Canada
Large majority of Ontarians who gamble are aware of the risks and take steps to protect themselves: Survey
The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is delivering outreach programs across Ontario to raise awareness of risks associated with gambling and how people can protect themselves. These public education initiatives are supported by a new RGC survey of Ontarians that explores attitudes and behaviours about gambling.
RGC teams are interacting with people in various community settings, including colleges, universities and sporting venues, to highlight that gambling always carries risk and the value of making a plan about limits prior to gambling.
“The good news emerging from our survey is that the large majority of Ontarians who gamble are aware of the potential harms and take steps to protect themselves,” says Shelley White, CEO of RGC. “However, the findings also reveal how easy it can be to get carried away in the moment and underscore the need to protect yourself from the risks. Our programs communicate specific messages depending on the age group. These include the importance of setting time and money limits before gambling, to avoid emotional or impulsive decision making.”
The Community Outreach program involves an interactive game called Reaction Lab – a digital experience that simulates how the brain responds to stimulus, similar to when a person gambles.
There is also a team visiting colleges and universities across the province to educate young adults about how gambling can heighten emotional states, making it difficult to make informed decisions while gambling. This bilingual interactive program is called Check Your (Re)flex / Testez Vos (Ré)flexes. Similar to the Community Outreach program aimed at all age groups, this youth-focused advocacy shares signs of problem gambling common to young people and offers important tips such as setting and sticking to money and time limits.
Key survey findings
RGC’s new survey, which polled 1,411 Ontarian gamblers last fall, sheds light on attitudes, emotional responses and behaviours related to gambling.
- 13.6 per cent of gamblers surveyed said at some point they gambled money they could not afford to lose.
- One in three (33 per cent) did not always consider the amount of money they were prepared to lose before they gambled.
- 31 per cent indicated they had spent more time gambling than they could afford at some point in the past six months.
- 49 per cent did not always consider the amount of time they were prepared to gamble prior to playing.
Key findings related to young adults:
The survey suggests young adults (18 to 24) are more vulnerable to the emotional rush of gambling, raising the threat level of high-risk behaviours.
- 58 per cent said they gambled because it makes them feel good at least sometimes.
- One in five (19.9 per cent) gambled to cope with depression or nervousness at least sometimes.
- 33 per cent gambled to get a “high” feeling at least sometimes.
- Over a quarter (26.5 per cent) gambled to forget their worries at least sometimes.
- 35 per cent gambled to cheer up when in a bad mood at least sometimes.
Other research shows 7.1 per cent of young adults have some type of gambling problem and nearly eight-in-10 Ontarians aged 18 to 24 (76.9 per cent) gambled in the past year.
Plan before you play
One of RGC’s key outreach messages for those who gamble is the value of having a plan in place prior to playing to manage potential risks before they appear. This involves setting strict loss and win limits and allocating a set amount of time in advance. When any of these planned limits are reached, the appropriate/best/ response is to walk away.
Part of a solid plan includes taking frequent breaks. It’s important to pause, reflect, and re-evaluate time or money spent. Setting a phone alarm makes for an easy reminder to take a break from gambling.
Another important message, particularly for young adults, is to be aware that one’s emotional state can impact decisions while gambling. Limiting alcohol or drugs, not gambling when depressed or worried and not using gambling as a way to feel better are all important ways to minimize risk.
Young people can gain valuable insights into the risks associated with gambling by visiting CheckYourReflex.ca and TestezVosRéflexes.ca
Methodology
Between November 28th and December 12th, 2019, the Responsible Gambling Council conducted a province-wide survey of Ontarian adults aged 18+. With the help of Delvinia’s AskingCanadians panel, a total of 2,011 online surveys were completed (including a sample of 1411 gamblers). The survey data was weighted to reflect Ontario’s age and gender distribution, according to most recent Census data. Based on a 95% confidence level, the survey results have a margin of error +/- 2.19%.
About RGC
The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to problem gambling prevention. RGC works to reduce gambling risks by creating and delivering innovative awareness and information programs, for a wide range of different groups including youth, young adults and the general public.
Glitnor Group, operating under the LCKY Group in Ontario, has joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). Glitnor Group’s luckycasino.ca brand sportsbook will feed into IBIA’s world leading betting integrity monitoring platform. The operator joins over 50 companies and 125 leading sports betting brands in IBIA and further cements the association’s position as the leading sports betting integrity monitoring body in Ontario and globally.
David Schwieler LCKY Group CEO, said: “At Glitnor Group, we’re dead serious about keeping our betting games fair and square. That’s why teaming up with IBIA is a big deal for us. We know how crucial it is to protect the spirit of sports, and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work closely with the IBIA to make sure sports betting stays exciting, speedy, and above all, fair.”
