The province's Responsible Internet Gambling Fund (RIGF) created a new gambling damage PSA that was released by Ontario's Responsible Gambling Council and is aimed at guys between the ages of 19 and 24.
The scheme's message, which was unveiled by RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy at a news conference in Toronto, is straightforward: providing them with useful tools and guidance to help them make an informed decision while bridging the gap between the initial emotional urge to wager online, when the heart starts pumping, and making an informed choice.
McCarthy also discussed a recent RIGF Impact Report that includes key measures her group is using to develop a program for gambling education and prevention that targets youth, where they can be more successfully reached. As Ontario's sector changes, so are the safeguards. One of the groups most at risk for gambling-related harm is young adult males.
The government has provided the RIGF with $3 million. Netflix, Spotify, Meta, and other Canadian broadcasters and digital platforms will all nationally distribute the PSA.
Highlights from the Impact Report:
“We didn’t just spend the money, we amplified it and unlocked value,” said McCarthy. “This ensures a visible counterbalance to gambling marketing that is happening today. The second part of that, the really impactful part, 12% of viewers also confirmed that they made a concrete plan for safer gambling after seeing our messaging.
This is a clear example of prevention in action.
“We know that sports betting surges, of course, during major events. Our big game strategy met players in those high intensity moments. During the Super Bowl we reached an estimated 121 million people with messages designed to interrupt the urge to play, the impulse. Prevention only works if it’s actually relatable and culturally grounded.”
According to McCarthy, the goal is to create an atmosphere that lessens the stigma associated with therapy by raising awareness and encouraging more candid conversations about it.
“This is how we ensure that our safety net is both inclusive and built to last,” she said. McCarthy also highlighted RGC’s online impact – 5,773 click throughs on their website support tools in the last year, an engagement rate 10 times higher than the industry average. Users stayed on the page 2.5 times longer than the average, she said. Also student athlete training program across Ontario schools has had measurable impacts on young people.
“Sustained investment is what allows us to stay ahead of the curve,” she said. “It ensures that gambling innovation never outpaces the safety of the people of Ontario.”
"When you put these numbers into something and you don't have the results to show for it, government spending on responsible gambling initiatives doesn't mean anything," Cho continued. 12% created a strategy to stop problem gambling, like Sarah mentioned.
That is a significant action. In the pilot program, 28 schools took part. Each and every one of them promised to repeat the action. You know, 62% of student athletes are now aware of how to get assistance.These are really significant findings, in my opinion.
"How do we balance the tax benefits of a billion-dollar regulated market against rising concerns over aggressive advertising and rapid tech advancements?" is the question that government policy makers in the province are continuously faced with when it comes to gaming.
All of this while minimizing possible harm and guaranteeing player safety and education on appropriate gaming messaging and execution, particularly with regard to young, impressionable guys.
It's a tap dance, and as Ontario's Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming Stan Cho stated during a press conference on April 2, it's impossible to do it perfectly.
There will never be a flawless, idealized Shangri-La moment. These difficulties will only increase as the sector grows. It's similar to attempting to embrace a dancing bear.
However, as Cho stated today, gaming is a reality. It is not disappearing. Since the Ontario regulated market opened four years ago, channelization numbers from grey market operators switching to the regulated arena have been impressive, at over 85%.
As the sector expands, the true challenge is to figure out how to get into the deep grass and make it as safe and long-term sustainable as possible.
As Cho mentioned, those who were overwhelmed by gambling had nowhere to turn for assistance in the past, when there was just the black market. Cho mentioned a person he met who, after failing to receive the necessary assistance, lost his house as a result of gambling. He added that he had a familial problem with gambling.
This is therefore personal to him and a major factor in his advocacy for provincial regulation of gaming.
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New player only. 18+. Please gamble responsibly. Full Terms & Conditions available on website.