Ban Gambling Advertising In and Around Schools

Prohibit gambling advertising on and near school grounds, on school transportation, and in school-affiliated channels and events.

What it does: Prohibits gambling operators from placing advertising on or within a set distance of K-12 school grounds, on school transportation, in school publications and digital properties, and at school-sponsored events; bans school and youth-sports sponsorships; and prohibits ads targeted to or likely to appeal to school-age minors.

Protects minors during the years of highest vulnerability: exposure to gambling advertising is associated with stronger betting intentions and earlier uptake among young people.
Schools concentrate under-age youth: advertising on or beside school grounds is unavoidable and normalizes wagering for students years before they can legally bet.
Established precedent: states already restrict tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis advertising on and near school grounds; gambling presents the same youth-protection rationale.
Objective and auditable: a placement-and-distance test is enforceable as a license condition without any subjective intent standard.
Closes a youth-specific gap: complements general advertising restrictions by protecting the one environment where minors are required to be.

Sources

Notes to Drafters

Suggested target values (starting point):
- Buffer distance: 500–1,000 feet from school property is a workable starting point, mirroring common tobacco and cannabis advertising buffers; some states use 1,000 feet.
- Penalties: $25,000 per prohibited placement is a workable baseline; consider escalation for repeat placements and for placements on School grounds.
Scope of “School”: this draft covers public and private pre-K through grade 12 schools. An optional clause extends coverage to institutions of higher education, where many students are below the legal wagering age and campus sports betting is a concern.
Constitutional posture: structured as a condition of licensure. Protecting minors is a strong, well-recognized state interest, and siting restrictions near schools track existing tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis advertising rules.
Coordinate with the general “Advertising Restrictions + Required Warnings” bill; this is a focused complement that can be enacted on its own or together with broader placement limits.

Draft Bill Text

CASPR is available for legal and technical support adapting this bill to specific state contexts.

Download as Word .docx

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO GAMBLING; PROHIBITING GAMBLING ADVERTISING ON AND NEAR SCHOOL GROUNDS,
ON SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION, AND IN SCHOOL-AFFILIATED CHANNELS AND EVENTS; PROHIBITING
SCHOOL AND YOUTH-SPORTS SPONSORSHIPS; PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF [STATE]:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the "Gambling Advertising School Protection Act".

SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) "Commission" means the [STATE GAMING COMMISSION] or successor agency.
(2) "Operator" means a person licensed or otherwise authorized under [STATE LAW] to
conduct sports wagering or online casino gaming in this State.
(3) "Covered gambling advertising" means any communication, regardless of medium, that:
(A) promotes sports wagering, online casino gaming, or any other form of gambling
authorized in this State;
(B) promotes an Operator, gambling brand, or gambling application; or
(C) offers an inducement, bonus, or promotion related to gambling.
(4) "School" means a public or private institution that provides instruction for one or
more grades from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, including the real property on
which it is located. [OPTIONAL: and an institution of higher education located in
this State.]
(5) "School grounds" means the buildings, facilities, and real property of a School,
including athletic fields, parking areas, and School transportation.
(6) "Near a School" means within [1,000] feet of the property boundary of a School,
measured in a straight line from the nearest point of the School property.

SECTION 3. PROHIBITION ON ADVERTISING AT AND NEAR SCHOOLS.
(a) On school grounds. An Operator shall not place, purchase, or cause to be placed
Covered gambling advertising on School grounds or on School transportation.

(b) Near schools. An Operator shall not place, purchase, or cause to be placed Covered
gambling advertising, including outdoor and digital out-of-home advertising, that is
located Near a School or is primarily visible from School grounds.

(c) School-affiliated channels. An Operator shall not place Covered gambling advertising
in a School publication, website, application, athletic program, newsletter, or other
communication produced by or for a School.

(d) School activities and events. An Operator shall not place or sponsor Covered gambling
advertising at a School-sponsored event, including interscholastic and youth athletic
events.

SECTION 4. PROHIBITION ON SCHOOL AND YOUTH SPONSORSHIPS.
(a) An Operator shall not purchase naming rights or sponsorship placements involving a
School, a School facility, a School team, or a youth athletic program.

(b) An Operator shall not provide a School, School team, or youth athletic program with
branded equipment, apparel, or materials that constitute Covered gambling advertising.

SECTION 5. PROHIBITION ON ADVERTISING TARGETED TO MINORS.
An Operator shall not place Covered gambling advertising that is targeted to, or designed to
be primarily appealing to, persons below the minimum legal age for gambling in this State,
including through the use of content, characters, or placements that are primarily appealing
to minors.

SECTION 6. COMPLIANCE CONTROLS.
(a) Each Operator shall implement controls reasonably designed to prevent placement of
Covered gambling advertising in violation of this Act, including controls applicable to
third-party media buyers, affiliates, and programmatic advertising.

(b) An Operator shall maintain records sufficient to demonstrate compliance, including
placement locations and audience-targeting parameters, and shall make such records
available to the Commission on request.

SECTION 7. ENFORCEMENT; PENALTIES; RULEMAKING.
(a) License condition. Compliance with this Act is a condition of licensure.

(b) Civil penalties. The Commission may impose a civil penalty of up to [$25,000] per
violation. Each placement of prohibited Covered gambling advertising constitutes a
separate violation.

(c) Rulemaking. The Commission shall adopt rules to implement this Act, including rules
defining measurement of distance, covered School-affiliated channels, and audit and
recordkeeping requirements.

SECTION 8. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Act or its application is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect
other provisions or applications of this Act that can be given effect without the invalid
provision or application.

SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act takes effect on [DATE].