Sportsbook Bet99 is using an MMA legend as an enforcer to combat problem gambling.

In its new hero spot, ex-fighter Georges St-Pierre, aka GSP, shows up in full karate gi and swats a phone out of the hand of a distracted problem gambler. The creative focuses on Bet99 tools like time and wager limits, providing players information they need to make informed decisions about gambling.

“Responsible gambling is a serious message, but often the best way to make serious messages resonate is through humour,” says Binu Koshy, creative director for Bet99. “Our commercial concept is based on the insight that while iGaming is fun and exciting, there are times and places where it’s best to avoid playing, like during a date night with your partner.”

Having GSP – a UFC Hall-of-Famer and Canadian sports icon – deliver the message ensures that people will stop and take notice of the advertising, Koshy says.

“We follow the five-second rule, which means you have five seconds to catch someone’s attention before they swipe away, change the channel or just tune you out,” Koshy adds. “Our solution was to have GSP right in your face at the very beginning informing you of Bet99’s responsible gambling tools like time and wager limits. Then, to keep the viewer’s attention, we added humour to the spot.”

In February, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) enforced a ban on using athletes, celebrities, entertainers, and social media influencers in iGaming advertisements, a regulatory change that will reshape how sportsbooks approach marketing outreach, especially as many have relied on well-known figures to promote their services. It was a move supported by organizations such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, which advocated for restrictions on well-known pitch persons, saying children and youth were especially susceptible.

The commercial will broadcast on numerous linear and connected TV channels, as well as paid social, and will coincide with an integrated marketing campaign promoting responsible gambling across digital and OOH.

“In this increasingly fragmented market, we felt it imperative that we hit upon all touchpoints to communicate the importance of gambling responsibly,” Koshy says. “And from a creative standpoint, we didn’t feel that responsible gambling should be relegated to the last few seconds of a TV commercial or a legal line on a banner. It should be front-and-centre.”

Koshy says that while it can’t disclose its spend, responsible gambling has always been at the forefront of Bet99’s communications strategy. “We feel that promoting responsible gambling is not just about meeting regulatory requirements; it is about building a sustainable and ethical industry.”

Bet99 timed the launch of the campaign to coincide with the return of the NFL and other major sports like the NHL, NBA and European Soccer. “The return of major sports also means the return to gambling, whether it be traditional betting or Fantasy Sports, which makes the promotion of responsible gambling this time of year even more critical,” says Koshy.

The commercial was produced by Bet99’s in-house creative team and the brand partnered with production agency, SenovvA, to produce the ad. Ottawa-area shop Brosun Media is behind the buy.