When the online gambling gold rush swept through the United States in the wake of key regulatory changes, few brands moved as quickly — or as strategically — as BetMGM. The company, a joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain, entered a volatile, competitive, and highly scrutinized market with a clear goal: dominate the U.S. online sports betting and iGaming space.
But while most competitors raced to outspend each other on celebrity-laden ads and sponsorship deals, BetMGM took a more considered approach. Through acarefully orchestrated gambling public relations (PR) strategy, the brand managed to differentiate itself not just with visibility, but with credibility. In an industry where reputation is fragile and public scrutiny is high, BetMGM demonstrated that smart, responsible PR can do more than just sell — it can lead.
This is a case study of how BetMGM navigated market risk, public concern, and regulatory pressure — and used PR not as a shield, but as a lever for growth.
The Challenge: A Crowded, Controversial Market
In 2020–2022, U.S. states began legalizing online sports betting at a rapid pace. Operators flooded the market, spending billions on customer acquisition. The public saw wall-to-wall advertising during sporting events, with celebrities, athletes, and social media influencers promoting betting apps like lifestyle brands.
Critics quickly raised alarms:
- The sheer volume of advertising was overwhelming, especially during sports broadcasts watched by minors.
- There were concerns about irresponsible messaging, with many ads focusing on “easy money” and risk-free bets.
- Regulators warned about potential addiction spikes, misleading promotions, and inadequate consumer protection.
In this climate, any misstep could mean public backlash or regulatory restrictions. For a new brand like BetMGM, it wasn’t enough to just grab attention — it needed to build trust fast.
The Strategy: Build a Responsible, Relatable, and Resilient Brand
From the outset, BetMGM’s PR and communications strategy reflected three key priorities:
- Position BetMGM as a trusted brand — not just a flashy one.
- Address public and regulatory concerns before they escalate into crises.
- Embed responsible gambling into the brand’s identity, not just its legal compliance.
Here’s how they did it.
1. Shaping the Brand Identity Through Strategic Partnerships
Rather than simply buying ad space, BetMGM pursued PR-friendly partnerships that helped craft a narrative around entertainment, safety, and legitimacy.
For example, they partnered with:
- Major sports leagues — not just to advertise, but to co-create messaging around betting education.
- Veteran athletes and media personalities — not just celebrities, but people with a track record of credibility and maturity. The tone shifted from “win big” to “play smart.”
- Hospitality and entertainment brands — such as MGM properties in Las Vegas — to reinforce a luxury lifestyle brand image, emphasizing experience over winnings.
These partnerships were supported by high-touch PR: joint press events, co-branded education campaigns, interviews in business media, and behind-the-scenes social content. This gave BetMGM an “insider” status — not just another betting app, but part of an entertainment ecosystem with history and prestige.
2. Turning Responsible Gambling Into a Brand Pillar
Unlike some competitors who treated responsible gambling (RG) as a compliance checkbox, BetMGM made it a core brand message — and put real PR firepower behind it.
Their strategy included:
- Public-facing campaigns on deposit limits, self-exclusion, and time-outs — integrated directly into onboarding flows and app notifications.
- A designated responsible gaming ambassador, who conducted interviews, engaged with communities, and fronted campaign videos — humanizing the company’s commitment.
- Storytelling through earned media, including feature stories about how players used RG tools to regain control, or how the company trained its support teams to detect risky behavior.
Critically, BetMGM avoided patronizing tone. Their messaging reframed responsible gambling as smart, cool, and empowering — not shameful. They aligned it with informed decision-making, likening it to responsible drinking or managing finances.
PR wasn’t just about promoting these tools — it was about making them part of the BetMGM culture, and letting the public see that culture evolve in real time.
3. Managing Regulatory Scrutiny Through Preemptive Transparency
With regulators watching closely, BetMGM adopted a preemptive communications approach. Instead of waiting to be accused of bad practice, they opened up — voluntarily.
This included:
- Publishing usage stats for self-exclusion and limit-setting tools — demonstrating that real people were using them.
- Participating in panels and advisory groups with state regulators, addiction specialists, and civic groups — creating a reputation as a cooperative, transparent operator.
- Rolling out new features in advance of legislation — such as limiting advertising near schools or restricting bet types for high-risk users.
