US Gambling Industry Spends Vastly More on Celebrity Endorsements Than Responsible Gaming

The US gambling industry’s marketing strategies in 2025 heavily favored celebrity and athlete endorsements over responsible gambling initiatives, with a stark financial gap of $520 million for partnerships compared to just $60 million for safety programs and communications. This imbalance, a ratio of 8.7 to 1, was detailed in the Responsible Gambling Communications Audit 2026 conducted by 5W Research.

Total marketing and advertising spending across the US gambling sector reached an estimated $3.9 billion in 2025.

Industry Scrutiny

The audit, which analyzed over 47,000 media reports, company filings, and regulatory information, alongside more than 2,400 AI search queries over a two-year period, aimed to assess the credibility infrastructure supporting the industry’s extensive advertising ecosystem.

MGM Resorts emerged at the top of the Responsible Gaming Communications Index with a score of 81 out of 100. BetMGM Sportsbook followed closely with 78 points, and BetMGM Casino achieved 74 points.

Conversely, some brands scored significantly lower. Stake.us received 22 points, bet365 scored 29, Fanatics Sportsbook reached 34, ESPN Bet recorded 38, and Las Vegas Sands finished with 41 points. Notably, ESPN Bet ceased operations in 2025, and Stake has faced legal challenges related to alleged unregulated gambling and its ambassador activities.

Credibility Gap

Ronn Torossian, founder and Chairman of 5W, commented on the findings, stating, “The gambling industry has built the most visible advertising ecosystem in American consumer marketing in five years. It has not built the credibility infrastructure to match it.”

The report drew comparisons with other regulated industries facing public health concerns. The alcohol industry showed a 4 to 1 ratio of endorsements to responsibility messaging, while tobacco was below 1.5 to 1. The pharmaceutical sector, operating under FDA rules, maintained a ratio close to 1 to 1.

Broader Implications

Torossian emphasized the growing significance of this imbalance, noting, “The 8.7-to-1 ratio [of celebrity endorsements to responsible gaming messages] is no longer a marketing department metric. It is a capital markets metric… it is in MSCI [Morgan Stanley Capital International]. It is in legislative testimony in California, Texas, and Florida. And it is in the answer ChatGPT gives a parent who asks which sportsbook is safe for their kid in college.”

Recommendations for Improvement

5W Research proposed several actions for operators to enhance their responsible gambling efforts. These include transparently publishing their spending on responsible gambling as a percentage of overall marketing budgets and prioritizing content creation that is easily accessible and referenceable by AI platforms.

The firm also called for increased executive-level engagement in responsible gambling discussions, particularly outside of crisis periods. Furthermore, it recommended earlier engagement with regulators in states considering legalization and a reallocation of marketing budgets, suggesting that 3% to 5% be directed toward responsible gambling media.

Implementing these recommendations at an industry level could redirect between $117 million and $195 million annually toward responsible gambling initiatives.

Key facts

This development is significant for PlayVideoPoker readers as it highlights a crucial industry trend impacting the perception and regulation of online gambling. The substantial investment in celebrity endorsements over responsible gaming measures raises questions about industry priorities and the potential for increased regulatory scrutiny, which could ultimately affect the online video poker landscape. Players should be aware of the extensive marketing efforts and consider the importance of responsible gaming resources.

Source: iGaming.org Casino News, https://igaming.org/casino-news/us-gambling-firms-spent-520-million-on-celebrity-deals/