205 CMR, § 256.04

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

Section 256.04 - False or Misleading Advertising

(1) No Sports Wagering Operator shall allow, conduct, or participate in any unfair or deceptive advertising, marketing, or branding for Sports Wagering.

(2) No Sports Wagering Operator shall obscure or fail to disclose any material fact in its advertising, marketing, or branding for sports wagering or use any type, size, location lighting, illustration, graphic, depiction or color resulting in the obscuring of or failure to disclose any material fact in any advertising, marketing, or branding.

(3) All Sports Wagering advertisements must clearly convey the material conditions under which Sports Wagering is being offered, including information about the cost to participate and the nature of any promotions, to assist patrons in understanding the odds of winning. Any material conditions or limiting factors must be clearly and conspicuously specified in the advertisement. Additional, non-material terms and conditions may be otherwise made available on a website or application if an advertisement is not of sufficient size or duration to permit inclusion of the additional information.

(4) No Sports Wagering Operator, Sports Wagering Vendor, or third party marketing or adverting entity required to be licensed or registered pursuant to 205 CMR 234.00: Sports Wagering Vendors, nor any employee of any of the foregoing, may advise or encourage patrons to place a specific wager of any specific type, kind, subject, or amount. This restriction does not prohibit general advertising or promotional activities which may notify a patron of the need to place a specific wager type, kind, subject, or amount in order for patron to receive a promotional benefit.

(5) A Sports Wagering Operator that engages in any promotion related to Sports Wagering shall clearly and concisely explain the terms of the promotion and adhere to such terms. If a Sports Wagering Operator offers complimentary items or promotional credit that are subject to terms, conditions or limitations in order to claim the item or redeem the item or credit, the Operator shall fully disclose all material terms, conditions or limitations through the following methods, provided that additional, non-material terms and conditions, may be otherwise made available on a website or application if an advertisement is not of sufficient size or duration to permit inclusion of the non-material information.

(a) In all advertisements or inducements where the complimentary item or promotion are advertised;

(b) If being added to a Sports Wagering Account, through the use of a pop-up message either while the complimentary item or promotional credit is being added or when the patron next logs in to the Account, whichever is earlier; and

(c) If the offer requires the patron to Wager a specific dollar amount to receive the complimentary item or promotional credit, the amount that the patron is required to Wager of the patron's own funds shall be disclosed in the same size and style of font as the amount of the complimentary item or promotional credit, and the complimentary item or promotional credit shall not be described as free.

(6) No advertising, marketing, branding, and other promotional materials published, aired, displayed, disseminated, or distributed by or on behalf of any Sports Wagering Operator shall:

(a) Promote irresponsible or excessive participation in Sports Wagering;

(b) Suggest that social, financial, or personal success is guaranteed by engaging in event wagering;

(c) Imply or promote Sports Wagering as free of risk in general or in connection with a particular promotion or Sports Wagering offer;

(d) Describe Sports Wagering as "free", "cost free" or "free of risk" if the player needs to incur any loss or risk their own money to use or withdraw winnings from the Wager;

(e) Encourage players to "chase" losses or re-invest winnings;

(f) Suggest that betting is a means of solving or escaping from financial, personal, or professional problems;

(g) Portray, suggest, condone or encourage Sports Wagering behavior as a rite of passage or signifier of reaching adulthood or other milestones;

(h) Portray, suggest, condone or encourage Sports Wagering behavior that is socially irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm;

(i) Imply that the chances of winning increase with increased time spent on Sports Wagering or increased money wagered;

(j) Be placed on any website or printed page or medium devoted primarily to responsible gaming;

(k) Offer a line of credit to any consumer; or

(l) Use individuals to provide purported expertise or Sports Wagering advice who are employed by, contracted with, or otherwise compensated by a Sports Governing Body, team, club or athlete on which a wager may be placed.