AI Visibility Index Shows Sportsbooks, Ads Don't Guarantee Citations

The index, released on May 1, 2026, tested more than 50 bettor-intent queries across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews. It covered sportsbook selection, odds explanations, promotion comparisons, mobile app recommendations and responsible-gaming questions. On those prompts, BetMGM trailed DraftKings despite a larger commercial market share, while ESPN BET landed below the top tier even after major ad investment. The pattern was clear: responsible-gaming content, state-by-state regulatory transparency and editorial authority carried more weight than pure spend.

That gap lands in a market that has never been bigger, or more watched. The American Gaming Association said U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached a record $78.7 billion in 2025, with sports betting revenue alone hitting $16.96 billion. At the same time, public skepticism has risen. A Pew Research Center survey conducted July 8 through Aug. 3, 2025 found 43% of U.S. adults said legal sports betting is bad for society, up from 34% in 2022, while 40% said it is bad for sports, up from 33%. In that environment, AI systems appear to be favoring brands that look more credible, more transparent and more useful when a bettor asks a direct question.

The spending picture makes the contrast sharper. 5W separately estimated that U.S. sports betting and online gaming companies spent $3.9 billion on advertising and marketing in 2025, including $1.42 billion on television, $520 million on celebrity and athlete ambassador deals, $90 million on earned media and PR, and just $60 million on responsible-gaming programs. That imbalance helps explain why GEO now looks less like a branding play and more like a compliance and authority exercise.