The PGA Tour announced it recently joined the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising, a voluntary association of sports leagues and media founded by the National Football League and Fox Sports in 2023 to ensure responsible sports betting advertising.
In addition, the Tour renewed its participation within the Leadership Circle of the National Council on Problem Gambling, joining numerous other sports organizations to guarantee the viability of the council’s overall operations, sustainability, future growth and innovation.
PGA Tour Vice President of Gaming Scott Warfield said, “With the proliferation of sports betting in the United States, the PGA Tour remains committed to establishing a safe and healthy marketplace for consumers. The Tour is proud to stand alongside its fellow sports leagues and network partners on the coalition, as well as with our colleagues at NCPG, in our continued mission to educate fans on the merits of gambling responsibly and the resources available to address problem gambling issues.”
Besides the PGA Tour, NFL and Fox, the coalition consists of Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, Women’s National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and NBC Sports. The coalition is committed to implementing and maintaining consumer protection policies in accordance with these six principles:
- Sports betting should be marketed only to adults of legal betting age;
- Sports betting advertising should not promote irresponsible or excessive gambling or degrade the consumer experience;
- Sports betting advertisements should not be misleading;
- Sports betting advertisements should be in good taste;
- Publishers should have appropriate internal reviews of sports betting advertising;
- Publishers should review consumer complaints pertaining to sports betting advertising.
The coalition issued a statement declaring, “As the legalization of sports betting spreads nationwide, we feel it is critical to establish guardrails around how sports betting should be advertised to consumers across the United States. Each member of the coalition feels a responsibility to ensure sports betting advertising is not only targeted to an appropriate audience but also that the message is thoughtfully crafted and carefully delivered.”
Through its participation in the NCPG’s Leadership Circle, the Tour will continue to assist the NCPG’s efforts to minimize the economic and social costs associated with problem gambling. Toward that end, the Tour once again will launch a multi-platform marketing campaign in support of the NCPG’s Problem Gambling Awareness Month program in March.
Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, said, “The PGA Tour’s continuous investment in responsible gambling and problem gambling education initiatives exemplifies its leadership in navigating the evolving landscape of legalized sports betting with integrity and responsibility.”
Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, the PGA Tour has managed a multifaceted integrity program that includes: monitoring for suspicious activity within global golf betting markets; monitoring betting activity of covered persons under its integrity policy; and investing in responsible gambling and problem gambling education initiatives.
