Responsible gambling messaging requirements by market
Every regulated market expects gambling marketing to carry responsible gambling information, but the wording, placement and helpline differ. This comparison sets out the requirements in six markets and the source for each.
- Ontario requires a responsible gambling message in all advertising and marketing materials (Registrar's Standard 2.08).
- New Jersey prescribes 1-800-GAMBLER wording for print and outdoor ads; New York requires its HOPEline number in ads.
- In the UK, the industry IGRG code sets 18+ and safer gambling messaging, including in search ad copy.
- Denmark and Sweden write messaging duties into law, including the age limit and a support contact.
Responsible gambling messaging requirements tell operators what safety information must accompany their marketing: an age limit, a helpline or support service, and sometimes a set form of words. The rules apply to advertising and marketing, which in most markets includes promotional web pages and social posts as well as traditional ads. Because the requirements differ by market, a page or campaign that is compliant in one place may be missing required information in another.
The table below summarises the main requirements in six markets as of 24 October 2026. It is editorial information, not legal advice; the linked rules are the authority.
Requirements compared
| Market | What marketing must carry | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 18+ messaging and safer gambling messaging, including in search ad copy and digital ads; a share of advertising given to safer gambling messages; affiliates to label ads | IGRG Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising, 7th edition (published September 2023, in force from 1 December 2023); Gambling Commission licence conditions expect compliance |
| Ontario | A responsible gambling message in all advertising and marketing materials | AGCO Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming, Standard 2.08 |
| New Jersey | On print, billboard and sign ads: "If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER" or approved equivalent; online platforms show it at log-on | N.J.A.C. 13:69C-14.2(c); N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.2 |
| New York | A problem gambling hotline shown clearly and conspicuously, such as "Gambling Problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369)" | New York State Gaming Commission advertising restrictions |
| Denmark | The age limit, the ROFUS self-exclusion register and the StopSpillet helpline; no marketing to players registered in ROFUS | Danish Gambling Authority marketing guidance (current version July 2025) |
| Sweden | The minimum age stated clearly and contact details for a gambling support organisation; moderate marketing; no direct marketing to Spelpaus self-excluded players | Gambling Act (Spellagen 2018:1138), chapter 15 |
United States beyond the state rules
Many US states set their own messaging requirements, and the wording is often specific. Colorado, for example, requires "Gambling problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER" on sports betting advertising, according to the American Gaming Association's 2025 guide to responsible gaming regulations. Alongside state rules, the AGA's Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, updated on 28 March 2023, commits members to responsible gaming messaging, a 21+ standard for people featured in ads, and a ban on describing bets as "risk free". Our US legal states tracker links to each state regulator, where the current rules are published.
How these rules reach web pages
For search content, the key question is whether a page counts as marketing. Promotional pages on an operator's own site, landing pages for campaigns and most affiliate content written to drive sign-ups generally do. In the UK, the advertising code's online remit covers marketing on companies' own websites and social accounts, as our UK advertising rules guide explains. Ontario's requirement covers "all advertising and marketing materials", and the AGCO holds operators responsible for affiliates' advertising.
Placement matters as much as presence. Search snippets and AI answers quote parts of pages out of context, so a helpline placed only in the footer may not travel with the claim it qualifies. Putting the message in the same section as any content that explains how to bet, or promotes a product, keeps it visible wherever the content appears.
Practical checklist for multi-market sites
For each market a site serves, record the required elements (age, helpline, set wording, self-exclusion reference), where they must appear, and the rule that requires them. Then check each market's promotional templates against that list, rather than relying on a single global footer. A footer written for the UK, with 18+ and GamCare or GambleAware references, does not meet New Jersey's or New York's helpline requirements, and vice versa. Google's 2026 certification requirements for gambling advertisers, covered in our Google Ads policy guide, also expect age warnings and addiction resources on landing pages.
If you see a messaging rule we have not listed, or one that has changed, please send us the source.
Sources
- IGRG Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising (7th edition, in force from 1 December 2023)
- AGCO: advertising and marketing in Ontario's iGaming market (Standard 2.08)
- N.J.A.C. 13:69C-14.2; N.J.A.C. 13:69O
- New York State Gaming Commission: advertising restrictions
- Danish Gambling Authority: updated marketing guidance (16 July 2025)
- Swedish Gambling Act (Spellagen 2018:1138)
- American Gaming Association: 2025 responsible gaming regulations and guidelines; AGA Responsible Marketing Code updates (28 March 2023)