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Ontario is proposing a ban on online gambling ads that feature well-known athletes and celebrities

FanDuel, DraftKings and other online gambling apps are displayed on a phone.
Jeff Chiu
/
AP
FanDuel, DraftKings and other online gambling apps are displayed on a phone.

Almost any time you watch live sports in Canada, you’re being encouraged to take part in sports betting. It’s described as fun, and thrilling, and even celebrities are endorsing it in the ads.

It began over a year ago when Ontario began regulating Canada’s first internet gambling market. It meant that anyone who ‘claims’ they’re old enough, can use a digital device to place a bet — usually with just the flick of a finger.

Now, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario wants to ban the use of athletes and celebrities, that might appeal to children, from internet gambling ads.

“I imagine it’s going to cause a bit of disruption in the marketing strategies for a lot of these third-party operators because essentially they’ve welcomed themselves into Canadian homes by leveraging Canadian icons," said addictions counselor Matthew Kelenuik. "Hockey stars like Connor McDavid, Wayne Gretzky, and Auston Matthews. These are really big names and they’ve used their star power to say 'We’re in Canada, this is something we’re offering.'”

One of those calling for a drastic change is Karl Subban, a high school principal and the father of hockey players PK, Malcom, and Jordan Subban.

He says children and adolescents are too impressionable and the gambling ads have gone too far.

“We know what the science tells us, that the part of the brain that is responsible for decision making is not fully developed until you are about 25.”

A recovering gambling addict, who asked not to be named, says the government of Ontario is to blame. He leads a weekly meeting of gamblers anonymous and has encountered families with children as young as eight years old.

“The eight-year-old took his mommy's credit card without mom knowing, out of the wallet, and was betting on games. And was betting on anything he could.”

The recovering addict says the child spent about 25 thousand dollars on gambling.

But those who support online gambling insist that the use of celebrities and athletes is not harmful.

“Advertising is part of what comes with having a regulated gaming market, and over time people will understand what the ads are,” said the CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association Paul Burns.

According to Statistics Canada, more than 300-thousand Canadians are at severe or moderate risk for gambling-related problems.

Camille Quenneville is with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). She wants a ban on all online gambling ads.

“We really would like to see this as a public health approach to gambling," said Quenneville. "So we want to ensure that there are appropriate cautions in place for individuals who are at risk or are vulnerable to these ads. Those include those who are on low income, young people, and senior citizens who find themselves enjoying these games, and just to ensure that they have the tools to know when to stop.’

Quenneville says the CMHA says it’s seeing an increase in clients coming forward over the issue of celebrity endorsements for internet gambling. Most critics say they want to see stronger regulations if not an outright ban.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has yet to set a date for its decision on advertising standards for the online gambling industry.