The Challenge 

In recent years, gambling in Virginia expanded beyond the lottery. Virginia lawmakers have passed bills that legalize sports betting and allow the operation of casinos. With gambling and gaming accessibility on the rise, awareness efforts were needed in the Lynchburg, VA area to inform residents about how to gamble responsibly.

 

The Solution 

In 2023, RGC created an awareness campaign to include three paid social media posts and one radio spot. The social media posts were live on Facebook and Instagram for one month, with different messaging for different target audiences. The messages ranged from how to gamble responsibly to the odds of being more likely to become an astronaut than winning a large jackpot. 

 

Horizon BH preferred to have the radio spot on traditional radio versus audio streaming services, as this is where their target audience consumes content. The 30-second radio spot was broadcast on two popular radio stations in the Lynchburg area (WJJS and ViBE) and described how to gamble safely while thinking of it as an entertainment expense. 

 

The call to action included directing people to the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling (https://vcpg.net/) and contacting 1-800-GAMBLER if someone needed help.

 

In 2024, the campaign messages were similar, but also included “strange odds”, such as you’re more likely to be an astronaut than win a large some of money. The 2024 campaign included new tactics, such as gas station pumps and transit ads.

 

The Results 

The 2023 social media ads performed wonderfully according to their individual goals and target audiences. Overall, the social ads received 329,077 impressions, 59,796 page engagements, and 46,222 video plays at 100%. In total, the radio spot reached 57,669 people and 210,000 impressions. Overall, the campaign received more than half a million impressions over 35 days of a live campaign. In the end, more people became aware of how to gamble responsibly and where to reach out for problem gambling help.