Why US creator deals are written state by state
There is no federal advertising code for sports betting. Each state that licenses it writes its own rules, and the AGA Responsible Marketing Code sits on top as the industry standard. Creator audiences cross state lines, so the strictest state in your footprint usually sets the brief.
- 21 is the floor for creators and audiences. The AGA code, in its March 2023 version, says influencers in sports betting ads must be at least 21 and ads should run only where at least 73.6% of the audience is reasonably expected to be 21 or older.
- College is off limits. The AGA code bars NIL deals with college athletes and ads on campus. Massachusetts bars any implied endorsement by collegiate athletes, and Illinois banned campus ads and college settings from August 2025.
- Free has to mean free. Massachusetts forbids calling a bet free or risk-free when players stake their own money, New York banned risk-free language in 2023, and Maryland bars ads suggesting an outcome is guaranteed or without risk.
- How creators are paid is regulated. Massachusetts, New York and Illinois bar paying marketers a share of wagering revenue or pay tied to wager volume, so classic revenue share creator deals do not work there.
Each creator is checked against our gambling influencer compliance guide before booking: age, audience age, audience state and past sponsors.
Sports betting influencer rules by state, compared
These are the rules that change a creator brief in seven places, as of October 2026. Always read them against your own licence conditions.
| State or code | Creator and audience rules | Promo wording | How creators can be paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts, 205 CMR 256 | No media where 25% of the audience is expected to be under 21 without age controls; no implied endorsement by under-21s or college athletes | No free or risk-free if players risk their own money; 21+ and helpline in ads | No share of wagering revenue; endorsers who bet in the state cannot be paid in bet credits |
| New York, NYSGC rules of 2023 | No media where a reasonably foreseeable share of the audience is under 21; no college-owned media | Risk-free banned | No pay tied to patron volume, wagers or outcomes |
| New Jersey, DGE standards of April 2023 | No media whose primary audience is underage; no youth themes | Risk-free and guaranteed-win slogans treated as misleading; ads filed with the DGE | Not set by the standards; check your contract terms |
| Ohio, OAC 3775-16-08 | Nothing aimed at under-21s; no campus ads beyond general media | Clear cost and promo terms; problem gambling helpline | Operator may have to end affiliate deals that break the rules |
| Illinois, IGB rules of August 2025 | No campus, college media or college venue ads; no college settings | Problem gambling text in every ad | No pay tied to wager volume or outcome |
| Maryland, COMAR 36.10.13.41 | No college deals that reward student sign-ups | No guaranteed or without risk language; promo terms filed two days ahead | Operator answers for affiliates' promotions |
| AGA code, voluntary and national | Influencers 21+; 73.6% of the audience 21+; no NIL deals with college athletes | No risk-free language; helpline in each message | Not addressed |
Sweepstakes casinos and prediction markets are separate categories. California made promoting dual-currency sweepstakes casinos a crime from 1 January 2026, and on 28 August 2026 the Ninth Circuit let Nevada enforce its gambling law against Kalshi's sports contracts. See sweepstakes casino influencer marketing and prediction market influencer marketing for those briefs.
How we run a US sportsbook creator campaign
- State footprint. We list the states where you hold a licence, find the strictest rule among them and name your compliance approver.
- Creator and audience checks. Creators 21+ with ID, audience age data at 73.6% or more aged 21+ (75% where Massachusetts applies) and audience location matched to your states. No college athletes, campus creators or student settings.
- Deal terms per state. Flat fees, or CPA where a state allows it. No revenue share where it is banned, and no payment in bet credits.
- Briefs without risk-free. Each brief carries 21+, the helpline your states require, the material promo terms and a spoken and on-screen disclosure. Creators share no specific picks where Massachusetts applies.
- Records and takedown. Massachusetts expects operators to keep ads and a publishing log for six years, and Illinois requires ad records. We log every post, URL and approval, and fix or remove anything that drifts.
For match-day formats and the creator mix per fixture, see our sportsbook influencer marketing page.
Talk to us
Pick a 30-minute slot, or DM us on Telegram.
Want a US creator plan built on these steps? Book a call and bring your state licences and your compliance contact.
Campaigns from $2,000, with 10% off your first. We reply within one working day.
What you get
- A state rulebook The rules for every state in your footprint, with the strictest flagged.
