Former New Democratic Party member of Parliament Brian Masse, a key voice behind the legalization of sports betting in Ontario, called the current market “sad” and “deplorable.”
Key Takeaways
- Masse suggested regulation remain under the control of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
- Legalization was justified by modern demands, including the attractiveness of American casinos.
- The government is considering a bill to limit the visibility of gambling advertisements.
Masse spent more than 10 years backing various efforts to get legalization over the line, and it finally happened with support across party lines in 2021. The market eventually launched in April 2022.
Four years later, Masse has grown disenchanted with how the Ontario sports betting enterprise has developed.
“It's deplorable the way that some of the provinces have actually implemented it,” Masse told CBC News. “They've allowed the private sector to basically own and operate (the market).
“I don't have regrets, but it's sad to see some of the repercussions,” Masse said. “We can still avoid them, too. The story isn't done.”
Masse’s support for legalization was strengthened by the United States’ decision to repeal PASPA in 2018, allowing states to legalize sports betting on an individual basis. That created new tax revenues for local jurisdictions and also ate into the Canadian gaming market.
Michigan was an early adopter of sports betting legalization, and its casinos became attractive destinations for Canadian bettors in southern Ontario.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account"It really was about jobs at our casino, it was jobs at our entertainment industry, it was jobs in tourism,” Masse said. “You could see the modernization taking place. And so we didn't want organized crime to benefit. We wanted it to be accountable.”
Issues with Ontario’s launch
Masse’s displeasure with the regulation of Ontario’s gaming industry largely revolves around the lack of oversight of unregulated operators.
He suggested enforcement be retained by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, a Crown agency controlled by the Ontario government. Instead, the federal bill that led to legalization introduced a “weakness” by changing the Criminal Code, leaving each province to deal with its black-market operators.
“But what they've done is, they've launched full throttle,” he said. “They have allowed all of this unregulated activity.”
Ontario has already licensed 47 iGaming operators and more than 30 sportsbooks. Those platforms have produced billions in revenue, breeding an arms race in audience acquisition and retention.
Advertising changes being considered
The pervasiveness of gambling advertisements has become an issue for government officials. Ontario Sen. Marty Deacon sponsored S-211, a bill that would develop a national framework for the regulation of sports betting ads and set risk-prevention standards.
S-211 has already received Senate approval and is waiting on a second reading in the House of Commons.
A full-blown ban on gambling advertisements is not being considered. The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) has argued member companies already operate in one of the most regulated industries in the country.
“Getting rid of advertising isn't going to solve problem gambling,” said CGA president and CEO Paul Burns. “If it had done that, it would've done that a long time ago. In reality, it's very naive to think that that's the solution.”
Canada isn’t the only country interested in reeling in its advertising industry. Australia last week introduced sweeping changes for gambling companies, such as limiting the times of day during which they can advertise, the frequency at which ads can be aired, restricting sports figures from appearing in campaigns, prohibiting companies from advertising in sports venues, and blocking ads on unverified devices.
