Madison Square Garden Sports and Madison Square Garden Entertainment joined the promotion of responsible gaming campaign under the auspices of the American Gaming Association. The New York Knicks and New York Rangers will participate as part of the Madison Square Garden sphere for the “Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly” campaign.
“With the continued growth of legal sports gaming throughout the tri-state area, it’s a priority for MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment to ensure that fans and viewers have access to educational resources on how to wager responsibly,” said Madison Square Garden Entertainment Executive Vice President, Marketing Partnerships Ron Skotarczak in a statement. “Providing a platform to amplify `Have A Game Plan’ is essential to our strategy and supporting future growth in this industry.”
In November, MSG Sports announced a multi-year marketing partnership with Caesars Sportsbook as the official betting partner of the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden, and MSG Networks, according to CDC Gaming Reports.
As part of the new partnership with Caesars Sportsbook in November, MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment will feature responsible gaming messages at Madison Square Garden and through the Knicks and Rangers. Messaging will also appear in on MSG Network programming.
“MSG is a fixture in the New York sports market, and we are proud to have them join `Have A Game Plan,’” said AGA Senior Vice President Casey Clark in a statement. “MSG’s unique activations further support our goal of convening the sports betting ecosystem around a common message to advance responsible gaming.”
MSG Sports joins BetMGM, DraftKings, Entain, FanDuel, Global Payments, MGM Resorts International, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, NASCAR, the New York Jets, NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Washington Football Team as a partial list of partners in the campaign.
In related news, the NFL aired its first public service announcement on responsible sports betting during the Cowboys-Saints game December 2
The 30-second PSA highlighted retired coach Steve Mariucci stressing the league’s core message when it comes to responsible gambling: “Stick to your game plan. Always bet responsibly.”
“Getting the tone where you’ll get people’s attention, so it’s not just lost in the flow of TV ads, but also having a clear, supportive tone was important,” Chris Halpin, NFL chief strategy and growth officer, told ESPN.
The PSA will air one time during game broadcasts, but the frequency could vary, and new messages introduced as the playoffs approach. Still to be settled: run a PSA during the Super Bowl.
The messages are part of the NFL initiative to develop a safer sports betting system in the U.S. In October, the league announced a $6.2 million, three-year partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling, the biggest grant for the nonprofit organization. The council operates ResponsiblePlay.org, a website the NFL plugs.
