The American Gaming Association (AGA) has updated its responsible gaming campaign to include a tenet labeled “Keep Your Cool,” which addresses the hostility directed at athletes and officials.
Don’t Be Cruel
Hostility towards athletes and officials has become a hot-button topic for several organizations, including the American Gaming Association. With the advent of sports betting sweeping the nation, coupled with the omnipresence of social media, athletes and officials have been the victims of more hostile messaging than ever before.
Reportedly, the primary reason for the notable increase in hostility is due to disgruntled sports bettors who believe they lost wagers due to an athlete’s subpar performance or poor officiating. This is not a new phenomenon, but the sheer volume of the abuse has reached concerning levels, which has prompted the AGA to act.
The fifth and newest pillar of the AGA’s “Have a Game Plan” responsible gaming initiative is “Keep Your Cool,” and it addresses the issue of harassment for professional and amateur athletes.
“Responsible gaming efforts like Have A Game Plan and other proactive efforts by legal operators are resonating with consumers and making a difference,” said Bill Miller, the president and CEO of the AGA. “‘Keep Your Cool’ builds on this momentum by reminding bettors that a betting result — good or bad — is not an invitation to criticize a team, official, or athlete.”
NCAA Supports College Prop Ban
Charlie Baker, Chairman of the NCAA, has been on a nationwide crusade asking state legislators and regulators to ban college player props from their sportsbooks’ betting menus, citing harassment of college athletes.
A recent study by the NCAA defined “angry sports bettors” as individuals who “engage in problematic and intrusive communications due to match events and results contradicting bettors’ predictions.”
“It’s clear to us too … as the prevalence of sports betting went up, so did the prevalence of sports betting-related abuse,” said Clint Hangebrauck, the NCAA’s managing director of enterprise risk.
The District of Columbia, along with 18 of the 38 states that offer sports betting, prohibits sportsbooks from offering college player props and have reported fewer incidences of harassment towards players and officials, according to Hangebrauck.
“I don’t want to draw too many conclusions from that,” he said, “but it does seem like it’s having a positive effect.”
Have a Game Plan
The AGA’s “Have a Game Plan” campaign now has five tenets, including the most recent, Keep Your Cool.
Set a Budget: “Responsible gaming means enjoying sports betting purely for fun. There’s no one-size to budgeting as everyone’s risk tolerance and entertainment budget is different. You can establish your own limits by developing a set of personal guidelines to determine when and how much to wager. Once you set your budget, stick to it.”
Keep it Social: “Play with friends, family, and colleagues. Responsible gaming means keeping sports betting social and ensuring it remains entertaining.”
Know the Odds: “There are a lot of different ways to bet on sports: parlays, moneyline, the spread…the list goes on. It’s important to understand the basics and learn the details of the games you’re playing. Utilize resources provided by sports betting operators on the games you’re playing and your odds of winning.”
Play Legally: “Legal sports betting is available in 34 states across the country and licensed, regulated operators provide important player protections. Illegal and unregulated sportsbook operators do not guarantee payouts, wager or game integrity, or have responsible gaming measures in place, placing players at heightened risk.”
Keep Your Cool: “Nobody’s perfect. Winning and losing are part of the game so remember—no matter the outcome—to keep your cool. Criticizing players or officials, online or in-person over a lost bet, crosses the line. Keep the focus on having fun. Good sportsmanship isn’t just for players on the field, it’s for everyone.”
