WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The 2024 NFL season kicks off Thursday night, and along with it, one of the biggest weekends of the year for sports betters. There is a record amount of money predicted to be wagered this upcoming NFL season.
“There's really three big betting moments on the calendar and the NFL owns two of those,” said Joe Maloney, senior vice president for strategic communications at the American Gaming Association in D.C. “It's the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl at the beginning of the year. It's March madness, college basketball, men's and women's tournaments in March and then the start of the NFL season right here right now in September.”
The American Gaming Association predicts a staggering $35 billion nationwide will be bet on NFL games this upcoming season. That’s almost double the size of DC Government’s budget and up 33% from the amount of money bet on the NFL last season.
“There's just growing acceptance of sports betting as an entertainment option,” Maloney said. “Our survey work recently showed nine in 10 Americans view gaming, whether that's going to a casino or placing a sports bet, as an acceptable form of entertainment for themselves and their of age family.”
Maloney said legalized sports betting has generated more than $200 million in tax revenues across the region, since mobile sports betting became legal in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. D.C. opened its market to industry leading apps like Fan Duel and Draft Kings just this year.
That’s made a sports bet just a few phone clicks away in this area. Maloney said the American Gaming Association is aware of the problems that can cause.
“Our industry will certainly not dispute that gambling can become disordered, it can become addictive,” Maloney said. “And so the responsibility that we take on is to ensure that we are communicating to betters and to the general public. We are not in the business of someone becoming a problem gambler.”
To fight that, the American Gaming Association is kicking off "Responsible Gaming Education Month" and the “Have A Game Plan” public service campaign to educate new and seasoned sports bettors about responsible sports wagering.
Some of the campaign's suggestions are:
- Know the odds and understand betting terminology. Don’t bet on a parlay if you don’t know what a parlay is.
- Stick to a budget and have a set amount of money that you're willing to spend. Once that money is out, walk away.
- Use legal apps, not offshore sites or neighborhood bookies.
- Keep it fun. Sports gambling is supposed to be entertainment for adults, not a get rich quick scheme.
The American Gaming Association says more than two thirds of American adults now live in states where live sports betting is legal.
If you or a loved one has a problem with gambling, the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network can be reached at 1-800-522-4700. The network is a single national access point to local resources for those seeking help for a gambling problem. Help is available 24/7 and is 100% confidential.