Ontario: Difficulties in Managing Gambling Addiction

Recent research by Deloitte Canada has predicted that the legalization of online gambling in Canada has the potential to take the industry from the current $500 million to as much as $28 billion in just five years.
As you can imagine, there are various interests at play in a pandemic situation that, globally, has revealed shadowy sides to Western society.

Indeed, the possibility of online betting, together with the closure imposed by the Coronavirus situation, has led some people in Canada to develop pathological gaming behavior.
In particular, the boom of online betting in Ontario is not only made up of positive aspects, but also makes life rather difficult for those who have a history of problem gambling behavior.

In short, for as long as single sports betting has existed in Ontario, experts warn that this reality can hide many pitfalls.

The massive advertising campaign of online betting in Ontario

In Ontario, single-game sports betting came into existence on 4th April.
On that date, the Canadian province inaugurated its iGaming market, allowing private and registered casino operators to release their online Sports Betting in Canada offerings to citizens at least 19 years of age.

Indeed, since Ontario authorized single-game online sports betting, this possibility has been accompanied by a massive advertising campaign aimed at promoting casino games.
This major stimulation through TV and radio has severely tested people with a history of pathological betting behavior.

How bookmakers in Ontario are protecting players

But online gambling is here to stay, and not just in Ontario, as it finds a favorable market just about everywhere.
Every bettor knows there is a house advantage, but apart from that, the new sports betting system can be a real temptation.
In fact, single match sports betting does not only allow people to bet on the result of a sporting event, but also to place predictions during the match itself.

For example, you can bet on the partial score at the end of the first half, or on how many goals or points a specific player will score.
Also, you can bet on how many saves a goalkeeper makes.
As we know, the best casino operators provide protection and safeguards for their customers, but this does not seem to be enough.

Some experts are of the opinion that although the accreditation route requires bookmakers to promote responsible Sports Betting, the efforts may be in vain, due to the many options available.
In other words, the plurality of available platforms could make responsible gaming behavior appear, when it is not.
This is the case if a player places bets on several gaming sites at the same time.

So, in other words, if players set a betting limit on one site and use feedback on gaming activities, they may still do the same thing on other sites.
Therefore, unless cross-platform monitoring is implemented, betting limits on different gaming sites may aggregate.

The increased impulsiveness of sports bettors: Guelph University research

According to a study published by psychologist Harvey Marmurek of Guelph University in April 2021, sports bettors demonstrate greater impulsivity than non-sports bettors.
It would appear that sports bettors are more likely to develop problem gambling behavior and more frequently report troubles with finances and health.

According to the research, sports bettors substantially have higher problem gambling scores.
This dimension is defined by problem gambling behaviors, such as attempting to recover money lost through further betting and creating gambling debts.
However, Marmurek noted, that sports bettors generally engage in more casino gambling activities than non-sports bettors.

How to Prevent Gambling Problems

One suggestion to prevent Pathological Gambling behavior is to define a betting bankroll that is based only on the money you are willing to lose.
Sports betting has time constraints linked to particular events, while casino games allow people to play as much and as little as they want.

Since most bookmakers offer several casino games and not just sports betting, it is best not to be tempted by Roulette, Blackjack and other traditional table games.
Consumers should limit their bets to one or at most two gaming sites, as registering with too many sites results in increased exposure to marketing activities from the various providers.

In fact, registering with too many betting sites, consent various operators having sensitive gambler information and enticing potential customers through Casino Bonuses, dedicated Promo and other marketing activities that may encourage further betting.

In short, despite the financial risks for some gamblers, the legalization of single sports betting in Ontario is a nice achievement that entails increased monitoring of something that already existed in the Canadian province.

Regulation of online betting activities is essential for any government seeking to protect its citizens and offer a positive digital gaming experience to the public.