As the World Cup arrives in Canada, nearly seven in 10 Canadians say they encounter gambling and sports betting advertisements in everyday media, says CPA (Chartered Professional Accountants) Canada.
Among Canadians who gambled online in the past year, more than one in four (27%) say advertising influenced them to place a bet, according to a new CPA Canada survey.
“You can’t hide from it; gambling ads are everywhere,” said CPA Canada’s financial literacy leader Li Zhang. “Major global events like the FIFA World Cup only amplify the noise as gambling advertising and promotions surge. For those who haven’t yet dipped their feet in, my advice is simple: don’t start.”
CPA Canada said 13%of Canadians say they are likely to place a bet during the tournament, rising to 49% among regular sports bettors.
Those most impacted may also be the most vulnerable, added Zhang.
Younger Canadians aged 18 to 34 appear especially susceptible to gambling advertising, with half participating in some form of online gambling in the past year and more than one-third (37% saying advertising led them to place a bet, according to CPA Canada.
“The systems are so sophisticated now that once you place that first bet, it can be hard to control and even harder to walk away,” said Zhang. “At a time when many young people are already grappling with affordability challenges, they are exactly the demographic who can least afford to put their money at risk.”
Other standout findings:
- Men are avid online gamblers: Men are significantly more likely than women to gamble online (43% versus 28%) and more than twice as likely to bet on sports (20% versus 8%).
- Canadians are still making big bets: One in four online gamblers (26%) spent more than $500 on bets in the past year, including one in six (16%) who spent $1,000 or more.
- Same story, different province—gambling ads are everywhere: Half of respondents in the provinces of Alberta (49%), Manitoba (48%), Nova Scotia (50%, Newfoundland (49%) and Ontario (50%) report seeing gambling advertisements often or very often.
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