Canadian doctors issue gambling advertising warning for young viewers
A group of Canadian doctors has warned about the spread of sports betting advertisements during sports games, suggesting that constant exposure is normalizing gambling for young viewers.
An editorial published on Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal argues that the legalization of online gambling has exposed young people, whose brains are still developing, to a proliferation of messages that link sports enjoyment with wagering.
Co-author and family physician Dr Shannon Charlebois said a Senate bill proposing restrictions on sports betting ads would be an important first step. She argued ads should not appear during broadcasts or on social media platforms that youth frequently use.
Charlebois added, “What’s very dangerous about this for children is that it’s normalizing a known harmful behavior during an impressionable stage. And it’s really appealing in particular to youth who are genetically, biologically predisposed to enjoy risk-taking.”
She noted that ads appear not only as commercials but also as logos projected onto fields and rinks, and through segments led by commentators.
Other specialists, including adolescent addiction experts, say they are beginning to screen young patients for gambling behavior, with warning signs including irritability, money problems, and preoccupation with game outcomes.
Doctors recommend parents start conversations early, reminding children that gambling typically results in loss, not gain.
Canada isn’t the only place questioning the impact of advertisements of gambling, as New Zealand recently introduced a campaign in the hopes of reducing gambling addiction.
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Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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