Report questions gambling industry’s celebrity spending as influencer scrutiny intensifies
The United States betting industry spent an estimated $520 million on celebrity and athlete endorsement deals in 2025, almost nine times the $60 million allocated to responsible gambling programs and communications, according to a new industry audit.
The 5W Responsible Gambling Communications Audit estimated the industry’s total marketing spend at $3.9 billion, with celebrity partnerships accounting for 13.3 per cent of the budget compared with just 1.5 per cent directed towards responsible gambling initiatives.
Television advertising attracted the largest share of marketing expenditure at US$1.42 billion, followed by digital performance marketing at US$980 million, while public relations and earned media accounted for only US$90 million.
The audit, which examined 30 gambling operators over two years, also found only four of 12 publicly listed companies disclosed responsible gambling spending as a percentage of their marketing budgets, while most state gaming regulators reported receiving proactive responsible gambling engagement from fewer than three operators each year.
The findings come as gambling marketing practices face increasing scrutiny in Australia, where regulators and the federal government are moving to curb the use of celebrities, athletes and influencers to promote wagering products.
That scrutiny intensified this week when the Australian Communications and Media Authority issued its first warning to a social media influencer, with MMA fighter Jamie Mullarkey sanctioned after promoting an illegal offshore gambling operator on Instagram, although the regulator stopped short of stronger action after he removed the posts, ended the sponsorship and cooperated with the investigation.
