For Noah Vineberg, problem gambling is close to home. Before seeking treatment seven years ago, he thinks he gambled more than $1 million. He earned some money then lost more, causing strained ties with his wife and four children.
He was able to repair such ties after receiving treatment at a rehabilitation clinic in Windsor, Ontario.
Mr. Vineberg, a sports fan, expressed frustration with the amount of gambling promotion during broadcasts, which included advertisements, sponsored segments, comments on odds, and digital ads projected on the playing field. Given his direct experience with gambling addiction, he is concerned about its impact on young or vulnerable groups.
“I would love for sports to just be sports,” he remarked in an interview, adding that he is not opposed to legal gambling. “I’d love to be able to tune in and just watch a hockey game without seeing a single sports betting advertisement.”
A rising number of experts and legislators seek to regulate sports betting advertising, which has been a big feature of broadcasts, including the Blue Jays’ recent World Series run. Bill S-211, which would establish a national framework to address the issue, passed the Senate in September and has now passed first reading in the House of Commons.
In 2021, Canada approved single-game sports betting, allowing anyone to gamble on match outcomes as well as place bets during a game. Proponents claimed it would lower the black market and allow provinces that regulate gambling to reinvest the proceeds in research, health care, and other objectives.
In 2022, Ontario introduced iGaming, an online gambling marketplace that permits private enterprises to operate. Earlier this month, the province won a court battle to open to bettors outside of Canada.
Other provinces often allow internet gambling via government-run sites. Alberta enacted laws last spring to allow private corporations to enter the market, but it has yet to take effect.
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