Award-Winning “Don’t Regret the Bet” Program Gets $3 Million Budget for 2024

One of the major talking points of the Michigan gambling industry came with the introduction of the “Don’t Regret the Bet” ad campaign. This program was instituted by the Michigan Gaming Control Board and was aimed at promoting responsible, safe and legal gambling practices within the state. Still in its first year, the “Don’t Regret the Bet” campaign which was launched in March has since won two major awards.

With the Fiscal Year 2024 under consideration, the program has received an allocation of $3 million from the Michigan government to further its operations. The governor and legislators are also voicing the support towards the initiative for the new year.

The $3 million allocated to the “Don’t Regret the Bet” campaign comes after a close analysis of the program’s expenditure in 2023. According to the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the state spent approximately $2.3 million on the campaign. Notably, the program was implemented in conjunction with King Media, a Michigan-based full-service marketing and digital media agency with offices in East Lansing, Grand Rapids and St. Joseph.

Expenses incurred by the “Don’t Regret the Bet” campaign were used to provide Michigan players with resources on combating gambling addiction and instituting safe, responsible gambling measures. Much of the program’s projects were carried out alongside the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

A considerable chunk of the funding for the campaign came from Michigan online gambling tax revenue and they were directed to creating self-assessment and self-exclusion tools for players. Michiganders can also enjoy treatment screening and other responsible gambling benefits courtesy of the campaign.

“Don’t Regret the Bet” is accessible primarily through a dedicated website and media advertisements. Without a doubt, the campaign is a welcome development, especially considering that Michigan is one of six states in the US with a legal online casinos and sports betting industry.  

Thankfully, the efforts of the campaign and its organizers have been noticed for their tremendous work. The campaign won the 2023 Platinum Viddy Awards in August for its video rendition. Since 1994, the Viddy Awards has celebrated the creativity of producers and communication professionals across the world. In the final quarter of the year, the campaign also won the Platinum dotCOMM Awards, joining several other winners in 241 categories.  

Speaking about the awards, Coleen King, president and founder of King Media had this to say: 

“We’ve enjoyed the spirit, energy and collaboration that’s gone into this important work for the MGCB. Our partnership has been about preventing problem gambling before it starts through education and awareness.” 

“When we’re able to lend our collective talents to do good in the world, great things happen. The work is getting attention — and more importantly, it is getting results. We are grateful for the opportunity to be creators of change in partnership with the MGCB’s Responsible Gaming Division." 

These successes and awards are not unrelated to the increased budget that the “Don’t Regret the Bet” campaign is set to enjoy. 

The proposed $3 million allocation will be used to improve the marketing campaign and produce more adverts across social media, TV and radio channels. A social media campaign to drive traffic towards the official “Don’t Regret the Bet” website is also currently in the works by King Media.

In addition to creating more videos, the MGCB is looking to utilize the funding by introducing responsible gambling education in public schools across Michigan. This segment of the program will help prevent early access to gambling by children.

As part of similar initiatives, the MGCB boss encouraged Michiganders to gift their children responsibly during the holidays.

“While the tradition of gift giving brings joy and excitement to both children and adults, it is essential to consider the impact our gifts can have on recipients,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said. “It is in this spirit of the season that I want to advocate for responsible choices when selecting presents for our younger generation.”

“Choosing meaningful gifts to share with a child can foster an environment that encourages positive experiences for young people instead of promoting potentially harmful activities like gambling,” Williams added. “Together, we can ensure a holiday season where the health of our youth is constantly prioritized.”