A new study from the 5W Research Division found that the U.S. gambling industry spent almost nine times more on celebrity endorsements than on responsible gambling communications in 2025. The report highlights how operators need to devote more resources to improving responsible gaming rather than focusing on customer acquisition.
The 5W Research Division’s 5W Responsible Gambling Communications Audit 2026, released on July 3, analyzed how the U.S. gambling industry communicated about responsible gambling over a 24-month period. It also looked at how those efforts may be influencing regulatory, ESG, and AI search outcomes.
The study reviewed 30 operators within sports betting, online casino, and land-based casinos, drawing on more than 47,000 earned media articles, 180 ESG disclosures and 10-K filings, 240 state regulator filings, and 2,400 AI search queries across ChatGPT, Claude, and more.
According to the report, the industry spent approximately $3.9 billion on marketing and advertising during 2025. Of that total, roughly $520 million went toward celebrity and athlete endorsement partnerships, while about $60 million was allocated to responsible gambling programs and communications, resulting in an 8.7-to-1 spending ratio.
The report notes that the gap is larger than that observed in other regulated industries with public health considerations, including alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals.
It also examined how operators are represented by AI search tools, finding that BetMGM and DraftKings were cited far more frequently than other major sportsbooks when users asked about responsible gambling programs.
As part of the audit, the 5W Research Division introduced a 100-point Responsible Gambling Communications Index to evaluate operators. MGM Resorts International received the highest score at 81 out of 100, followed by BetMGM Sportsbook (78), BetMGM Casino (74), DraftKings (71), and FanDuel (66). At the other end of the rankings were Las Vegas Sands (41), ESPN Bet (now theScore Bet) (38), Fanatics Sportsbook (34), bet365 (29), and Stake.us (22).
The report comes in as the sports betting industry faces increasing scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers, and public health advocates over the growth of problem gambling. While operators have expanded responsible gambling initiatives in recent years, studies like this are likely to intensify questions about whether those efforts are keeping pace with the industry’s marketing spending.
As responsible gambling becomes a larger part of regulatory discussions, operators will face greater pressure to allocate more resources toward player protection programs. That could include increasing investment in responsible gambling campaigns and improving the visibility of safer gambling tools.
At the same time, the report’s findings may prompt companies to reconsider the balance between promotional advertising and responsible gambling messaging. While celebrity endorsements remain an important way to acquire customers in a competitive market, operators could come under increasing pressure to demonstrate that consumer protection is receiving a comparable level of attention.
If that trend continues, the industry may gradually shift more of its marketing budgets toward responsible gambling initiatives while placing less emphasis on high-profile promotional campaigns.
