Ohio Removes Sports Betting Ad from Public Display
The Ohio Casino Control Commission recently flagged Fanatics Sportsbook for a controversial social media advertisement. The commission is currently in the process of pulling the ad due to concerns about its promotional tactics.
Merchandise Meets Sportsbook
Fanatics Sportsbook published an ad offering customers who purchased a $29.99 baseball hat a matched amount on their Fanatics Sportsbook app in Ohio. The promotion targeted new customers and complied with the state's responsible gambling advertisement code.
However, the Commission's director of communications, Jessica Franks, confirmed the ad's removal. Critics argue that the advertising could be visible to everyone on Fanatics' website, potentially exposing underage individuals to gambling content.
Despite this early hiccup, Fanatics sees potential in leveraging synergies between its various business arms. The company, which already boasts a customer base of 95 million, is initially launching its products in Ohio and Tennessee, with future plans for Massachusetts and other U.S. states.
Navigating the U.S. Sports Betting Waters
Recently, Fanatics purchased PointsBet's US assets for a striking $150 million. The move suggests Fanatics' intent to combine its retail merchandise business with sports betting, potentially onboarding customers between sports betting and sports apparel.
Although Fanatics remains tight-lipped about the recent ad issue, the company seems optimistic about its late entry into the sports betting market. By learning from the experiences of other companies, Fanatics aims to avoid common pitfalls, especially when it comes to social media advertising.
It's essential to note that the provided information does not suggest a direct order from the Ohio Casino Control Commission to remove Fanatics' ad. The Commission regulates advertising guidelines, but specific instances of ad removals were not documented in the available data.
- Fanatics planned to expand its business in the sports betting market by purchasing PointsBet's US assets for $150 million.
- Fanatics Sportsbook's controversial advertisement offering sports betting credits for a baseball hat purchase was flagged by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
- The ad complied with the state's responsible gambling advertisement code but raised concerns about its visibility to underage individuals on Fanatics' website.
- The commission is currently in the process of pulling the ad due to concerns about its promotional tactics, as confirmed by the commission's director of communications, Jessica Franks.
- Despite this issue, Fanatics is optimistic about its late entry into the sports betting market, aiming to learn from the experiences of other companies to avoid common pitfalls, particularly with social media advertising.
- Fanatics Sportsbook has initially launched its products in Ohio and Tennessee, with future plans for Massachusetts and other U.S. states, reflecting the company's strategy to leverage synergies between its various business arms.
