NFL, NBA among 9 U.S. sports leagues and networks in a coalition for responsible sports betting advertising

As legal sports betting continues to expand and sportsbook advertising becoming more unavoidable, several major U.S. sports leagues and television networks have come together to create policies meant to protect consumers.

Announced Wednesday, the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising is a voluntary association made up of the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, FOX and NBCUniversal.

The coalition was formed to ensure a responsible approach to sports betting advertising and outlined six principles to achieve this goal:

1. Sports betting should be marketed only to adults of legal betting age
2. Sports betting advertising should not promote irresponsible or excessive gambling or degrade the consumer experience
3. Sports betting advertisements should not be misleading
4. Sports betting advertisements should be in good taste
5. Publishers should have appropriate internal reviews of sports betting advertising
6. Publishers should review consumer complaints pertaining to sports betting advertising

“As the legalization of sports betting spreads nationwide, we feel it is critical to establish guardrails around how sports betting should be advertised to consumers across the United States,” said the coalition in a joint statement. “Each member of the coalition feels a responsibility to ensure sports betting advertising is not only targeted to an appropriate audience, but also that the message is thoughtfully crafted and carefully delivered.”