As attention to sports betting ads grows across North America, operators are adjusting their approach but not slowing down their marketing.
Sports betting ad impressions in the US from January 1 to August 15 grew 25% year-over-year, according to ad tracking firm iSpot. The growth comes outside of the NFL betting season, which often draws the bulk of sports betting promotions and is about to kick off for US sports betting.
The information comes from a new iSpot report released Tuesday, which highlighted multiple shifts in the industry.
Growing focus on ads
US regulators are beginning to pay more attention to the deluge of sports betting advertising. They, along with legislators, are starting to tighten the boundaries on marketing, including US Rep. Paul Tonko’s proposal to restrict sports betting ads on FCC-regulated mediums.
Leagues and media entities are all working to limit the attention drawn to the industry by creating the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising. The American Gaming Association, meanwhile, created new marketing code for its member operators.
Ontario regulators released new standards this week to prohibit athlete use in sports betting ads. Meanwhile, politicians in Canada and Ontario are introducing legislation to control sports betting ads.
Changing landscape for sports betting ads landscape
Established operators like market share leaders FanDuel and DraftKings seem to have settled into their marketing grooves. However, there are new nuances to the industry that could affect the football season.
For starters, big names like ESPN Bet and Fanatics Sportsbook will look to secure major success in US sports betting, likely bringing along with it massive marketing budgets. The new competition could push existing operators to ramp up their marketing efforts to keep users from switching loyalties.
There could also be new Fox network opportunities for sportsbooks as Fox Bet shuts down its operations. It is yet to be seen how the creation of ESPN Bet affects sports betting ads on ESPN networks, a significant avenue for sportsbooks, including Caesars.
FanDuel leads impressions
Unsurprisingly, US market leader FanDuel is the dominant ad power in the first part of 2023, accounting for 48.8% of impressions. DraftKings drew 20.7% of impressions.
Those impressions do not include regional sports networks.
Other notable brands:
- BetMGM: 16.37%
- PointsBet: 3.04%
- Fox Bet: 2.93%
- Other: 8.13%
Sportsbook ads take on non-sports programming
iSpot’s new report highlighted the growth of sports betting ads outside of sports events. According to the report, 41.3% of ad impressions occurred during non-sports programming, up from 25.9% during the same January 1 to August 15 stretch last year.
The most popular destination for those ads? Friends, OnPatrol: Live and South Park are big draws for sports betting ad impressions.
“To optimize TV ad placements, advertisers across industries should gain a comprehensive understanding of their audiences viewing habits beyond premium programs and dayparts,” the iSpot report reads.
FanDuel is the leader in the non-sports programming ad blitz, according to iSpot.
https://www.legalsportsreport.com/133197/ispot-sports-betting-ads-grow-in-2023/