“It is a real and significant threat. It will not stand. If the Ford government is not willing to address the harms caused by its decision, we will have to make them accountable in an election year.”
—Kelley LaRocca, chief, Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, objecting to Ontario’s plans to open an online sports betting and iGaming market
“Sports betting ads can make us feel like gambling is an exciting and easy path to wealth. It associates sports betting with riches—and winning. In (one) ad, when Caesar says we’re ‘all Caesars,’ he means we can share in his wealth. We can be like him. We can be winners, too. But there’s the rub: Sportsbook companies make money when we lose. Ultimately, Caesar is selling a false image of wealth.”
—Andrew Broman, Frugalmatic columnist, on what he sees as the coming “sports betting addiction crisis”
“If we had built a really comprehensive gambling addiction prevention infrastructure, we’d have far less concern about the expansion of sports betting. But we kind of dilly-dallied around. Governments didn’t take it seriously. The gambling industry didn’t take it seriously. And now, the social safety net is not nearly in the condition it needs to be.”
—Keith Whyte, National Council on Problem Gambling, on the fast rise of legal sports betting in the U.S. and the lack of consistent regulations
“If the government wants to fight poverty, it has to make sure the workers have equal rights in negotiating with the employers to avoid being treated like modern-day slaves.”
—Ou Tep Phallin, Malaysian union leader, on the continuing dispute between striking NagaWorld casino workers, the operator and local law enforcement
“That might be too big for us to bite. We’ve looked very carefully at where we can expand our business… We find that we actually see Cambodia as the gold mine.”
—Philip Lee, executive deputy chairman, NagaCorp, in response to a reporter who asked if the company will bid on a Macau gaming license
“God willing, we’ll be able to get it done and we’ll be able to wager on the Bengals when they go to the Super Bowl next year.”
—Adam Koenig, Kentucky state representative, who is pushing for legal sports betting in the state in 2023, and another run at the Lombardi Trophy by the Cincinnati Bengals
“Overall, I’m really optimistic. I think things are trending in the right direction. … People need people.”
—Jennifer Herring, meeting planner, NHS Global Events, who says convention business will rebound to pre-Covid levels in 2023
“This is certainly as bad as it gets. It’s a federal crime to bribe someone to influence in any way a sporting event.”
—John Holden, Department of Management, Oklahoma State University, talking about the accusations that NFL coaches tanked games to get better draft picks
“When it’s in my Senate district, it’s even a greater concern.”
—Brad Hoylman, New York state Senator, who opposes a casino in Manhattan
