Illinois Strengthens Gaming Advertising Rules, Enacts Ban on College Campuses
Posted on: August 5, 2025, 11:09h.
Last updated on: August 5, 2025, 02:10h.
- Illinois has altered how gaming companies can advertise
- Gaming businesses are no longer permitted to advertise on college campuses
- Responsible gaming messaging is needed in all marketing materials
Legal gaming operators in Illinois recently saw their advertising freedoms shrink.
On Monday, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) announced the implementation of various regulatory updates regarding how the state’s casino, sports betting, and video gaming industries can market their operations. The overhaul is highlighted by a complete ban on all forms of gambling advertising on college campuses and facilities primarily used for university events.
By adopting these measures, the IGB is building upon existing regulations to implement additional safeguards and standards that further protect the public and encourage responsible gambling habits,” said IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter. “These regulations provide for clear, consistent, ethical, and transparent advertising and marketing guidelines for all casino, video gaming, and sports wagering operations under IGB jurisdiction.”
The IGB said the new advertising rules went into effect on August 1 after being approved in May by the Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) and being made public by the Secretary of State in the Illinois Register Issue 31.
With online gaming and sports betting continuing to take hold in the United States — gaming sectors that have exploded in recent years — state lawmakers and regulators, along with federal lawmakers and responsible gaming advocates, have called for more safeguards on how iGaming and internet sportsbooks reach consumers.
Online sports betting stands to be most impacted should the SAFE Bet Act pass in Congress. The federal bill would ban all forms of sports betting advertising between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm and during all live sports programming. The statute authored by US Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) would additionally outlaw sportsbooks from using various wording, including “bonus,” “risk-free,” and “no-sweat bet.” Odds boosts and similar promotions to induce play would also be barred.
College Ad Ban
The IGB says casinos and sportsbooks can no longer promote their businesses on any college campuses.
Such gaming operators cannot publish, air, broadcast, display, or distribute “on any college or university media outlets such as college or university newspapers and radio or television broadcasts, or any sports venues used primarily for college and university events,” the IGB regulation reads. Sportsbooks and casinos are also prohibited from depicting college students, universities, and university settings in all of their marketing materials.
While most licensed gaming operators already do so, the IGB’s revised statutes also now mandate that gaming firms allow patrons to easily unsubscribe or opt out of receiving marketing communications. Licensed gaming entities must additionally avoid contracting third parties to conduct advertising or marketing on their behalf.
The IGB’s advertising update follows a similar amendment that occurred in September 2024. It was almost a year ago when the IGB ordered its casinos and sportsbooks to cease using controversial wording like “risk-free” and “free bet.”
Responsible Gaming Text
Another condition of the newly implemented IGB advertising protocols is that all marketing — not only those on television and print — must include responsible gaming messaging.
The Illinois Department of Human Services will draft various messages that casinos, sportsbooks, and video gaming businesses will need to select from to include in their ads, including posts on social media.
Last Comment ( 1 )
This is great news!