Washington Football Team partners with AGA on responsible sports betting

The Washington Football Team announced a new partnership with the American Gaming Association (AGA) to promote responsible sports betting, becoming the first NFL team to join the association in its Have a Game Plan Bet Responsibly public service campaign.

Responsible sports betting will be promoted through multiple channels. As part of the partnership, the Washington Football Team will connect Have a Game Plan in-stadium activations, sponsored content on their website, and campaign promotion on the team’s upcoming preseason radio and television broadcasts.

“With legal sports betting now permitted across our region, we are ensuring responsible gaming serves as a foundation for how we engage in this exciting commercial market,” said Scott Shepherd, Washington Football Team’s Chief Partnership Officer.

Sports betting is currently legal and live in 22 states and the District of Columbia, with six additional states expected to launch during the NFL season.

“We’re not only proud to partner with the AGA, the architect of Have a Game Plan, but also proud to lead by educating fans as they enjoy football in an engaging, new way,” further added Shepherd. The NFL currently has a long-standing partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling.

On the importance of the new partnership, AGA Senior Vice President Casey Clark said it demonstrates the Washington Football Team’s “leadership and commitment to making responsibility core to their sports betting strategy.”

NEW: @WashingtonNFL becomes the first NFL team to join the AGA's Have A Game Plan responsible sports betting campaign! 🏈

Read more: https://t.co/fb7FG47iPZ

— American Gaming Association (@AmericanGaming) August 16, 2021

The association expects the announcement to put the campaign “in front of more fans” and to help build a responsible, sustainable market. Have a Game Plan is expected to run throughout the whole NFL season and will launch during the team’s first home preseason game, on August 20, versus the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Washington Football Team’s preseason radio and television broadcasts will include 20-second sports encouraging fans to bet responsibly, as well as directing them to AGA’s Have a Game Plan website for resources and further information.

“Getting sports betting right is a shared responsibility for everyone involved,” added Casey Clark. The AGA launched the campaign in late 2019 to educate sports fans on the principles of responsible sports betting.

The campaign suggests a series of steps to take in order to bet in a responsible way: to set a budget and sticking to it by establishing own limits; to keep sports betting social by playing with friends, family and colleagues; to be informed and learn the details of the games being played; and to only play with trusted licensed, regulated operators.

By joining it, the Washington Football Team joins official campaign partners DraftKings, FanDuel, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, NASCAR, NHL, PGA TOUR, Sightline Payments, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Vegas Golden Knights, and UFC.

In the last few weeks, AGA also issued a new policy statement, calling on streamlining requirements for national advertising campaigns, in order to encourage the use of national gambling helplines, reduce confusion and inconsistency in advertising.

It also proposed a modernization of the helpline system, tackling frequent issues such as lengthy lists of state-specific helplines and difficult-to-read fonts, while suggesting the inclusion of modern services for crisis assistance, like text messaging and chat support.