Bet99 has brought back UFC great Georges St-Pierre (GSP) to add muscle and levity to its responsible gaming messaging.

In the hero spot, the ex-champ invites himself into stranger’s home to offer advice, complete with a his own face on a “gamble responsibly” t-shirt.

According to the brand, responsible gambling (RG) isn’t a one-time message or a compliance box to check, but rather an ongoing conversation and storyline.

“Responsible gambling is too important to be treated like a legal disclaimer,” says Binu Koshy, Bet99’s creative director, who tells strategy Bet99’s goal is to make the message part of its brand world, not something buried in fine print. “The humour helps us connect, but the continuity is what makes it stick,” Koshy says. “And with GSP back in his familiar karate Gi, we’re hoping people stop, pay attention and absorb the message.”

Part of the thinking of the campaign, was considering  the realities of how people watch content now. “A lot of Canadians view commercials on their phones, and often without sound, so we needed the message to land visually not just through dialogue.”

In 2024, the online sportsbook and casino also enlisted GSP to broach a serious topic in a lighthearted, accessible way. According to Koshy, last year’s spot reached millions of Canadians through Amazon channels including Monday Night Prime Hockey, NHL 4 Nations Face-off and during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including Edmonton’s run to the Cup.

Koshy says GSP’s presence resonated strongly, and his familiarity and personality gave the spot credibility right away, and the humour made it something people engaged with instead of tuning out. “We obviously would have loved to get more into the full range of Bet99’s RG tool and how to use them but with only :30 to work with, there’s a limit to how much detail you can realistically include.”

Last month, following a regulatory review, The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) fined competitor Score Media and Gaming more than $100,000 for allowing a patron to lose $230,000 over an eight-month period, thanks in part to high-stakes play.

“Each operator approaches responsible gambling in their own way, working with regulators and RG organizations to support players,” Koshy says. “At Bet99, [RG] remains a core priority.  We’re constantly looking at global best practices to evolve our strategy, messaging, tools and overall approach.”

The creative once again comes from Bet99’s in-house team, with production by SenovvA. The spot will run across digital, linear and connected TV as part of an integrated campaign that places “Gamble Responsibly” visuals front and centre, from T-shirts to posters to online content.

All media buying was done internally this time around.

According to a November report by Greo Evidence Insights (Greo), the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) and Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC), 23.5% of 8,000 young adults aged 18 to 29 who reported gambling online in the past year experienced high levels of gambling-related harms (such as financial, emotional, psychological and relationship-oriented issues).