Largest US Sportsbooks Form ROGA to Fight Off Problem Gambling

The largest online sportsbook operators in the US have created the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), a group dedicated to the development of responsible gaming practices. 

The seven iconic brands that will form ROGA are FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Penn Entertainment, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Hard Rock Digital and bet365.

In a historical move, the companies that account for 85% of the legal online sports betting market in the US, have agreed to share information regarding excluded customers because of problem gambling.

Over $20 Million Pledged

Together, the seven giants have pledged over $20 million to fund ROGA. The group’s executive director, Jennifer Shatley, expressed excitement for moving the initiative forward and “really” doing “some impactful things” while expanding the knowledge through the research and generating the best practices based on evidence. 

All ROGA members will collaborate on topics that will cover the best practices for responsible gaming, education, and conscientious marketing and advertising.

While more details are necessary, ROGA has announced it would also create an independent database for sharing information regarding consumer protection.

The new group will also work on setting up a certification program that will evaluate the responsible gaming efforts of all members and offer incentives for operators to engage.

Around 2 Million Americans Suffer from Severe Gambling Problems

The news of the ROGA consortium comes in the context of the current estimate that speaks about two million US adults suffering from severe gambling problems, as per data from the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Additionally, five million to eight million of all adults in the country are labeled as having a mild or moderate gambling problem.

The issue of problem gambling has triggered a series of regulatory crackdowns in Europe with special emphasis on the United Kingdom in the last few years, with impacts on the profits of sportsbooks and the way they do business.

In the meanwhile, in the US, online and retail sports betting has witnessed an important growth from 2018 onward. 

With 38 states and Washington, D.C. currently offering legal sports wagering services, 2023 was another year with a record number of Americans betting on the Super Bowl, with close to 15,000 online transactions per second.   

The figure was twice as high as last year’s number. 

As expected, a few gambling insiders have expressed their skepticism regarding ROGA’s hidden agenda, suspecting it of what they believe to be a marketing stunt used to address a public relations issue.