NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National
Football League ("NFL") today announced the launch of an extensive,
integrated league-wide responsible betting public awareness program
designed to educate fans who choose to engage in sports betting to
do so responsibly. The key message encourages people to play
responsibly by sticking to a game plan, including setting a budget
to know their limits, using licensed, regulated operators, and
asking for help if they need it. The core message of the campaign's
creative is "Stick to Your Game Plan. Always Bet
Responsibly."
"We feel it is critical that the NFL uses the power of our voice
to educate and encourage fans who choose to bet to do so in a safe
and responsible way," said Christopher
Halpin, NFL Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and
Growth Officer. "We also recognize that responsible betting
programs across the country are under-resourced, especially as
legalization spreads nationwide. Collectively, all of us in
the sports and betting industries need to learn from international
examples and make sure the development of education and support
programs matches the state-by-state growth in legalized sports
betting. In collaboration with the National Council on Problem
Gambling and our commercial partners, the league is fully committed
to advancing responsible betting awareness, education, and
problem-gambling support."
As part of this initiative, the NFL has made a
multimillion-dollar, multi-year commitment to significantly expand
its long-standing partnership with the National Council on Problem
Gambling ("NCPG"). NCPG is the leading advocacy group
committed to addressing problem gambling through public education
programs and help services. The NFL's funding will enable the NCPG
to launch a national grant program to fund enhanced services
offered by local and statewide providers, as well as innovative
prevention programs, including expansion of youth-facing curricula.
The league's support will also transform the national problem
gambling Helpline system and allow for the development of improved
communications tools, including a new website,
www.responsibleplay.org, which will provide the public with quick
tips about betting safely and support resources for those in
need.
"The National Council on Problem Gambling is pleased to partner
with the NFL to shine a light on the importance of responsible
betting," said Keith Whyte, National
Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director. "With this
partnership, we are able to exponentially enhance the NCPG's
ability to provide advocacy, awareness, and assistance on problem
gambling. The NFL's far-reaching initiative demonstrates its strong
commitment to being an industry leader in raising awareness. The
league's support of our advocacy efforts will help fund new
communications initiatives, such as ResponsiblePlay.org and a PSA
about problem gambling, expand gambling prevention services where
they are most needed, and modernize our National Problem Gambling
Helpline operations with updated capabilities."
Beginning today and continuing throughout the season, fans will
see the NFL's responsible betting initiative roll out across a
variety of channels including online, in-stadium, social media and
in print. Later this fall, the program will begin to run on
national and local television, including broadcast partners and NFL
owned-and-operated media channels. In addition, the NFL is
working with clubs to spread awareness and education at the local
level.
Additional Details about the NFL's Responsible Betting
Initiative and Related Partnerships include:
- NFL Campaign
-
- The NFL's initiative is informed by fan research and was
developed in collaboration with NCPG. The goal of the platform is
to establish a clear tone and stance that provides fans who choose
to engage in sports betting with an opportunity to raise awareness
about responsible betting tactics and resources.
- Consumer-Facing Messaging Details:
-
- Primary Message: "Stick to Your Game Plan. Always Bet
Responsibly."
- Messaging Will Encourage Bettors To: Have a solid game
plan; Set a budget; Know your limits; Use licensed, regulated
operators; and Bet responsibly
- Messaging Will Drive Bettors To: Visit responsibleplay.org for
additional resources and to learn more
- National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)
-
- The NFL has partnered with NCPG and is providing financial
support to help prevent gambling addiction and to help develop a
sustainable and safer sports betting ecosystem. The NFL will also
serve as a voice for the NCPG so that fans and bettors are aware of
the resources available to them.
- The NFL has provided the organization with support in upgrading
the National Problem Gambling Helpline system by raising
criteria, improving call center technology, data collection,
reporting, training, and certification. This National
Helpline is crucial in prevention and safety, and connects callers
instantly and automatically with the appropriate state call
center. Help is available 24 hours a day/365 days a
year by calling or texting 800-522-4700 or by going to
ncpgambling.org/chat.
