The American Gaming Association has partnered with another professional sports league in its quest to promote responsible gaming. The mixed martial arts organization UFC announced Tuesday it is now a partner with the AGA’s “Have Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” public service campaign.
“We’re thankful to see this campaign grow as progressive leagues like UFC lend their considerable voice to this important effort, said AGA CEO Bill Miller in a statement. “UFC’s commitment is important to engage, educate and encourage their fans – some of whom may be placing bets for the first time – to wager responsibly.”
UFC will deploy its in-venue, digital, and broadcast assets to support “Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” Dana White, president of the UFC said in a statement that its important the league’s “passionate, die-hard fans” learn to bet responsibly.
“We’re proud to work with the AGA and get behind this campaign to encourage our fans to make smart decisions and promote responsible gaming,” White said.
UFC’s participation gives the Have a Game Plan entry into an audience that is apart from traditional sports constituencies. According to Casey Clark, the AGA’s senior vice president of strategic communications, as more UFC gain access to legal betting, education about responsible betting becomes increasingly important.
“Adding their voice to the campaign will go a long way in making sure that legal sports betting enhances the experience for fans who are interested in it,” Clark said via email.
NASCAR, the NHL, and the PGA Tour previously signed on as partners for the campaign, which focuses on core principles including:
- Setting and not exceeding gambling budgets
- Keeping betting social
- Recognizing the odds and playing with trusted operators.
The Have A Game Plan initiative was launched in 2019. Other official campaign partners included Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, and FanDuel. Clark said that responsible gaming is a collective effort among those who have agreed to be part of the initiative.
“We’re proud to already have the support of progressive leagues like NASCAR, the NHL, the PGA TOUR, and now UFC (not to mention FanDuel, who made a significant commitment to advance this initiative last month) who share our thinking about this,” Clark said. “And we continue to work with other leagues, teams, media companies and others who see this as a priority.”
