The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced the launch of its new Have a Game Plan public service campaign as part of a concerted effort to educate sports fans and consumers across the United States about responsible sportsbetting practices.

The advocacy group used an official press release to declare that the awareness endeavour has already gone live via a range of advertisements at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena and the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, and is to subsequently be rolled out in ‘other sportsbetting markets soon’.

Impressive intent:

The AGA stated that the debut coincides with the start of Problem Gambling Awareness Month and is part of its over-arching aim to provide punters with information and education on how to gamble responsibly in order to keep sportsbetting ‘a form of fun adult entertainment’.

Critical change:

Bill Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer for the AGA, used the press release to explain that 14 states have legalized some form of sportsbetting following the 2018 decision from the United States Supreme Court that revoked the previous Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) prohibition. He moreover detailed that the coming months could see up to six more states follow suit to significantly add to a market that was last year worth over $19 billion.

Read a statement from Miller…

“This is a watershed moment for sportsbetting in the United States. Roughly 100 million Americans will be able to legally wager on sports in their state by the end of this year. It’s more important than ever that the gaming industry and our new partners in the sportsbetting ecosystem are proactive in equipping patrons with the tools they need to engage in these offerings in a responsible manner.”

Definitive direction:

The AGA clarified that its Have a Game Plan campaign will also engage with sports teams and leagues in hopes of pushing forward four specific sports wagering principles including that punters should always seek to stick to a previously set budget while keeping games social by playing with family, friends and colleagues. The organization pronounced that its scheme is to furthermore urge consumers to educate themselves about the games they are playing and only ever utilize trusted and licensed operators.

Miller’s statement read…

“By encouraging consumers to have a game plan when they wager, the industry is making good on its commitment to instill responsibility as a key tenant of every new legal sportsbetting market.”