NBA and WNBA launch responsible gambling campaign for 2026–27 season
Joint NBA–WNBA initiative with the NCPG directing fans to ResponsiblePlay.org.
Key Takeaways
- The NBA and the WNBA will run a joint responsible gambling campaign with the National Council on Problem Gambling during the 2026–27 NBA season.
- The initiative covers both traditional sports bets with bookmakers and trading on prediction platforms, directing fans to ResponsiblePlay.org for support.
- The campaign emphasises setting time and money limits and recognising signs of financial and mental harm from gambling.
- A new advertisement will run on social and television channels; the leagues will confirm creative details and the debut date later.
- The 2018 US Supreme Court ruling left sports betting regulation to individual states, so protections vary by jurisdiction.
The NBA and the WNBA will launch a responsible gambling campaign with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) during the 2026–27 NBA season, warning fans about the risks of sports betting and prediction markets. The initiative covers both bets placed with bookmakers and trading on prediction platforms, and directs fans to educational resources and support at ResponsiblePlay.org. Good To Know Sports will remind that knowledge does not protect against financial losses.
Objective of the responsible gambling campaign
The campaign aims to get fans to recognise when participation in betting or prediction markets is becoming difficult to control and to seek support before gambling harms their finances, relationships or mental health. The central message will emphasise setting time and money limits as part of the practical guidance both leagues will distribute.
Colie Edison, WNBA Chief Growth Officer, explained the focus on WNBA audiences:
“Helping our fans make informed decisions is central to this effort. By bringing this campaign to WNBA audiences, we can reach more fans with practical guidance on understanding financial risk, setting limits and recognizing when and where to find support.” — Colie Edison, WNBA Chief Growth Officer
The campaign expands an existing partnership between the NBA and the NCPG and extends it to WNBA audiences. It will include warnings and materials specific to the two forms of participation the release identifies: traditional sports betting and trading on prediction platforms.
Reach: sportsbooks and prediction platforms
Campaign materials will address the differences between betting at a sportsbook and trading in a prediction market, but will offer the same warning for both: fans should view participation as entertainment and not a reliable income source. The release highlights that the campaign will explicitly cover:
bets with traditional bookmakers ([sportsbooks](/sports))
trading on prediction platforms
The message “Good To Know Sports knowledge does not protect fans from financial losses” will appear as a reminder that information does not eliminate the inherent risk of putting money on sporting outcomes.
Media and creative deployment
The NBA and the WNBA have confirmed that a new ad will run on social media and television through the leagues’ channels and their partners. The leagues said they will confirm further creative details and the debut date later. Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA Head of Media Distribution and Partnerships, said:
“As the ways people engage with sports continue to evolve, it is important that fans understand the risks associated with putting money on sports outcomes. Through this campaign, we want to help fans make informed decisions, understand the risk and, if they choose to bet, trade or anything similar, that they do so responsibly.” — Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA Head of Media Distribution and Partnerships
The media plan will combine television broadcast and distribution on digital platforms to maximise reach among NBA and WNBA followers.
Resources and calls to action
Fans will receive practical guidance on setting personal time and spend limits, as well as instructions on how to recognise signs of gambling harm. The campaign will point to ResponsiblePlay.org as the education and support hub. ResponsiblePlay.org will be the central location where educational materials and assistance options are accessible to the public.
Messages will include instructions on setting limits and seeking help before problems escalate. No specific tools or integrations with particular operators were announced in the release.
Legal context in the United States
The initiative sits within a regulatory patchwork. The United States Supreme Court decision of 2018 did not legalise sports betting at the federal level; it struck down the federal restriction and allowed each state to decide whether to authorise and regulate sports betting, leaving consumers exposed to different regulatory frameworks by state. For coverage of how states implement rules, see [regulation](/regulation).
What this means for operators and platforms
For operators and prediction platforms, the campaign increases the public expectation and the social responsibility communications: the leagues’ messages amplify the need for operators to provide limits and access to help resources. The explicit inclusion of prediction markets in the campaign underscores that communication obligations should extend beyond traditional sportsbooks to platform providers and trading services in the sector. For industry implications see [b2b](/b2b).
By Renata Quiroga, Corresponsal de mercados de apuestas.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the NBA and WNBA responsible gambling campaign begin?
The campaign will launch during the 2026–27 NBA season. The leagues said the ad will be part of that season and that they will confirm the creative debut date later.
What types of activity will the campaign cover?
The campaign will cover both traditional betting at bookmakers (sportsbooks) and trading on prediction platforms, stressing that both carry financial risk and should be treated as entertainment.
Where can fans find resources and support?
Fans can find education and support at ResponsiblePlay.org, which the leagues have designated as the central resource for the initiative.
What is the main message the NBA and WNBA will promote?
The leagues will promote setting time and money limits and recognising loss of control, encouraging fans to seek help before gambling harms their finances or wellbeing.
How does the US legal framework affect the campaign?
Because the 2018 Supreme Court decision left regulation to individual states, the legal framework varies by state; this means rules and consumer protections depend on local law.
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About the author
Renata Quiroga
Betting Markets Correspondent
Renata Quiroga covers sports betting and prediction markets — sportsbook launches, odds technology, event contracts, and the regulatory calls that decide what can be bet on and where. The reports open with the product or the ruling, name operators and platforms precisely, and explain the mechanics without needless jargon. When a book enters a Latin American market or a prediction exchange lists a contested contract, Renata Quiroga reports what changes for the bettor.
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