Canadian gaming alliance issues warning on illegal gambling sites

A coalition has been formed to raise awareness of the issues related to the advertising impact caused by the illegal sports betting that has erupted in various jurisdictions in Canada. Organizations from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada have joined the alliance.

According to Steve Lautischer, executive vice president of operations for Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) in a statement: “[We] raising awareness of the problem of advertising attack when it comes to sports gaming that has emerged in recent times.”

In regards to a survey by H2 Gambling Capital, which was done in June 2022, the gambling business in Canada is presently valued at $3.8 billion and is projected to increase to $6.2 billion by 2026.

The bulk of internet gambling activities in one of the Canadian states, Alberta, comprise sports betting and virtual casinos, although this wasn’t the case until the federal states formally recognized sports betting as a legitimate sector in Canada.

As a result of this enormous market, some people are concerned that customers would browse illegal websites rather than legitimate ones, according to Lautischer.

“It’s definitely a big deal… In Alberta, we estimate that between $400 and $500 million is spent annually on unregulated i-gaming offerings,” Lautiscer said.

The alliance thus expects that participants will pay greater attention to their activities because there may be more risk when they wager from an unauthorized source.

Ads for illegal betting sites may be seen on television during sporting events or while people browse the web. However, the goal of the alliance is not to obliterate these illegal marketplaces that exist outside of Canadian borders.

Professor of psychology at the University of Calgary and principal of the Addictive Behaviors Lab, David Hodgins, commented on the impact of the online gambling commercial.

“You can access online gambling 24/7,” he said. “You don’t necessarily have the social effects of being with friends or other people that could limit the amount of gambling.”

Hodgins concluded his view by saying that each province’s government must put in place specific precautions on its gambling websites to stop its citizens from falling prey to addictions.