American Gaming Association
68 Million Americans to Wager on March Madness
Growth of Legal Market Driving Tournament Betting
A quarter of all American adults (68 million) plan to wager $15.5 billion on this year’s NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament, according to a new survey from the American Gaming Association (AGA).
31 million American adults plan to place a traditional sports wager online, at a retail sportsbook, or with a bookie.
* 21.5 million plan to bet casually with friends.
* 56.3 million plan to participate in a bracket contest.
“March Madness is one of the best traditions in American sports and America’s most wagered-on competition,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Critically, the expansion of regulated sports betting over the past five years has brought safeguards to more than half of American adults who can now bet legally in their home market.”
The growth in March Madness betting is driven by a resurgence of bracket contests as well as Americans taking advantage of the expansion of legal online wagering. Three-fourths of online bettors say this will be their first time betting on March Madness online.
While 18 million more American adults plan to wager on March Madness compared to last month’s Super Bowl, Americans are expected to wager half a billion dollars less on the tournament than they planned to wager on the Big Game.
Since last year’s tournament, Kansas, Massachusetts and Ohio have launched retail and mobile sports betting markets, while Maryland has launched mobile wagering. This year’s March Madness, with 67 games over three weeks, will be the first to feature Las Vegas as a regional host location.
“With the excitement around March Madness, the AGA and our members want to remind anyone getting in on the action to have a game plan to bet responsibly. That means setting a budget, knowing the odds, keeping it social and always playing legally,” added Miller.
Among bettors, Kentucky is the most popular choice to win the national title (9%) followed by Texas A&M (8%) and Gonzaga, UCLA and Alabama (6%).
Background
33 states and Washington, DC currently feature live, legal sports betting markets, with three additional legal markets awaiting launch. More than half of American adults (57%, 146 million) live in a live, legal sports betting market. AGA’s Have A Game Plan Bet Responsibly campaign is bringing sports betting stakeholders together to promote responsible gaming.
Methodology
Morning Consult conducted the online survey on behalf of the AGA between March 1 to 3 among a national sample of 2,200 adults. The data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment and region. The margin of error is +/- 2 percent and greater among sub-groups. Bettors include those who expect to place a bet online, with a bookie, with a casino sportsbook, casually with family or friends or as part of a bracket contest.
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American Gaming Association
AGA, ECA and BGC Sign MOU
The American Gaming Association (AGA), European Casino Association (ECA), and the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that marks the beginning of a collaboration grounded in shared industry values and priorities. The MOU formalizes a commitment among the three associations to address key issues facing the global gaming industry including illegal gambling, responsible gaming, innovation, and security.
“This new partnership is a significant step forward in our collective efforts to advance the legal gaming industry and protect consumers around the globe. By sharing our unique resources, we will expand our fight against illegal gambling to new fronts, work together to strengthen responsible gaming, and innovate around business best practices,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.
“By fostering dialogue and cooperation across borders, the AGA, ECA, and BGC are taking a proactive approach to safeguarding the integrity of the legal gaming industry and ensuring its continued growth and success,” Miller added.
The MOU will create a platform for undertaking joint research projects and bringing each organization’s staff and members together to share expertise.
“The European Casino Association stands united with the AGA and BGC in its commitment to addressing the key issues facing all gaming industry stakeholders. The ECA fully backs this initiative and supports the ongoing efforts to rigorously combat illegality within our industry, continuously strengthen player protections and security, and ensure the creation of an environment that fosters innovation and growth within the gaming community. On behalf of the ECA, I look forward to participating in the forthcoming law enforcement roundtable and to sharing the benefits of these learnings with our members,” said Erwin van Lambaart, Chairman of the European Casino Association.
Betting and Gaming Council CEO Grainne Hurst said: “This partnership marks a new chapter in our shared vision to build a world-class, trusted and sustainable betting and gaming industry. BGC members are rightly proud of their reputation as global leaders, and they know the power of collaboration. Working together with the AGA and ECA, I am confident our shared knowledge and expertise will be vital to bolstering safer gambling standards while tackling the threat of the growing and unsafe unregulated gambling black market in the UK.”
The first initiative under this MOU will be a law enforcement roundtable focused on combating illegal gambling. Scheduled for January 2025, this roundtable will bring together industry leaders, law enforcement officials, and regulators to discuss the impact of illegal gambling on legal operators, consumer safety, and the global financial system. The session will also explore strategies for enhancing cross-jurisdictional communication and developing actionable solutions to address these challenges.
