Study: Audiences seeing an increase in ads for sportsbooks, says study
A new study has revealed the staggering extent to which sports fans are inundated with gambling-related content.
Sports fans viewing a TV broadcast. Graphic supplied by Boone Digital
Key Facts:
- Average of 3.5 gambling marketing messages were shown every minute during NHL finals
- Viewers were exposed to a sportsbook ad roughly every 13 seconds
- Every major media network has partnerships with sports betting companies
Media researchers have found that during some professional hockey games, a betting message appears on screen as often as every 13 seconds.
The advertising research highlights a dramatic shift in the sports media landscape since the widespread legalization of sports betting in the United States.
Study Reveals Surge in Sportsbook ads During NHL Playoffs
Research conducted by the University of Bristol paints a vivid picture of the advertising saturation. By analyzing broadcasts of this year’s Stanley Cup and NBA finals, the study found a significant disparity between the two leagues.
Viewers of the NHL championship series were exposed to an average of 3.5 gambling marketing messages every minute. In the most saturated game, that number climbed to 4.7 instances per minute: equivalent to one every 13 seconds.
Across the 13 championship games analyzed, researchers logged nearly 6,300 instances of gambling marketing. The overwhelming majority, 94%, occurred during the NHL broadcasts. In contrast, the NBA finals featured just 0.26 gambling references per minute.
The study noted that the most common form of advertising wasn’t traditional commercials but rather in-stadium visuals. Logos on rinkside boards, patches on jerseys, and other static on-screen structures give betting companies “persistent exposure” throughout the entire broadcast, ensuring their brands are almost always in the viewer’s line of sight.
The New Normal in Sports Media
This advertising blitz is a direct result of the 2018 Supreme Court decision that struck down the federal ban on sports wagering. In the years since, nearly 40 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting, unleashing a multi-billion dollar rush as companies compete for customers.
This has led to lucrative financial partnerships between sportsbooks and nearly every major sport. The integration now goes far beyond simple commercials. It has fundamentally altered sports broadcasting itself.
It’s common for live games to feature in-broadcast programming dedicated to betting, with on-air talent discussing odds and making betting recommendations. Networks have fully embraced the trend; ESPN even launched its own branded sportsbook, ESPN BET, and has seamlessly folded betting content into virtually every program on its network.
Sports fans are seeing a flurry of ads for sportsbooks
A Future of Acceptance?
While the current volume of betting promotion may feel overwhelming to some viewers, there’s an argument to be made that fans will eventually become acclimated to it. This pattern of initial resistance followed by acceptance has historical precedent in sports.
Fans have previously complained about the increasing commercialization of their favorite games, from the first appearance of advertisements on jerseys and uniforms to corporate logos plastered on stadium walls and in green-screened broadcast displays.
Entire venues, from ballparks to arenas, now bear the names of corporate sponsors, including some betting operators. Yet, over time, these arrangements have become an accepted, and often ignored, part of the background.
There is a powerful incentive driving this integration. Many former athletes and popular commentators have personal endorsement deals with sports betting companies, motivating them to discuss odds and promotions on air.
As wagering and odds content becomes more embedded in the broadcasts, it’s likely that what now feels like an intrusion will simply become another standard feature of the modern sports viewing experience.
