The Michigan Gaming Control Board has received a 2023 Platinum Viddy Award for its responsible gaming campaign: ‘Don’t Regret the Bet’. The campaign was produced in partnership with King Media.
The Viddy Awards, formerly known as the Videographer Awards, received 2,500 submissions from 19 countries.
The criteria for winning a Platinum Award is ‘those projects the judges deemed were written, produced, shot and/or edited in an exceptional manner’. All Platinum Viddy winners received a score greater than 90 out of a maximum possible 100.
Michigan has legalized online sports betting as well as MI online casino. As one of the few states with a fully legalized suite of gambling products, recent emphasis has moved to responsible gaming, conforming to a worldwide trend of tighter regulation and player protection.
The state received $734 million in gaming tax revenue (all forms) in 2022, from commercial gaming revenue of $3.26 billion (an increase in 20.7% from 2021).. At the close of 2022, Michigan had a total of 15 online sportsbooks, 14 internet casino sites and three online poker platforms.
MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said: “Getting an award for our responsible gaming messaging is a great honor and shows how dedicated the Michigan Gaming Control Board is to creating a safe and enjoyable gambling environment. I want to thank King Media for their partnership and the hard work of their team, who have collaborated with us to create effective strategies and share best practices as we work to protect players in the constantly evolving gaming industry.”
The first funding for the campaign was included in the agency’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget approved by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The Responsible Gaming Section of the Michigan Gaming Control Board was established as part of the board’s effort to remind residents of Michigan that gambling should be fun and entertaining.
The aim of the campaign was to prevent gambling disorder and problems occurring before they begin, and reduce the overall number of people with serious gambling disorder. As a result of the campaign’s success, a further $3 million of annual funding has been allocated by Gov. Whitmer in Fiscal Year 2024 for the continuation of the Don’t Regret the Bet campaign.
Sandra Johnson, Manager of Michigan Gaming Control Board’s Responsible Gaming section commented: “This award is an honor and reflects the team effort and work that has gone, and will continue to go into, our successful Don’t Regret the Bet campaign. I am grateful to the agency, as well as the financial support from the State of Michigan, to have made this endeavor possible.”