The NBA and WNBA will bring a new responsible gaming campaign into the 2026-27 NBA season, widening an education effort aimed at fans navigating sports betting and prediction markets. The league-backed initiative, developed with the National Council on Problem Gambling, is built around financial risk, personal limits and knowing when participation has crossed into a problem.
A campaign aimed at young adult fans
A new video spot will be distributed across NBA and WNBA digital, linear and partner platforms. Its debut date and creative details have not yet been released, but the rollout is scheduled to begin during the 2026-27 NBA season.
The campaign is particularly focused on young adults as betting and prediction-market products become another way fans interact with games, players and results. Its central message: familiarity with a team, a rotation or a matchup does not remove the possibility of losing money.
- Sports wagers and prediction-market trading carry meaningful risk when they are not managed responsibly.
- Loss of control can affect more than a person’s finances, reaching mental health and relationships with friends and family.
- The campaign will stress that these activities are entertainment, not a reliable path to income.
- Fans who take part will be urged not to risk money they cannot afford to lose.
Limits, warning signs and support
The NBA and WNBA will direct audiences to educational material and support resources created with the National Council on Problem Gambling. Fans will be encouraged to set boundaries for both the money and time spent on betting or prediction markets, recognize signs that their participation is becoming hard to manage, and seek help when needed.
The National Council on Problem Gambling is a nonprofit organization focused on reducing gambling-related harm through prevention, public education, advocacy, research and connections to support services.
NBA Head of Media Distribution and Partnerships Scott Kaufman-Ross said the changing ways fans engage with sports make it important to understand the risks involved in putting money on outcomes. He said the goal is to help fans make informed choices and, if they choose to bet, trade or participate in similar activities, do so responsibly.
WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison said carrying the campaign to WNBA audiences will expand its reach. She said the effort gives fans practical direction on financial risk, setting personal limits and identifying when and where support is available.
An expanded league-wide effort
The initiative continues the NBA’s existing responsible gaming work with the National Council on Problem Gambling while formally extending that education push to WNBA fans.
Derek Longmeier, president of the NCPG Board of Directors, said awareness is a necessary starting point in limiting gambling-related harm. He said the campaign will put more attention on the risks tied to betting and prediction markets while making resources more visible to people who may need assistance.
Where fans can find help
ResponsiblePlay.org will provide responsible gaming information and resources. People concerned about their own gambling, or the gambling of someone close to them, can also call or text 1-800-MY-RESET for free and confidential help through the National Problem Gambling Helpline, which is available around the clock.
