MLB is on board as an official partner of the AGA’s “Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly” public campaign. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
A strong partner
MLB has teamed up with the American Gaming Association (AGA) as part of a new responsible gambling campaign called “Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” The announcement on Thursday outlined what exactly the partnership will mean.
Announcements will begin at the start of the 2022 playoffs
MLB will soon be running public service announcements promoting responsible sports betting across its digital media and broadcast channels. These announcements will begin at the start of the 2022 playoffs.
Each of the 30 MLB teams will be able to engage as partners of the campaign if they wish. The AGA will also provide expertise and counsel to the league in order to help boost knowledge of responsible gambling throughout the league.
Helping promote responsible gambling
MLB is already a National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) partner, but it now has platinum status and will become a part of the NCPG leadership group. The league will work on different types of problem gambling initiatives, including the promotion of the National Problem Gambling Helpline. MLB has been an NCPG member since 2005 when it was the first professional sports league to join.
Founded in 1972, the NCPG is a non-profit group that acts as an advocate for problem gamblers when it comes to developing gambling policy, as well as directly helping problem gamblers. Despite that, the NCPG maintains a neutral stance on gambling.
MLB’s executive vice president of business development Kenny Gresh underlined the league’s commitment to helping fans across the country bet responsibly. Speaking about what the future holds, Gersh said: “…we’ll be able to expand our responsible gaming efforts further, driving new education, awareness and support service initiatives.”
AGA’s senior vice president Casey Clark also welcomed MLB on board as a campaign partner, stating that it is a milestone for both the campaign and the organization’s nationwide responsible gambling efforts. He believes that MLB’s involvement will cause a meaningful impact.
Pro sports leagues stepping up
September was the very first Responsible Gaming Education Month, the idea of which was to promote education among sports fans and improve gaming literacy. There were a number of initiatives throughout the month, including an AGA-hosted webinar and some major sportsbooks releasing a new pledge to tackle problem gambling.
In addition to MLB, the PGA Tour was already a partner of the AGA’s “Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly” campaign. Other professional sports organizations have also been increasing their responsible gambling awareness efforts. During Sunday Night Football, the NFL aired a responsible gambling ad, using the “Stick to Your Gameplan” tagline.
