Sports betting limits aren’t just for bettors.
The NFL has restrictions in place for sportsbook advertising, and league officials said Tuesday that only three operators will be airing Super Bowl commercials.
David Highhill, the NFL’s general manager for sports betting, addressed this during an online forum to discuss gambling and the league’s Big Game occurring in Las Vegas. Highhill said there will be one sportsbook ad right before Super Bowl LVIII kicks off and then two more during the game, according to the Associated Press.
“We’ve put some policies in place to limit the amount of advertising for sports betting that happens in our live games,” Highhill said. “It’s roughly one ad per quarter. All told, less than 5% of all in-game ads are sports betting ads.”
An NFL spokesperson also told the AP that the three paid spots are less than the maximum Super Bowl sports betting ads allowed by the league on Feb. 11 when the Kansas City Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers.
Growing concern
The NFL isn’t the only entity monitoring and/or restricting sports betting advertisements.
Lawmakers have been debating this subject for the last couple of years in states where it's been legalized and problem gambling issues have occurred. There was even a federal legislative push made by New York Congressman Paul Tanko, who introduced a bill to keep sportsbook operators from marketing to children, recovering gambling addicts, and “other vulnerable populations.”
Advertising on college campuses and targeting students is prohibited in some states.
Professional U.S. leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB, among others, formed a coalition for responsible gambling with television networks NBC and FOX to make sure marketing principles are upheld and consumers, especially minors, are protected.
DraftKings was one of the sportsbooks that backed the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting in 2023.
Changing stance
A league that once maintained a strong anti-gambling stance has embraced the industry, formed many partnerships, and allowed its teams to form partnerships with sportsbook operators since PASPA was overturned in 2018.
However, Highhill said NFL officials are mindful of the “volume and saturation” of sports betting ads and how they’re presented in the broadcast of games.
NFL surveys have revealed an increase in fans enjoying sports betting participation and fewer that don’t, Highhill said.
Big business
Sports betting was closely associated with the Super Bowl long before it became legal across 38 U.S. states.
But with this year’s Big Game held in Las Vegas and the increase in betting across the country, this could be a banner year for the industry.
Investment banking firm JMP Securities forecasted this week that $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion will be wagered on the Super Bowl.
More than 500,000 mobile sports betting apps were downloaded on the Sunday of last year’s Big Game, two times more than any other day.
FanDuel 'Kick of Destiny'
Though there are only three sports betting advertisements scheduled to appear during the broadcast, sports betting operator FanDuel will have a prominent place in the Super Bowl proceedings.
Their "Kick of Destiny," in which retired NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski attempts a 25-yard field goal, will take place right before kickoff of the game, at 5:45 p.m. ET. It will also be broadcast live on CBS.
