The American Gaming Association updated its “Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering” this week, and one of the more eye-opening decisions the AGA made was “prohibiting college partnerships that promote, market, or advertise sports wagering activity (other than to alumni networks or content focused on RG initiatives or problem gambling awareness).”
In short: The AGA is recommending sportsbooks get out of the business of working with colleges. And while the AGA is not a rule-making body — this “code” is not law, not by any stretch — the demand to drop college partnerships is something worth watching here in the Mitten State, as Caesars and Michigan State inked a $9 million multi-year deal in January 2022.
According to the parameters set by the AGA, Caesars has until July 1 of this year to wind the relationship down — if it chooses to.
Emails to Caesars representatives were not returned in the early morning hours Wednesday.
Code violations
The State News — Michigan State’s independent student-run newspaper — reached out to Casey Clark, the senior vice president of the AGA, who told the paper that while Caesars is not a member of the AGA, it is still bound by the guidelines, and if Caesars didn’t follow the rules, the operator would be slapped with a code violation.
Again, however, the AGA is not a government agency, so it is unclear what the actual punishment, if any, could or would be.
The partnership includes ads for Caesars during MSU games, emails to students, and tickets to games for Caesars employees, among other facets.
Photo: Getty Images
