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Editor's Note: This story was updated at 2:25pm EST on August 6 with comment form the National Council on Problem Gambling
Efforts to limit students’ exposure to gambling advertisements on college campuses has been challenging for state gaming regulators, as the rapid expansion of new forms of gaming have left them in some instances playing regulatory catch-up.
Illinois, for example, approved its permanent regulations prior to the launch of retail and online sports betting in 2020 but it took regulators five years to amend those rules to adopt new advertising standards.
On Friday (August 1), new rules adopted by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) went into effect that expand existing restrictions on advertising, marketing and promotions by licensed operators to include a ban on advertising on college campuses alongside other restrictions already applied in other leading sports-betting states.
The new rules apply to the state’s 17 casinos, approximately 9,000 licensed video gaming terminal (VGTs) locations, and 14 active sportsbooks.
The three-member board also signed off on a requirement to include prominent responsible gaming messages in all advertising and marketing efforts. IGB administrator Marcus Fruchter described the new rules as additional safeguards and standards to encourage responsible gambling habits.
The biggest change to the state’s gaming regulations is a complete ban on having any advertisements or promotions displayed, published, aired, broadcast, or distributed on any college or university campus in the state.
The rules also prohibit any gambling advertising in any college or university media outlet, such as university newspapers and radio or television broadcasts, or any sports venues used primarily for college and university events.
“These regulations provide for clear, consistent, ethical, and transparent advertising and marketing guidelines for all casino, video gaming, and sports wagering operations under IGB jurisdiction,” Fruchter said in a statement.
The IGB assessed advertising and marketing rules for sports betting adopted in 2020 and determined that those limitations should apply equally to VLTs and casinos.
An enhancement of the regulations was determined to be necessary to “assure an ethical advertising environment that restricts enticements to minors and those with gambling problems.”
"We commend the Illinois Gaming Board decision to ban gambling advertisements on college campuses. College students are particularly vulnerable to gambling-related harm and this policy provides a meaningful protective factor for young adults," said Cole Wogoman, director of government relations and league partnership at the National Council on Problem Gambling.
"Limiting gambling promotions in educational settings helps shift perceptions and reduce the normalization of gambling among this high-risk population," Wogoman told 91ԭ GamblingCompliance in an email.
Additionally, the rules will prohibit any advertisement or marketing message to depict college or university students or university settings.
The new rules also require operators to retain copies of all advertising and marketing materials, including keeping a log of when and how these materials have been published, aired, displayed, or distributed.
Additionally, gaming operators must provide patrons with the option to unsubscribe or opt out of receiving advertising or marketing materials. The IGB did not establish a time period for operators to comply with a request, only noting that a patron request to opt out or unsubscribe should be done “as soon as practicable.”
The new regulations also prohibit operators from entering into deals with third-parties to conduct advertising or marketing on behalf of the licensed operator when the compensation is dependent upon the volume or outcome of wagers, a decision that potentially changes the relationship between operators and affiliate marketing sites.
Each operator will also have to include responsible gambling text in all advertising and marketing materials as determined by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
"We also support the board’s requirement that all gambling advertising include responsible gambling messages and urge them to prioritize messages that are evidence-based and tested for effectiveness," Wogoman said.
Sports Betting Ads On Campus
Advertising sports betting on college campuses has been an area of concern for lawmakers and gaming regulators ever since the New York Times published a series of stories in late 2022 highlighting the relationship between operators and several athletic departments.
At the time, Caesars Entertainment had an existing advertising relationship with Michigan State University and Louisiana State University. The deal in Louisiana led to the university sending emails to students, including some underage, encouraging them to place a bet and earn bonus points.
PointsBet, which was purchased last year by Fanatics Betting & Gaming for $225m, also had a deal with the University of Colorado that included a $30 referral bonus every time someone signed up with PointsBet using a promotional code.
In addition, PointsBet had a deal with the University of Maryland, while the University of Denver eventually severed ties with SuperBook Sports.
Those deals moved states to adopt stricter marketing and advertising regulations, with the American Gaming Association also updating its self-regulatory code for sports betting marketing to prevent members from advertising on college campuses or via college media.
In February 2023, the New York State Gaming Commission adopted rules prohibiting advertisements being sent to anyone under age 21. Other states to formally prohibit sportsbooks from marketing or advertising on college campuses include Maryland, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
