205 CMR 256.04
False or Misleading Advertising
(1) No Sports Wagering Operator shall allow, conduct, or participate in any unfair or deceptive
advertising, marketing, or branding for Sports Wagering.
(2) No Sports Wagering Operator shall obscure or fail to disclose any material fact in its
advertising, marketing, or branding for sports wagering or use any type, size, location lighting,
illustration, graphic, depiction or color resulting in the obscuring of or failure to disclose any
material fact in any advertising, marketing, or branding.
(3) All Sports Wagering advertisements must clearly convey the material conditions under
which Sports Wagering is being offered, including information about the cost to participate and
the nature of any promotions, to assist patrons in understanding the odds of winning. Any
material conditions or limiting factors must be clearly and conspicuously specified in the
advertisement. Additional, non-material terms and conditions may be otherwise made available
on a website or application if an advertisement is not of sufficient size or duration to permit
inclusion of the additional information.
No Sports Wagering Operator, Sports Wagering Vendor, or third party marketing or
advertising entity required to be licensed or registered pursuant to 205 CMR 234.00: Sports
Wagering Vendors, nor any employee of any of the foregoing, may advise or encourage patrons
to place a specific wager of any specific type, kind, subject, or amount. This restriction does not
prohibit general advertising or promotional activities which may notify a patron of the need to
place a specific wager type, kind, subject, or amount in order for patron to receive a promotional
benefit.
All marketing or advertising by or on behalf of a Sports Wagering Operator must include a
clear and conspicuous disclosure describing the financial, employment, personal, or other
relationship with the Sports Wagering Operator. Inclusion of this disclosure shall not operate
as a waiver of the prohibition against advising or encouraging patrons to place a specific wager
as outlined in 205 CMR 256.04(4).
(5) A Sports Wagering Operator that engages in any promotion related to Sports Wagering shall
clearly and concisely explain the terms of the promotion and adhere to such terms. If a Sports
Wagering Operator offers complimentary items or promotional credit that are subject to terms,
conditions or limitations in order to claim the item or redeem the item or credit, the Operator
shall fully disclose all material terms, conditions or limitations through the following methods,
provided that additional, non-material terms and conditions, may be otherwise made available
on a website or application if an advertisement is not of sufficient size or duration to permit
inclusion of the non-material information.
(a) In all advertisements or inducements where the complimentary item or promotion are
advertised;
(b) If being added to a Sports Wagering Account, through the use of a pop-up message
either while the complimentary item or promotional credit is being added or when the patron
next logs in to the Account, whichever is earlier; and
(c)
If the offer requires the patron to Wager a specific dollar amount to receive the
complimentary item or promotional credit, the amount that the patron is required to Wager
of the patron's own funds shall be disclosed in the same size and style of font as the amount
of the complimentaryitem or promotional credit, and the complimentaryitem or promotional
credit shall not be described as free.
displayed, disseminated, or distributed by or on behalf of any Sports Wagering Operator shall:
(a) Promote irresponsible or excessive participation in Sports Wagering;
(b) Suggest that social, financial, or personal success is guaranteed by engaging in event
wagering;
(c) Imply or promote Sports Wagering as free of risk in general or in connection with a
particular promotion or Sports Wagering offer;
(d) Describe Sports Wagering as "free", "cost free" or "free of risk" if the player needs to
incur any loss or risk their own money to use or withdraw winnings from the Wager;
256.04: continued
(e) Encourage players to "chase" losses or re-invest winnings;
(f) Suggest that betting is a means of solving or escaping from financial, personal, or
professional problems;
(g) Portray, suggest, condone or encourage Sports Wagering behavior as a rite of passage
or signifier of reaching adulthood or other milestones;
(h)
Portray, suggest, condone or encourage Sports Wagering behavior that is socially
irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm;
(i) Imply that the chances of winning increase with increased time spent on Sports Wagering
or increased money wagered;
(j) Be placed on any website or printed page or medium devoted primarily to responsible
gaming;
(k) Offer a line of credit to any consumer; or
(l) Use individuals to provide purported expertise or Sports Wagering advice who are
employed by, contracted with, or otherwise compensated by a Sports Governing Body, team,
club or athlete on which a wager may be placed.