The Illinois sports betting market continues to see tweaks, this time as regulators updated the industry’s advertising rules, including the prohibition of the word “free.”
Last week, the Illinois Gaming Board adopted new Illinois sports betting advertising rules meant to increase responsible gambling in the state. The regulations restrict the use of words and phrases and institute more protections for underaged audiences.
“As part of the IGB’s ongoing work to reassess existing rules and measure the effectiveness of gaming expansion implementation, the IGB amended the current advertising and marketing rules for sports wagering to include additional safeguards and requirements and also make those rules applicable for the first time to casino gambling and video gaming,” IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter said in a release.
New Illinois sports betting ad rules
The new rules ban promoting risk-free wagering and prohibit words and phrases like “free,” “free bet” or “cost-free.”
The IGB also bars betting advertising where the majority of attendees are likely to be under the age of 21, including on college campuses or in college media. College and university students cannot be depicted in advertising.
The IGB also now requires marketing communications to include an easily accessible “opt-out” option.
Illinois shifts tweaks sports betting again
Earlier this summer, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the state’s budget that increased sports betting tax to 20% from 10%.
When Illinois sports betting launched in March 2020, there was an in-person signup requirement. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pritzker removed the rule until April 2021.
In-person registration was permanently phased out in March 2022.
Restricted ads not new
In early 2023, the American Gaming Association updated its Responsible Marketing Code for its members and banned the use of “risk-free.” Illinois is just the latest state to put guardrails on sports betting advertising.
Massachusetts and Ohio regulators were the first states to prohibit “risk-free” and work to strengthen protections for college-aged audiences.
Earlier this year, at the North American Gaming Regulators Association conference, attendees discussed sports betting advertising at length.
National sports betting advertising bill
Last week, US Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) unveiled the SAFE Bet Act. That nationwide bill includes the prohibition of “risk-free” language, the elimination of deposit bonuses and banning advertising where and when children might be in the audience.
It would also ban prop bets on college and amateur athletes.
“This bill is an effort designed to prevent harm before it occurs,” Tonko said at a press conference. “To be clear, we are in no way attempting to ban sports gambling, our goal is the opposite. The SAFE Bet Act will ensure that gambling on sports is safe for the public to enjoy.”
The proposal was immediately met with opposition, including from Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), who represents the Nevada district that includes the Las Vegas Strip. The AGA also pushed back after the proposal was released.