- In addition to supporting impactful programs such as Helpline,
NFL contributions will provide a wide range of additional benefits,
including:
-
- Critical investment in the foundation of a national safety net
to prevent gambling addiction
- Providing Agility Grants to state NCPG affiliates,
nonprofits or other community organizations that can implement
innovative problem gambling prevention programs in their
local communities
- Ongoing initiatives such as the league's awareness and
education marketing campaign to help fans and the public understand
and use responsible betting techniques, and know where to
get help
- NFL's Official Sports Betting Partners
-
- A vital part of the NFL's agreements with its Official Sports
Betting Partners (Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, and
FanDuel) is to collaborate with each partner on information
sharing and support the NFL's responsible betting efforts.
- The NFL's Official Sports Betting Partners have each developed
robust responsible gaming programs:
-
- In the 1980s, Caesars Entertainment became the first casino
company to recognize and address responsible gaming through its
pioneering "Operation Bet Smart" and "Project 21" programs. In
partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling, Caesars
established the first national toll-free helpline in 1995, and was
the first casino company to provide that helpline across customer
contact points. Caesars continues to be a responsible gaming
innovator, with cutting-edge technology and programs that encourage
guests to play responsibly and empower employees to effectively
respond to potential gambling-related problems. For more
information about Caesars responsible gaming initiatives, visit
Caesars.com/rg.
- DraftKings' responsible gaming focus is to protect consumers
through game-changing technology, staff training, resources for
employees and consumers, and through supporting evidence-based
research. DraftKings, a platinum member of NCPG, tailors its
products to provide customers with a robust set of responsible
gaming tools they need to play responsibly, including limit
setting, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion. The company has
expanded responsible gaming education and marketing to a broad
range of customer touchpoints including email, social media, retail
sportsbooks, and across in-stadium assets in collaboration with the
American Gaming Association's "Have A Game Plan" campaign.
Additionally, DraftKings has funded important research with
world-class organizations like the Harvard
Medical School affiliated-Cambridge Health Alliance. To
learn more about DraftKings' commitment to responsible gaming,
please visit the company's Responsible Gaming web page.
- FanDuel has been the industry leader in its commitment to
responsible gaming ("RG"). The company maintains a 100-person
Compliance team with experts in RG operations, a dedicated RG
engineering team and customer service. FanDuel has placed strong
emphasis on RG product innovations, including tools allowing
customers to set up wager, deposit, and time limits in-app
seamlessly, as well as artificially intelligent analysis to spot
unsafe play faster. Recently, it named acclaimed sports media
personality Craig Carton its
National Responsible Gaming Ambassador focused on humanizing and
destigmatizing problem gambling. The company was also the first to
support the American Gaming Association's national "Have a Game
Plan" campaign urging customers to play within limits. FanDuel is
the only major operator offering customers opportunity to
self-exclude via a free subscription to Gamban, the most
comprehensive international gambling blocking software -- able
to prohibit access to more than 15,000 sites on up to 15 devices.
For more information about FanDuel's commitment to ensuring no bet
results in harming a loved one, please
visit FanDuel.com/playsafe.
For more information about responsible betting tools and
resources, visit responsibleplay.org.
About the National Council on Problem Gambling
Based in Washington D.C., the
National Council on Problem Gambling is the only national nonprofit
organization that seeks to minimize the economic and social costs
associated with gambling addiction by working with all
stakeholders. NCPG is neutral on legalized gambling. If
gambling becomes a problem, NCPG urges people who gamble, as well
as their loved ones, to contact the National Problem Gambling
Helpline, which offers hope and help without judgment or shame. If
you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call, or text
1-800-522-4700 or visit www.ncpgambling.org/chat. Help is
available 24/7 – it is free, anonymous, and confidential.
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SOURCE National Football League