Their PR team proactively pitched stories about these initiatives to business and tech media, reframing regulatory compliance as industry leadership. This helped position BetMGM as the standard others should follow — a move that earned goodwill in competitive licensing processes across new states.
4. Handling Criticism Without Defensiveness
No brand is immune from criticism, especially in an industry as contentious as gambling. But what separates brands is how they respond.
When BetMGM faced backlash over the visibility of its advertising — especially during family-friendly sports broadcasts — they acknowledged the concern and addressed it head-on. Instead of hiding or deflecting, their PR team:
- Issued public statements explaining ad placement decisions and noting forthcoming changes.
- Temporarily adjusted ad volume during certain hours or events — before being legally required to do so.
- Engaged directly with critics, including public health advocates, in closed-door conversations and public roundtables.
This posture of listening, adjusting, and communicating with humility made a significant difference. While some rivals doubled down or went silent during similar controversies, BetMGM showed it was willing to grow. The result was increased trust and a stronger license to operate.
5. Using Data and Technology as a PR Asset
BetMGM also leveraged its technological edge — especially data analytics — as a core element of its communications strategy.
Their narrative included:
- Promoting AI-driven responsible gambling alerts, where players were notified if their behavior deviated from past patterns.
- Launching real-time betting education tools inside the app, which explained odds, expected value, and common cognitive biases.
- Highlighting user control features in advertising, such as the ability to instantly freeze your account or set session reminders.
PR materials didn’t just showcase these features — they told stories about how and why they were built, and what impact they had on real players. In an industry often accused of prioritizing profit over safety, this made the brand feel thoughtful, modern, and ethical.
6. Building Trust Through Executive Visibility
Finally, BetMGM gave their executive team a public voice. Instead of hiding behind press releases, company leaders took interviews with major news outlets, appeared at conferences, and wrote opinion pieces about the future of responsible gambling.
This visibility humanized the brand and helped PR efforts feel authentic. It also showed that responsibility wasn’t relegated to legal or compliance departments — it was a boardroom priority.
In one keynote speech, a senior executive framed BetMGM’s long-term strategy as “building a 100-year brand” — a sharp contrast to the short-term customer grabs dominating the market at the time. This kind of long-horizon thinking helped shift the public conversation and framed BetMGM as a leader, not a follower.
The Results: Trust, Access, and Brand Equity
The payoff for BetMGM’s thoughtful PR strategy has been significant:
- Brand differentiation: While many rivals became interchangeable betting apps with aggressive marketing, BetMGM carved out a unique voice that blended fun with responsibility.
- Licensing advantage: States with stricter regulatory standards were more receptive to BetMGM’s transparent, cooperative approach.
- Consumer loyalty: Players responded well to the tools and messaging around control. Many reported greater trust in the brand compared to competitors.
- Media respect: Even critics of online gambling acknowledged that BetMGM was “doing it right,” giving the company space in mainstream and trade media toshape the narrative.
Lessons for the Industry
BetMGM’s PR playbook offers several lessons for other gambling operators:
- PR isn’t just for cleaning up messes. Used early and honestly, it shapes perception and earns trust before problems arise.
- Responsible gambling can be a brand advantage. When embedded in messaging, design, and leadership, it differentiates your brand and protects it from backlash.
- Transparency wins. Sharing data, admitting imperfection, and engaging critics build long-term resilience.
- Media needs stories, not slogans. Earned media coverage is driven by authenticity, real-world examples, and open dialogue — not vague taglines.
- Culture starts at the top. If executives aren’t visible and accountable, the brand lacks credibility. Leadership needs to speak up and show up.
In the rush to conquer the U.S. online gambling market, many brands chased user acquisition at all costs — and paid for it in trust, regulatory friction, and negative press. BetMGM, by contrast, took a longer view.
Their PR wasn’t reactive — it was strategic, values-driven, and deeply integrated into product, policy, and leadership. They understood that in a controversial industry, your brand is only as strong as the public’s trust in your intentions.
By treating PR as a tool for building that trust — not just spinning it — BetMGM showed what gambling companies can accomplish when communication is taken seriously. They didn’t just build a betting app. They built a brand that’s here to stay.
