo, the OCCC further expressed confidence that better advertising practices by the operators would help to reduce problem gambling cases in the Buckeye State. The advertising practices encouraged here include using bigger fonts to display important gambling hotlines that could be a lifeline to many problem gamblers. On this issue, the statement by the regulator read,

Quote

“An advertisement should not have to be zoomed in on, slowed down, or the volume turned up for an individual to see or hear a helpline number. Our expectation is that the helpline number be at least nearly as clear, legible, and audible, as the advertisement, whether advertised directly or by an operator, or through an affiliate marketer.”

The ‘Pause Before You Play’ Campaign

In 2017, a study conducted in the Buckeye State revealed that one in ten Ohio residents who were gambling at that time were experiencing or were at risk of developing a gambling problem. In addition, the study narrowed the field to sports bettors, having the highest risk of problem gambling at 24.3% and casino gamblers following closely at 24%.

With this study in mind, the OCCC launched a responsible gambling campaign dubbed ‘The Pause Before You Play’ ahead of welcoming sports betting on the first day of 2023. The campaign seeks to highlight the problem gambling issue to many prospective gamblers and guide the players on what they need to do to gamble responsibly.

In case you didn’t know, this campaign is not the first program rolled out by the regulator to educate Buckeyes about safe gambling. It follows the ‘Get Set Before You Bet’ campaign that promoted a similar message to prospective sports bettors.

Speaking on the need for the campaign, the Director of Operations and Problem Gambling Services at OCCC, Amanda Blackford, said:

Quote

“In other states that preceded Ohio in legalizing sports betting, we’ve seen higher interest and more struggles with problem gambling. We want people to have fun and be responsible.”

The overall consensus from Ohio seems to be that Problem Gambling is a potential disaster that needs to be prevented at all costs. Throwing his weight behind the campaign, Derek Longmeier, the Executive Director at Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, echoed Amanda’s sentiments, saying:

Quote

“The challenges of problem gambling go far beyond the person placing the bet. Families, children, and businesses all face consequences with a person’s gambling addiction. The majority of Ohioans who gamble will stay within their limits. As sports betting grows exponentially in 2023, it makes sense that we will see more challenges here in Ohio.”

Player Safety at the Forefront of Market Launch

As Ohioans wait with bated breath for the New Year to usher in legal sports betting within state lines, 16 online sportsbooks are ready to start taking bets remotely. Moreover, while the revenue is expected to be massive, it is even more impressive to see that regulators are cautious about responsible gambling.