In response to the numerous advertisements for online sportsbooks and casinos, the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has produced a public service announcement (PSA). The goal of the non-profit RGC is to try and educate those in the Ontario province of Canada about the dangers of problem gambling.
The PSA, titled “Online Betting is HUGE!”, is a direct response to all of the advertising and shows the possible dangers and financial liabilities of reckless gambling. Gambling and sports betting has been legal since April and there has been an explosion of companies trying to grab market share.
Developed by Zulu Alpha Kilo, the PSA deliberately mimics the look and feel of such advertising to deliver a clear warning to Ontarians who might otherwise be drawn into reckless habits by the hype and excitement abundant in those ads.
“This is a time of immense change in the gambling industry and it’s important that Ontarians are getting a balanced perspective in the media,” says Elaine McDougall, director of marketing and communications for the RGC. “Our goal with this PSA is to ensure that anyone who participates in online gambling knows there is risk involved and how to practice safer play.”
Brian Murray, Zulu’s ECD, said they wanted to poke fun at the ads that often show happy gamblers winning jackpots.
“We knew that this PSA ultimately needed to be about encouraging critical thinking,” Murray said. He added that there is a “fantasy often depicted in these ads.”
The PSA will run until the end of March on donated TV and radio. It will also expand to organic social and targeted paid media in the coming weeks.
