BCLC Needs Targeted Action Against Rising Problem Gambling

Problem gambling is steadily growing into a significant issue in British Columbia, particularly among sports bettors, according to internal research for the B.C. Lottery Corporation (BCLC) was obtained by The Breaker News via the Freedom of Information Law.

Online Sports Bettors, at Higher Risk 

According to an Ipsos Research study from July 2024, sports betting is a growing area of concern in the context of online bettors continuing to be “a higher-risk group”.

The findings prompted researchers to make a series of recommendations to the corporation that manages all legal gambling products in B.C., with the goal of revolutionizing gambling entertainment using “engaging experiences that build and benefit communities”. 

Among them, the need to maintain “targeted initiatives” that can fight off specific challenges posed by sports betting while promoting “safer gambling practices, especially during major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, March Madness, and the NHL and NBA playoffs.” 

As anticipated, however, concerns extend well beyond British Columbia, with the Canadian Medical Association Journal issuing a stark warning regarding young people’s increased level of vulnerability as a result of the country’s decision to legalize single-event betting in 2021. 

With gambling ads now taking over commercial breaks during live games, often fronted by well-known celebrities, the risk of addiction is only growing. These ads, the editorial argued, “influence young people to start gambling and to gamble more.”

Changing Beliefs and Behaviors 

The Ipsos report went even deeper to analyze any changes in players’ regular beliefs and behaviors. Overall, sports bettors’ habits remained rather steady compared to previous studies, but warning signs continue to be present and hard to ignore. 

Between 2024 and 2025, honesty about gambling losses went down 5%, which means more players chose not to come clean to their family or friends about their spending. Confidence in being able to walk away also dropped by 10% while the number of sports gamblers admitting they may have a problem grew by 8%.

The number of players who openly believe in common myths also ticked upward, with more respondents agreeing with statements like “If I play longer, I am more likely to win” (up 6%) and “I almost won so I am due for a win” (up 10%). Rituals and superstitions are also on the rise, with the research showing a 7% increase in respondents who think they can figure out how to “avoid bad luck” using special practices.

Horse racing bettors showed similar red flags, with a great number of them admitting to borrowing money or selling belongings as a means of feeding their habits, up 12% in the past year.

BCLC’s own reports also speak about changes in the way gamblers place their bets. An August 2024 review found a smaller number of PlayNow users betting exclusively on the platform, even though the use of illegal websites is recording a downward trend at the moment.

Recognition of PlayNow remains far ahead of competitors, with 63% identifying it as legal compared to 17% for Bet365 and 13% for DraftKings.In response, BCLC says it is investing in both in-person and online advisors for GameSense, the program that provides essential services to “players, gambling staff and the community” while also rolling out new technology to monitor betting behavior in real time.