American Gaming Association
AGA Statement on Introduction of SAFE Bet Act
American Gaming Association Senior Vice President of Government Relations Chris Cylke issued the following statement in response to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20) introducing the SAFE Bet act, which would implement a “nationwide prohibition” on sports betting:
“Today’s regulated sports wagering operators are contributing billions in state taxes across the U.S., protecting consumers from dangerous neighborhood bookies and illegal offshore websites, and working diligently with over 5,000 state and tribal regulators and other stakeholders to ensure a commitment to responsibility and positive play. Six years into legal sports betting, introducing heavy-handed federal prohibitions is a slap in the face to state legislatures and gaming regulators who have dedicated countless time and resources to developing thoughtful frameworks unique to their jurisdictions, and have continued to iterate as their marketplaces evolve.”
American Gaming Association
MGM Resorts & BetMGM to Increase Responsible Gaming Messaging at NFL Stadiums During Upcoming Season
MGM Resorts International and BetMGM announced that they are once again partnering with the American Gaming Association (AGA) to promote Responsible Gaming Education Month (RGEM 2024) in September. The two companies will execute their responsible gaming campaign at designated National Football League (NFL) stadiums for the second year, with increased exposure for GameSense. GameSense is an industry-leading responsible gaming program first developed and licensed to MGM Resorts in 2017 by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC). The program focuses on positive, transparent, and proactive engagements with guests and customers about how to gamble responsibly. With this development, GameSense marketing will appear more often and in more prominent venue locations during each game.
GameSense messaging will be promoted at the following stadiums:
• Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh Steelers)
• Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas Raiders)
• Empower Field at Mile High (Denver Broncos)
• Ford Field (Detroit Lions)
• GHEA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs)
• M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore Ravens)
• MetLife Stadium (New York Jets)
• Nissan Stadium (Tennessee Titans)
• State Farm Stadium (Arizona Cardinals)
In 2023, MGM Resorts and BetMGM were among the first gaming operators to promote responsible gaming through marketing within League stadiums.
“We’re excited to bring responsible gaming initiatives directly to fans in these NFL venues again this season. We are setting a new standard for safety and awareness in the industry. At BetMGM, we believe that protecting our players and promoting responsible play is essential to the future of sports betting,” Rhea Loney, Chief Compliance Officer at BetMGM, said.
BetMGM will also add to its catalog of advertisements in the coming months that highlight its comprehensive responsible gaming resources. The spots will feature brand ambassadors sharing engaging messaging, similar to its highly regarded responsible gaming commercial featuring NHL MVP Connor McDavid.
Also, coinciding with RGEM 2024, MGM Resorts is announcing a $440,000 contribution to fund responsible gaming research through the International Center for Responsible Gaming and Kindbridge Research Institute. These studies aim to advance industry best practices and fill significant research gaps on under-studied populations, including women military Veterans.
Stephen Martino, SVP and Chief Compliance Officer at MGM Resorts, said: “The importance of responsible gaming research funding cannot be overstated. As a gaming industry leader, it’s imperative that our company supports efforts to better understand the diverse impact gambling has on various populations, including those that may be at greater risk of developing problematic behaviors.”
Throughout RGEM 2024, MGM Resorts and BetMGM will continue to conduct extensive training to raise employee awareness of responsible gaming. Recently, MGM Resorts’ GameSense Advisor Program certified more than 500 customer-facing employees, equipping them with the skills and confidence to educate customers about casino games and empower them to make informed decisions. BetMGM will also deploy extensive employee training, including additional education for its VIP Staff, while advancing responsible gaming through lived experiences with its EPIC Global Solutions partnership.
Additionally in September, new GameSense messaging will be displayed prominently on table games throughout MGM Resorts’ properties nationwide. Similar messaging will continue to be featured on all slot machines, 8000 of which include QR codes offering access to responsible gaming information and educational materials from GameSense. Responsible gaming tips will also appear on MGM Resorts’ Las Vegas marquees and on more than 35,000 screens across the company’s portfolio. BetMGM will release improved responsible gaming tools within its platform as well. These tools are designed to help players manage their budgets, stay within their limits, and promote a responsible and sustainable entertainment experience.
MGM Resorts and BetMGM continue their partnership with the AGA’s “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” public service campaign to educate new and seasoned bettors on responsible sports wagering. The campaign aims to protect customers and reinforces the use of regulated markets, which prioritizes player protection and safeguards.
Joe Maloney, SVP of Strategic Communications at American Gaming Association, said: “Collaboration is integral to strengthening our collective responsibility efforts. Both in their work with the AGA and throughout the legal, regulated gaming industry, MGM Resorts and BetMGM continue to be leaders in forming innovative partnerships that are advancing responsible gaming in meaningful ways.”
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