Rapid Growth of Online Betting Takes Toll on Ontario, Health Top Official Says

Online sports betting is taking a toll on people in Ontario, Canada, according to Bill Marra, the chief executive of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in Windsor. According to Marra, the rapid expansion of online betting has pushed many people into gambling debts and other associated problems.

Healthcare Professional Becomes Latest to Urge Action Against Excessive Gambling

The Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare already hosts a program for gambling-related problems, which makes Marra particularly well-suited to talk about the issues that excessive gambling brings on individuals and on society as a whole.

“It is very difficult for anyone that’s monitoring a sporting event, reading something online, or watching it live to not be exposed to online gambling enticements,” Marra explained, talking about the industry’s practices, which include aggressive marketing.

Marra cautioned that a more moderate approach is required to ensure that people are protected. Exposure tends to be associated with a higher risk of developing a problem in the first place, argues Marra, and this risk is higher still for people who are already vulnerable.

Marra is not the sole voice of discontent in Ontario’s thriving iGaming and sports betting market, with dozens of Canadian senators urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to look into new ways to moderate excessive gambling advertisement and protect consumers from harm.

This is not the only challenge that Canada faces as a nation, as more online gambling scams are proliferating and preying on vulnerable consumers. Illicit gambling companies have been targeting consumers, posturing as legitimate and licensed entities.

Marra says that part of the issue has to do with how prolific gambling advertising has become. In his open letter addressed to the media and the government, as well as regulators, he added:

“It is very difficult for anyone that’s monitoring a sporting event, reading something online, or watching it live to not be exposed to online gambling enticements.”

Banning Gambling Altogether Is Impractical

Marra similarly noted that there is growing evidence that exposure to gambling ads ends up being harmful. While he admits that getting rid of online gambling is impossible and impractical, there are safeguards to tap into to ensure that consumers are better protected

Charlottetown Sen. Percy Downe has urged stricter measures still, calling on the government to draw example from countries such as Belgium and Italy, where blanket bans on gambling advertisement have been implemented to a large degree of success.