Sports betting may have its fans in Canada, but there are plenty of others who see it as trouble.
Indeed, recently released polling done for the federal government earlier this year suggests that a good chunk of the Canadian population sees sports betting as a risk to themselves and the games they watch.
The online surveys done by Léger Marketing Inc. for the Department of Canadian Heritage in February and March asked more than 10,000 Canadians aged 16 or older, as well as 39 national sports organizations, and 170 “high-performance athletes,” for their thoughts on ethics, equity, and safety in sports.
Two questions put to the 10,000-plus general population group were specific to sports betting, asking if those people think event wagering (both the legal and illegal variety) is a “threat” to organized sports and Canadians overall.
No threat?
The concern about the effects of sports betting was higher for organized sports, as 45% of respondents saw it as a threat to those competitions, while 35% did not. Another 20% were unsure.
Whether sports betting is a threat to Canadians was a closer call, as 41% of respondents said it was and 40% said it was not. Another 19% didn't know.
Among other things, the surveys found that older Canadians are more worried about sports betting than the younger crowd. Out of the respondents 55 and older, 54% saw sports betting as a threat to the integrity of organized sports, and 49% believed wagering posed a similar risk to Canadians.
Fixing for trouble
It does not appear that the survey defined "threat" for respondents. Still, one of the specific concerns in Canada around the rise of sports betting has had to do with the potential for manipulating game outcomes.
While Canada is not the only country facing those worries, there have been a few high-profile incidents with ties to the Great White North, such as the NBA's banishment of former Toronto Raptor Jontay Porter for his role in a betting scandal.
Léger polled the general population group for their thoughts on match-fixing, finding that 31% believe there is match manipulation in international amateur sports and professional leagues. Of those surveyed, 25% suspected there was match-fixing in college sports, too.
What the federal government will do with the survey findings, if anything, is unclear. The polling’s purpose was to assist Sport Canada, an arm of the federal government that is tracking various performance indicators and trends, and trying to address issues that arise.
“Questions and scenarios regarding ethics, gender equity, and safety in sport have become increasingly prominent internationally and within the Canadian context,” Leger’s report said. "The establishment of policies, enhanced monitoring, reporting, and management mechanisms, among others, have been adopted to confront challenges related to ethics, integrity, and safety. Public opinion is also vital for devising interventions, communication campaigns, and strategies for the future."
The polling follows significant changes in gambling-related legislation and regulation in Canada.
Federal lawmakers decriminalized single-game sports betting in 2021, giving legal wagering a shot in the arm across Canada. As a result, government-owned lottery and gaming corporations were freed up to offer singles and to try to win back business that was flowing to bookmakers that are not regulated in Canada but accessible to Canadians.
Canada’s decriminalization of single-game wagering also preceded the launch of a competitive market for online gambling in Ontario, the country’s most populous province. There are now 50 iGaming operators and more than 80 regulated gaming sites offering sports betting, casino games, and poker in Ontario.
Checking in on the Ontario iGaming market... the major sports betting/iCasino players have signed up for another year or two in what is Canada's only competitive market (still waiting on Alberta).
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) September 12, 2024
365, DraftKings, FanDuel, Pinny, etc. all re-registered over the past few months. pic.twitter.com/YVsyNjUfKW
What’s more, Ontario’s launch of a competitive iGaming market triggered a rush of advertising by private-sector operators of online sportsbooks and casinos.
That advertising allowed operators to introduce themselves to Ontarians and helped them convert illegal and unregulated gaming into regulated activity. Ontario's iGaming market is providing additional revenue to the provincial government as well.
Nevertheless, the advertising has grated on non-gamblers and has popped up on broadcasts watched by residents of other provinces, where sites such as bet365 and BetMGM are not yet authorized to do business.
This has prompted pushback from the public and politicians. For example, a Senate committee held hearings in June for a bill proposing a national framework for sportsbook ads.
Meanwhile, several Canadian lottery corporations are party to a daily fantasy and poker-related court reference in Ontario, where they have aired grievances about the advertising and operations of Ontario-regulated companies.
Sober second thoughts
At the very least, the polling that was done earlier this year (at a cost of $178,229 to the government, not including sales tax) could be a data point for politicians and other interested parties as they ponder their next moves in connection with legal sports betting in Canada.
Alberta, for instance, is developing an Ontario-like iGaming market of its own. The provincial government could draw on the lessons learned at Queen's Park and Ottawa.
"I voted for the sports [betting] bill a couple of years ago,” said Quebec Sen. Leo Housakos, the chairman of the Senate's transport and communications committee, in June. “I'm in the middle right now, torn, on if I was wise by doing so."
