Does the U.S. need new Responsible Gaming messaging like in Australia?
Published:
May 1, 2025
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11:22 a.m.
ET
Key Points:
Current U.S. messaging generally places the onus on individuals, not systems or operators, and may fail to disrupt compulsive behaviors.
Australia replaced “Gamble Responsibly” with bold, research-backed slogans that provoke introspection and push assessment of consequences.
Gambling addiction hotline calls have surged in many U.S. states in recent years, including Kentucky, North Carolina, New Jersey, Florida, Virginia and Ohio.
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With legal sports betting currently live in 38 states, plus Washington D.C., and online casinos legal in 7 of them, along with easy access to sweepstakes platforms, offshore sites and modern-day bookies, the U.S. is facing a mounting public health crisis: gambling addiction. For years, “gamble responsibly” has served as the go-to tagline in the U.S., creating an echo across betting apps, commercials and casinos. But that tagline has more so served as a check-the-box exercise, rather than a meaningful effort to combat problem gambling.
Regulatory moves in Australia that pushed more effective, powerful, pointed language could also be implemented in the United States. Australia’s bold step away from “gamble responsibly” toward more direct, provocative messaging has sparked global interest. As the U.S. struggles with rising gambling-related harm, it’s worth asking: Do we need a messaging reset, too?
Issues with current “Responsible Gaming” and “Gamble Responsibly” messaging in the U.S.
America’s current “Responsible Gaming” and “Gamble Responsibly” messaging mirrors what Australia used for decades, until they realized it wasn’t working. These soft-touch slogans are everywhere, yet their impact is questionable at best. And consumers may turn a deaf ear to hearing the same phrases used constantly.
In practice, the framework behind responsible gambling was originally developed to shift focus away from gambling harm. As explored in Australia’s royal commissions into the Crown and Star casino groups, the entire model of “responsible gambling” often amounts to a legal shield. Commissioner Ray Finkelstein criticized Crown’s responsible gambling code as ineffective and easily ignored, statements that could apply just as readily to many operators in the U.S.
The phrase “gamble responsibly” places the burden of harm prevention entirely on the individual consumer. It implies that those who experience gambling problems are simply failing to play by the rules, rather than acknowledging the highly addictive nature of many gambling products or the environments that encourage overuse.
Further, these messages are vague. They don’t disrupt behavior. They don’t provoke introspection. They don’t grab attention in the middle of a betting spree. Instead, they often blend into the background, a required legal disclaimer, not a meaningful message meant to lead to critical thought around future action.
Worse, this messaging reinforces the stigma. By individualizing the problem, it suggests people with gambling issues are flawed or reckless. This stigma, in turn, can keep people from seeking help. Fewer than 10% of those who could benefit from gambling treatment in the U.S. ever access it. Among those who do, drop-out rates are high. Shame can also play a major role.
Australia’s RG messaging implemented in 2023
Australia had to do something, as their citizens had been tracking to lose an astounding $25 billion dollars a year on legal forms of gambling, as some of the world’s heaviest gamblers per capita. In March of 2023, Australia rolled out a shift in how they communicate with the public about gambling. Gone is the vague “gamble responsibly” in favor of rotating taglines:
“Chances are you’re about to lose.”
“Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?”
“What’s gambling really costing you?”
“What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit.”
“Imagine what you could be buying instead.”
“You win some. You lose more.”
“What are you really gambling with?”
These edgy slogans were crafted through research and tested for effectiveness, resulting in informed attempts to reduce cognitive distortions. Behavioral scientists helped shape them to disrupt the gambler’s illusion of control, challenge the impulse to “chase losses,” and spark reflection about real-world consequences.
To make sure they’re seen and heard, Australia requires these taglines to appear prominently in digital and video ads. On TV and radio, they must be spoken slowly and clearly. The goal is that there is no muttered fine print or overlooked screen text when it comes to this communication.
This shift in tone and messaging matters, and the fresh approach is a massive step toward tackling gambling as an industry shortcoming rather than a personal failure.
New AGA messaging
To their credit, the American Gaming Association (AGA) has taken notice of the limitations of traditional messaging and is trying something new. Their recently introduced “Play Smart from the Start” initiative is a sign of effort in the right direction.
This new campaign emphasizes education, including understanding odds, setting budgets and recognizing signs of risk. It also encourages bettors to use tools like deposit limits and time management features.
But the language remains cautious and is still rooted in promoting “smart play” to consumers, a notable difference from the type of language above that is used in Australia.
If the U.S. wants to follow Australia’s lead in reducing harm, public campaigns may need to be more provocative, bold and transparent.
Worried about your betting? Connect with Birches Health today by clicking here, calling 833-483-3838 or emailing help@bircheshealth.com
Gambling addiction rates in the U.S.
In Kentucky, gambling-related hotline outreach has skyrocketed by a fourfold increase since 2022.
Florida saw an 88% rise in gambling addiction hotline calls between 2023 and 2024.
Ohio calls spiked 227% from January 2022 to January 2023
Virginia reported an eye-opening 973% increase in helpline callers between 2019 and 2023.
Massachusetts saw a 121% rise in gambling support calls from mid-2022 to mid-2023.
North Carolina, a state just one year into legalized sports betting, experienced an uptick from 895 calls in 2023 to 1,288 in 2024. Online chats went up dramatically from 83 in 2023 to 247 in 2024, and texts more than doubled from 172 in 2023 to 449 in 2024.
New Jersey, since legalizing sports betting in 2018, has seen a 277% increase in gambling hotline calls. Young people are particularly vulnerable. Alarming data presented at a New Jersey State Legislature hearing revealed that 55% of 7th and 8th graders had gambled in the past year, and 10-15% of adolescent gamblers already exhibit problem gambling behaviors. The calls coming into helplines reflect this trend: 100% of “recent calls” were from individuals under 25, mostly young men struggling with sports betting. The largest group seeking help is those aged 34 and under.
Gambling addiction treatment options
To truly take the necessary steps to reduce gambling harm, many key stakeholders in the U.S. need to view it as a looming public health crisis that needs urgent attention. It also likely means shifting responsibility from the individual to the industry – including operators, affiliates, advertisers and regulators.
Most importantly, there’s a need to acknowledge that education and individual willpower alone won’t solve gambling addiction. The products are often designed to be immersive, habit-forming and profitable for operators at the users’ expense. And the people most affected often suffer in silence.
Birches Health believes in the need to increase access to specialized gambling addiction treatment nationwide. So if you’re worried about your own betting or that of someone you care about, help is just a click or call away. Birches offers insurance-covered virtual care from specially certified, licensed therapists with decades of experience, so individuals can receive the effective support they need from the comfort of home.
Here are some options for getting started with Birches:
Call 833-483-3838
Email help@bircheshealth.com
