Positions of Voluntary Guidelines for Casinos Marketing and Advertising

“BEST PRACTICES” PARADIGM FOR ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
In January 1999, the Board of Directors of the American Gaming Association approved Voluntary Guidelines for Casinos Marketing and Advertising. These voluntary guidelines apply to the advertising and marketing of gambling in casinos. While they are intended for casino gambling, these guidelines can serve as a model for all forms of gambling advertising.
The purpose of these voluntary guidelines is two-fold:
1) To ensure responsible and appropriate advertising and marketing of casinos to adults that reflects generally accepted contemporary standards; and
2) To avoid casino advertising and marketing materials 81 that specifically appeal to children and minors.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
· All casino advertising and marketing will contain a responsible gambling slogan and the toll-free telephone number for those individuals in need of assistance.
· Casino advertising and marketing materials are intended for adults who are of legal age to gamble in casinos.
· Casinos advertising and marketing materials should reflect generally accepted contemporary standards of good taste.
· Casino advertising and marketing materials should not imply or suggest any illegal activity of any kind.
· Casino advertising and marketing materials shall strictly comply with all state and federal standards to not make false or misleading claims or exaggerated representations about gambling activity.
· Casino advertising and marketing materials should not contain claims or representations that individuals are guaranteed social, financial, or personal success.
· Casino advertising and marketing materials should not feature current collegiate athletes.
UNDERAGE GUIDELINES
· Casino advertising and marketing materials directed to or intended to appeal to persons below the legal age are prohibited.
· Casino advertising and marketing materials should not contain cartoon figures, symbols, celebrity/ entertainer endorsements, and/ or language designed to appeal specifically to children and minors.
· Casinos should not be advertised or promoted by anyone who is or appears to be below the legal age to participate in gambling activity. Models or actors should appear to be 25 years of age or older.
· Casino gambling should not be advertised or promoted in media specifically oriented to children and/ or minors.
· Casino advertising and marketing should not be placed in media where most of the audience is reasonably expected to be below the legal age to participate in gambling activity. · Where reasonably possible, casino advertising and marketing materials should not appear adjacent to or in close proximity to comics or other youth features.
· Casino gambling activity should not be advertised to or promoted at any U. S. venue where most of the audience is normally expected to be below the legal age to participate in gambling activity.
· Unless in response to a charitable request, clothing, toys, games, or other materials that appeal primarily to children or minors should not be given away at events where most of the audience is reasonably expected to be below the legal age to participate in gambling activity.
· Participation in casino gambling should not be promoted on college or university campuses or in college or university publications. This voluntary guideline is not intended to cover sponsorships sought by the institutions or their agents, legal employment ads or job fair participation, college scholarship offerings or other legitimate business, scholarship or employment relationships.
· Casino gambling activity should not be advertised or promoted on billboards or other outdoor displays that are adjacent to schools or other primarily youth-oriented locales.

81 For the purposes of the AGA guidelines, the terms “advertising” and “marketing” are defined to include, but are not limited to, radio and television broadcast off the premises, print, direct mail, billboard, and Internet promotions.