NBA, NHL and MLB unveil ad promoting responsible sports betting

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball have joined forces to produce a 30-second ad promoting responsible sports betting.

The “Never Know What’s Next” commercial unveiled Tuesday is a coordination of the three leagues, sportsbook operators DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, PENN Entertainment and the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Scott Kaufman-Ross, the NBA’s senior VP and head of gaming and new business ventures, said it was important to educate especially young bettors on the inherent risk of sports gambling and correct the misperception that it’s a good way to make money.

“With more fans than ever having the opportunity to legally bet in their home states, it is imperative that we work with our media and sportsbook partners, as well as with our friends at the NBA and MLB, to inform and emphasize the risks and encourage the importance of setting limits and betting responsibly, especially among our growing fanbase in the younger demographic,” NHL chief business officer Keith Wachtel said.

The ad’s message is to remind bettors to set betting limits and gamble responsibly. It aired during the Cleveland Cavaliers-Philadelphia 76ers in-season tournament game Tuesday on TNT and was posted to the leagues’ social media channels.