In the past two years, Canada has witnessed a significant rise in single-game sports betting since its legalization in August 2021. With the passing of Bill C-128, which allowed gambling on single-sport games, the landscape of sports gambling has undergone a significant change.
However, concerns have been raised by Canadian researchers regarding the lack of health data and the potential long-term effects associated with this surge in online gambling.
Provinces across Canada have experienced varying degrees of growth in sports gambling revenue. In British Columbia, the sports betting revenue increased from $23.9 million in 2020-21 to $31.6 million in 2022-23, according to the B.C. Lottery Corporation.
iGaming Ontario, the online gambling platform for the province, reported that betting, including sports and esports, accounted for $2 billion, or 14 percent of total wagers, and $138 million of gaming revenue, in the 2023/24 first-quarter results.
The Atlantic Lottery, which comprises the lottery corporations and commissions of the Atlantic provinces, saw a net revenue of $14.8 million in the sports gambling category in 2021-22, a $3 million increase from the previous year. Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis reported a 156.0 percent year-over-year increase in sign-ups for its online gambling portal, attributed to online lottery and single-sport event betting.
Matthew Young, the chief research officer for Greo Evidence Insights, told the Canadian Press there has been an increase in online gambling since the passing of Bill C-128.
“Things changed cataclysmically, right, and as well as the change in Ontario legislation allowing private operators into the space,” Young said. “Since (2018) though, we don’t have any figures that we can look to … we do know that the number of people gambling has increased and if the amount gambled has increased.”
One aspect that has gone largely unnoticed is the rise of in-play betting. The shift from parlay bets to single-event betting, as proposed by the federal bill, has brought about the advent of in-play betting. In-play betting allows gamblers to place bets during the course of a sporting event, enabling them to layer up bets and cash out early. This turns sports betting into a faster and more continuous activity.
Researchers, including Luke Clark from the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Gambling Research, have emphasized the need to address the psychological structure and potential harms associated with in-play betting.
The lack of comprehensive research on the long-term effects of single-game and in-play sports betting is a cause for concern, Clark said. While preliminary work has shown that in-play betting is associated with greater harms compared to traditional forms of sports betting, there is a dearth of studies examining the specific risks and consequences.
Andrew Kim, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University specializing in addiction and gambling, highlights the need to assess the extent of loss chasing in the context of sports betting. Loss chasing refers to the behavior of continuing to place bets in an attempt to recover previous losses. Without a thorough understanding of the potential harms, it becomes challenging to implement effective harm reduction strategies and protect vulnerable individuals.
As single-game sports betting continues to gain popularity in Canada, it is imperative to address the concerns surrounding its long-term effects and the lack of comprehensive health data, researchers said.
The rise of in-play betting has introduced new dynamics to the gambling landscape, necessitating a closer examination of its potential harms. Researchers, policymakers, and organizations must prioritize the collection of up-to-date health data to inform evidence-based strategies for responsible gambling, as well as performing ongoing research to understand the specific risks and consequences associated with single-game and in-play sports betting
