The American Gaming Association (AGA) has expanded its Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming to ensure the regulation of sports betting, as the practice grows to reach new audiences.
Earlier this year, a campaign spearheaded by the AGA saw sports betting legalized on a national level, but its work isn’t over as it adjusts its recommendations to ensure the practice is rolled out safely for businesses and consumers alike.
The AGA will be present at the first sports betting symposium that will be held at G2E 2018, where industry insiders will discuss best practices for adopting sports betting following the ruling.
Adjusting to new practices
Now that rules surrounding sports betting have been clarified at the federal level, the AGA is adding its own guidelines to the practice. It’s added provisions relating to sports betting to its Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming. In order to adapt the document to the widespread legality of sports betting, the term “or sports betting” has been added extensively throughout the document.
The tone of the changes reflects the level playing field on which gambling and sports betting finds itself in the United States, following the legislative changes made earlier this year.
Recommendations include minors being banned from being unattended on a casino floor, alcohol being served in moderation, and that visibly intoxicated people should not be allowed to gamble.
The document goes on to advise that information relating to responsible gambling should be made readily available to the public and that advertising should only encourage responsible gambling and should not make the practice look attractive to minors. Members are also reminded that as well as following the AGA’s guidelines, they must also abide by state law.
The main concern for the association is preventing a fall out similar to that of the fantasy sports advertising saga in 2015, and they hope that by rolling out resources for businesses operating in the space that, with enough information on the practice being made readily available, will prevent a similar scenario from repeating itself.
A wide-reaching approach
Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs for the AGA, said the association has already begun work with sports leagues and broadcasters to educate them about the responsibilities linked to the legalization of sports betting.
According to the Las Vegas Review, Slane said: “We want to work in partnership with the larger stakeholders in the community, including the broadcasters and the leagues, to ensure that advertising that is happening around sports betting is being done responsibly.”
She added that the AGA is working on a task force that would work on communication issues that can arise with newly legalized forms of gambling, some of which have occurred in the past.
“One of the best lessons we learned was from the mistakes that daily fantasy sports made back in 2015, certainly when it came to the issue of advertising responsibly.”
It is important for the AGA to manage how gaming companies advertise the new service, in order to prevent any regulatory issues as was the case in 2015 with fantasy sports.
First sports betting symposium
Meanwhile, with the arrival of a new market for gaming companies, the Global Gaming Expo has announced the inclusion of the first sports betting symposium at G2E 2018. Talks will take place throughout the event that is scheduled to run from October 8 through 11.
The symposium will aim to give gaming professionals the knowledge and tools they will need to benefit the most from the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn the federal ban on sports betting.
Sessions will cover both legislative and business points and will offer an interactive guided tour of the G2E expo, to allow businesses and suppliers to connect.
“As states and sovereign tribal nations consider whether or not to enact legalized sports betting, the Sports Betting Symposium at G2E will offer the world’s foremost experts, business leaders, and operational solutions to build a thriving legal market in the United States,” Slane said.
Talks cover topics including what the ruling really means for businesses operating in the gaming space, preparing for legalized sports betting, a lecture on the business of sports betting and lessons learned from early adopters of legalized sports betting in the US.
