I never considered sports betting until my high school biology teacher shared his Master’s thesis. It looked at the rise of problem gambling, focusing on online sports betting. “Haven’t you noticed how many ads there are for those betting apps lately?” he asked me — apps like 22Bet, Bet365, and others that seem to appear everywhere.
After our talk, I noticed more ads for online betting apps during hockey game commercials. They became hard to ignore, spreading into the heart of Canadian sports culture. The big marketing boom started when Canada legalized sports betting back in August 2021; it has only grown more popular since then. But why, in the first place, did Canada legalize online sportsbooks?
Before August 2021, sports betting itself wasn’t completely illegal in the Great White North; Canadians could legally make wagers on parlays but not single-game bets. Parlay bets require you to bet on two or more events. If any of your bets lose, you lose the entire parlay. This makes winning parlays much harder. Single-game bets depend on much more minute aspects of a game than which team wins or loses. Bettors can wager on various outcomes. They can bet on how many saves a goalie makes, how many touchdowns a quarterback throws, or who will score first. Allowing single-game bets in Canada boosted betting options. This change sparked a boom in the gaming industry.
Canadians spent an estimated $14 billion on offshore bets in the black and grey markets before legalization. This meant that this revenue could not be monitored or taxed by the government. Unregulated bets went to organized crime instead of boosting the Canadian economy. This worried lawmakers and business owners. John Levy, CEO of an online sportsbook, stated that letting people bet on single games in Canada would be a win for everyone. It would create jobs, bring in new revenue, and offer vital consumer protections.
Deregulating online gambling has brought many jobs and improved local economies in Canada. Yet, it has also led to serious social issues. Approximately 70% of the revenue from sports betting comes from problem gamblers. The online sports betting industry counts a lot on people who have addictions. In a way, placing bets on a game has become integrated with the game itself. Betting companies promote it as a thrilling way to amp up the excitement. It makes you feel more part of the action. Watching your favorite sport becomes more personal than seeing your team lose. Instead, if something does not go the way you had planned, it not only affects the players — your own money is on the line.
It’s important to note that gambling impacts Indigenous Peoples more than others. Statistics Canada states that 4.5% of Indigenous Peoples face problem gambling. This is three times the rate seen in the non-Indigenous population. Low-income groups are at a much higher risk of developing gambling problems. This also affects those who drink heavily. Those with mental health issues may be more likely to develop a gambling addiction. I’m not surprised that some of Canada’s most at-risk groups are more likely to get caught up in gambling.
Major names support sports betting apps and websites. The likes of Wayne Gretzky, Eli and Peyton Manning, Auston Matthews; the list goes on and on. It’s an effective marketing tool because most adults automatically seem to trust something made popular by an easily recognizable face and voice. But more importantly, to younger fans, these are their sports heroes. The Canadian province of Ontario, in early 2024, has since moved to ban the use of celebrities promoting sports betting apps. This came after concerns from parents, former politicians, and retired athletes. Online sportsbook ads catch your eye, not only during commercial breaks. Betting site ads show up on basketball sidelines, hockey rink boards, and behind home plate in baseball parks. No matter how you enjoy sports content, everyone is facing the new era of sports betting.