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “I am delighted to welcome Glitnor Group as IBIA’s latest member in Ontario. Glitnor and IBIA share a common goal to maintain the integrity of the sports betting marketplace and to protecting consumers and sports from match-fixing. Ensuring product integrity is paramount to our approach and we look forward to integrating Glitnor within our leading global sports betting integrity monitoring system.”
IBIA is a not-for-profit body that has no competing conflicts with the delivery of commercial services to other sectors and is run by operators for operators to protect regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets.
Through the IBIA global monitoring network it is possible to track transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. IBIA members have over $300bn per annum in betting turnover (handle), accounting for approximately 50% of the global commercial regulated land-based and online sports betting sector, and in excess of 50% for online alone.
IBIA recently released a report on the Availability of Sports Betting Products which highlighted Ontario as a leading regulated gambling jurisdiction, with an expected onshore channelisation for sports betting of 92% in 2024 forecast to rise to 97% in 2028. IBIA currently represents over 60% of the private sports betting operators licensed in the province. All online sports betting operators licensed in Ontario are required to be part of a betting integrity monitoring body.
IBIA’s 2023 annual integrity report detailed 184 alerts reported in the year, which represents a decrease of 101 (or 35%) on the revised 2022 figure of 285 alerts. IBIA alerts contributed to the investigations and subsequent successful sanctioning of 21 clubs, players and officials in 2023, an increase on the 15 sanctioned in 2022.
SOFTSWISS, an iGaming software provider celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2024, has obtained the B2B Tobique Gaming Licence, the first ever issued in the jurisdiction. The Tobique Gaming Commission (TGC) and Differentia Licensing Advisory Group Limited (DLAG), a provider and facilitator to gaming companies for international gaming licences, authorised SOFTSWISS to engage in business activities for one year.
Located in western New Brunswick, Canada, the Tobique First Nation is a sovereign indigenous community issuing online gambling licences through the TGC under the Tobique Gaming Act of 2023. The licence, recognised as the B2B Tobique Gaming Licence, offers businesses the prospect of international operations, facilitating the establishment of a global footprint. The licence covers various categories of real money betting, including sports, casino games and lottery. Its significant advantages include the streamlined application process, reasonable price and quick acquisition.
Yuri Sharapa, Head of Country Projects at SOFTSWISS, comments: “Acquiring a new licence is a remarkable achievement for us, signifying our dedication to offering our clients a diverse range of options. We extend our gratitude to the Tobique Gaming Commission for their trust and stringent standards. We are proud to announce that one of the companies under the SOFTSWISS brand has become the first company to secure the B2B Tobique iGaming Licence.”
“The DLAG team is pleased to announce that the first Tobique Licence has been granted. The Licensee is under the tier-1 international brand, SOFTSWISS, in our industry, recognised for its leading products and services. These are exciting times for both the gaming world and Tobique!” adds Graham Martin, Chairman of DLAG.
SOFTSWISS supplies multiple operators under three international licences: MGA, CGA, and Kahnawake. Additionally, SOFTSWISS has several national licences and certifications, among which the recently obtained South African Licence through the acquisition of Turfsport, a leading South African provider of wagering software with 35 years of experience. Additionally, last year, as part of its strategy to enter regulated markets, the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform and the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook obtained GLI-19 and GLI-33 certifications, respectively.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Casino Platform, Game Aggregator, the Affilka affiliate tracking platform, Sportsbook Platform, and Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.
Launch brings Hacksaw Gaming titles to Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario
Hacksaw Gaming today announced its first market launch with Caesars Digital in North America, in the regulated iGaming province of Ontario, Canada. The new partnership marks the exciting launch of new games on Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in the province.
This new partnership, a first between the two companies, will bring familiar titles to online casino players and will be followed by a dedicated roadmap for additional launches in more jurisdictions in 2024, showcasing the entire Hacksaw Gaming catalog. The first release of games includes Hacksaw Gaming classics Wanted Dead or a Wild, RIP City, Hand of Anubis and Mines.
“Forging partnerships with new faces is always an exciting time but the influence of Caesars Digital is one we pride,” the Chief Executive Officer for Hacksaw Gaming, Marcus Cordes, said. “Launching this partnership in Ontario is the perfect place to begin our journey.”
“Hacksaw Gaming brings an exciting catalog of games to our platforms that should provide a thrilling experience for our players,” the Senior Vice-President and Chief iGaming Officer for Caesars Digital, Matthew Sunderland, said. “We’re excited to see how our players engage with this content in Ontario and in jurisdictions in the future through our new partnership.”
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