Responsible gambling advocates have struck a new chord with the NBA.
The professional basketball league has banned legal sports betting operators from using the phrase “risk-free” in their advertising campaigns on NBA platforms, according to a report from the Sports Business Journal.
The NBA is also "encouraging" broadcasters to join the initiative.
“We believe it’s a problematic term from a responsible gaming and a problem gaming standpoint,” NBA senior vice president Scott Kaufman-Ross said in the report. “It’s important that we be clear with our fans that sports betting carries inherent risk. The notion that anything in this area is risk-free runs counter to the key messaging and education around sports betting. We just feel it’s the right move for us.”
The NBA’s ban includes both FanDuel and DraftKings, the league’s official sponsors, as well as any sports betting sites that promote via the league site, team sites, and NBA TV.
The league is giving sportsbooks time to readjust their marketing, but the idea is to completely drop “risk-free” by the next NBA season.
No such thing as a "risk-free" lunch
Getting rid of “risk-free” is an ongoing campaign that has been ratcheted up in recent months. FanDuel dropped the phrase last summer, opting for “no sweat” instead.
Responsible gambling advocates believe “risk-free” is aimed at getting new customers to sign up and that it implies sports bettors can’t lose when in fact the initial risk-free bet is only paid back in credits. Any losses after that include the bettor’s stake.
Ohio, which legalized sports betting on Jan. 1, and Massachusetts, which recently launched retail sports betting and is set to go live with mobile wagering in March, have already banned “risk-free” from sportsbook promotions.
Other major sportsbooks, like BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings, have also quit using it — phrases like “bet credits” and “bonus bets” have begun popping up, thus eliminating the word “free” altogether.
NBA leading a change
The Association is showing it’s taking responsible gambling seriously. Banning “risk-free” is one of the first actions taken since the NBA partnered with the American Gaming Association two weeks ago.
The initiative is designed to have all 30 NBA teams educate their audience on legalized sports betting and sensible wagering on the league.
Kaufman-Ross said there is a "multifaceted approach" with the AMA partnership as the NBA tries to promote responsible sports betting.
