Recent gambling policy changes in Canada have led to increased opportunities to legally bet on sports and gamble online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Released today, Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action looks at the impacts of legal gambling in Canada since the approval of the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act in 2021. The report recommends developing a pan-Canadian strategy to address gambling-related harms. This is a new report by Greo Evidence Insights (Greo) and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).

This call to action is in response to the significant increase in gambling advertising on billboards, social media, at commercial breaks during sports broadcasts and during sporting events. Increased gambling availability and advertising are expected to contribute to increased gambling in Canada, thereby posing a significant risk of harms among the general population, particularly for youth, young adults and other vulnerable populations.

The report also describes how the increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are of great concern because:

• The types of gambling being made available and promoted (single-event sports betting and live or in-play betting) are associated with a greater risk of harm. For example, single-event sports betting increases gambling intensity and gives an illusion of control over the outcome as people believe their knowledge of the game gives them a competitive edge.
• The volume of gambling advertisements repeatedly pairing sports with betting normalizes gambling, leading people to think of betting as an integral part of being a sports fan.
• Increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are happening at a time when many people in Canada are more vulnerable to problematic gambling and gambling-related harms because of the lingering health impacts of COVID-19 and a rise in the cost of living.

“Over the last few years, we have witnessed some of the most significant changes in gambling policy since the 1970s,” explained Dr. Matthew Young, Chief Research Officer at Greo, Senior Research Associate at the CCSA and Adjunct Professor at Carleton University. “We have seen a massive increase in gambling advertising and opportunities to gamble. We can no longer watch sports with our kids or go online without being subjected to an overwhelming amount of gambling advertising. Canada is at a critical moment in how it manages gambling. A national strategy or framework — similar to what we have for alcohol, tobacco and cannabis — is critical to manage the expected increased in gambling harm, especially among youth and other vulnerable people.”

The report recommends developing a national strategy that will:

• Develop national standards governing the promotion and availability of gambling;
• Manage conflicts of interest among gambling stakeholders;
• Address inadequate funding for gambling harm prevention and reduction initiatives and research;
• Monitor systematic changes in gambling-related harm, including any assessments of the social and economic costs of gambling; and
• Increase awareness of gambling-related harms among health and social service professionals and the public.

“Increased gambling among people living in Canada will undoubtebly result in increased harms and therefore increased societal costs. These include healthcare costs, criminal-justice costs, child welfare costs, increased unemployment and lost productivity costs because of gambling-related suicide,” says Dr. Pam Kent, Director of Research and Emerging Trends at CCSA. “We need to think about our approach and ensure that it considers not only short-term government revenue and economic activity but also the longer-term societal costs. That’s why we need a national strategy.”

Edict egaming has received approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to provide its games for the online casino market in the Canadian province. This applies to both the German edict egaming GmbH and Edict Malta Limited. From now on, the Merkur Group subsidiary will be able to offer its popular Merkur slots in one of the largest North American markets.

“We are delighted to have received AGCO approval for our Merkur games in Ontario. This is definitely a big step for edict and we are very excited to showcase ourselves to new audiences on the global stage in this dynamic market,” Dominic-Daniel Liénard, CEO of edict egaming GmbH, said.

The AGCO is working with the Government of Ontario and iGaming Ontario (iGO) to establish a new online gaming market that helps protect consumers gambling through private gaming companies. This license certifies that edict operates within the framework of strict laws and meets the requirements for responsible gaming.

CasinoCanada, the number one gambling guide for players in Canada, has put pen to paper on a major partnership with WinSpirit, one of the most popular crypto casinos in the country, in a significant boost to both parties.

The lifetime partnership will see WinSpirit gain premium positioning on high-traffic pages throughout the English site of CasinoCanada, which has been providing information and guides to Canadian players for more than 20 years.

The CasinoCanada team will also carry out a comprehensive review of WinSpirit so that its readers can get the full lowdown on what the casino has to offer.

CasinoCanada is famous for its casino ranking system, with each site given a total score out of ten. This is calculated based on how the casino scores across key areas including registration process, usability, promotions, VIP experience, slots, game types, payments, mobile and customer support.

Each casino is played by a real person and CasinoCanada is always honest about the experience the casino offers to players. This is why it’s good that WinSpirit offers one of the best overall online casino experiences in Canada.

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Players can enjoy a hugely generous welcome bonus as well as a great selection of slots and games such as Dice, Crash, Limbo, Wheel of Fortune and many more.

Aleksandra Drigo, Sales Director at CasinoCanada, said: “WinSpirit has taken the market by storm and is one of the most played online casino brands in Canada, so we are thrilled to have signed this lifetime partnership and to bring it to our players for the first time.

“Our team has already put the casino through its paces, and it’s scored incredibly highly so we look forward to seeing our players sign up and enjoy what it has to offer.

“It’s partnerships such as this that strengthen our position as the leading online casino guide for players in Canada. Players trust our information and reviews and know that the casinos we list on our site are among the best.”

Pavel Miroshnichenko, Head of Affiliates at WinSpirit, added: “We are delighted to have signed such a significant partnership with CasinoCanada, one of the leading online casino guides in the country.

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“We go to great lengths to deliver a top player experience, from the welcome bonus we offer to the games we stock and the payment methods available in our lobby, and it’s great to see CasinoCanada recognise this by giving us such a high score.”