American Gaming Association Statement on Proposed Betting on our Future Act

Washington, D.C.  (February 9, 2023) — AGA Senior Vice President Chris Cylke issued the following statement on the proposed Betting on our Future Act:

“The American Gaming Association (AGA) and our members adamantly oppose any legislation that seeks to ban or limit casino gaming advertising, including for legal sports betting.

Any such effort only serves to reduce awareness of legal options to the benefit of illegal, offshore operators and to the detriment of consumers and communities. The proposed legislation would violate well-established free speech protections and undermine the expertise of more than 5,000 state and tribal gaming regulators across the country.

Responsibility is a foundation of the legal gaming industry and that includes with advertising. In fact, there’s never been more attention paid or resources invested in responsible gaming and problem gambling resources. This includes our proactive efforts in establishing the Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, which mandates responsible gaming message inclusion and imposes restrictions on target audiences, outlets, and content.

Congress should instead focus its attention on combatting the predatory and pervasive offshore illegal market that offers no responsible gaming measures, age verification, or problem gambling resources.

We appreciate Representative Tonko’s interest and will continue to work to ensure a sustainable legal marketplace that puts consumer protections first.”

SOURCE: The American Gaming Association (AGA).