- A 21+ creator shortlist ID-checked creators with audience age and state data.
- State-safe deal terms Payment structures each state allows, with no revenue share where banned.
- Compliant scripts 21+, helpline, promo terms and disclosure, audible and visible.
- An ad log Every post, date, URL and approval, ready for a regulator request.
- Live monitoring Streams and posts checked as they go out, with fixes logged.
We report registrations, first deposits and first bets per creator and per state from your back office. Traffic from states you are not licensed in is shown separately, so it can be cut.
The FTC Endorsement Guides, updated in June 2023, say platform disclosure tools alone are not enough and that advertisers must monitor their endorsers. Our creator ad disclosure examples show the wording we brief.
Why 3betmedia
The team behind 3betmedia has delivered 200+ creator campaigns since 2018 in categories where ads are restricted, and we currently run streamer and clipping campaigns for licensed casinos and sportsbooks. We take US briefs only from operators licensed in the states a campaign targets.
We are not lawyers, so your compliance team approves every script. If you also need the wider growth plan, see our sportsbook marketing agency page.
Results from campaigns our team has run
Crypto exchange · KOLs on X, YouTube and TikTok
Binance
4,245 new users and more than $510M in trading volume, double the target
Read the Binance caseCrypto exchange · KOLs on X and YouTube
MEXC
8,522 new users and more than $300M in trading volume
Read the MEXC caseCrypto exchange · social, community and influencers
Gate.io
$153M average monthly volume against a $100M target
Read the Gate.io case
3betmedia launched in 2026; most of these campaigns ran before the name existed. See all 19 cases.
Frequently asked questions
What does US sportsbook influencer marketing involve?
It means paying sports creators to feature a sportsbook licensed in their audience's states, under state advertising rules and the AGA code. At 3betmedia that covers casting 21+ creators, checking audience age and location, writing state-safe briefs and deal terms, and reporting registrations and first bets per state.
What are the sports betting influencer rules by state?
They differ on audience thresholds, college content, promo wording and payment. Massachusetts uses a 25% under-21 audience limit and bans revenue share, New York and Illinois ban pay tied to wager volume, and Massachusetts, New York and Maryland restrict risk-free or guaranteed wording. The table above compares seven.
Do sports betting influencers have to be 21?
Under the AGA code, yes: models, actors, influencers, athletes and entertainers in sports betting ads should be at least 21, with ID. Massachusetts also bars implied endorsement by anyone under 21 other than professional athletes. We cast 21+ creators only for US sportsbooks.
Can a sportsbook pay creators a revenue share?
Not in every state. Massachusetts bars deals based on a percentage of wagering revenue, and New York and Illinois bar pay tied to wager volume or outcomes. We use flat fees, or CPA where a state allows it, and your counsel confirms the structure.
Can college athletes or student creators promote a sportsbook?
No. The AGA code bars NIL deals with college athletes, Massachusetts bars implied endorsement by collegiate athletes, and Illinois and Massachusetts bar college settings in ads. We exclude college athletes, campus creators and student-facing channels.
How much does a US sportsbook creator campaign cost?
Campaigns start at $2,000, and the first gets 10% off. The total follows the number of creators, the states in scope and whether you want streams or short posts. We price each plan from your brief and book nothing until you approve it.
Related services and guides
Related reading
Sources
- American Gaming Association: Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, updated 28 March 2023
- Massachusetts Gaming Commission: 205 CMR 256.00 Sports wagering advertising (Mass. Register #1581, 28 August 2026)
- SBC Americas: NYSGC adopts new regulations banning risk-free terms and revenue share deals (28 February 2023)
- Frankfurt Kurnit: New Jersey announces new advertising standards for gambling operators (21 April 2023)
- Ohio Administrative Code: Rule 3775-16-08 Advertising, effective 15 October 2022
- Illinois Gaming Board: enhanced advertising rules for casinos, video gaming and sports wagering (4 August 2025)
- Maryland Lottery and Gaming: COMAR 36.10.13.41 Consumer Protections (December 2025)
- Morgan Lewis: FTC updates Endorsement Guides, 16 CFR Part 255 (July 2023)
- CasinoBeats: California bans sweepstakes casinos as AB 831 is signed, effective 1 January 2026 (13 October 2025)
- Front Office Sports: What Kalshi's Ninth Circuit loss means for prediction markets (31 August 2026)