NHL stars mum on gambling endorsement deals
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NHL stars are silent on their gambling endorsement deals. The Fifth Estate is investigating the gambling industry in Canada. Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews are brand ambassadors for betting companies. The investigation airs on CBC-TV at 9 p.m. Thursday. It follows a ban in the UK on ads featuring celebrities promoting gambling. They appeal to children. "The Gamblification of Canada" airs at CBC Gem at 7 p.,m., or on The 5th Estate at 8 p,m, or online at www.cbc.com/the5thereporter.
Watch "The Gamblification of Canada" on CBC-TV at 9 p.m. Thursday or stream it on the CBC Gem.
The Fifth Estate wants to know more about the deals with the sports stars. Matthews is a star centre with Toronto Maple Leafs. He is proud of his partnership with Bet99, a company that offers sports bets in Ontario.
The Fifth Estate wants to keep on asking questions about Auston Matthews' endorsement deal with Bet99. The Fifth estate's requests for interviews with all three hockey players went unanswered.
BetMGM made the deals with Gretzky and McDavid. BetMgm representative is too busy to talk to us.
Brian Masse is frustrated with the way sports betting is implemented in Canada. He is critical of the use of brand ambassadors who are active players. The industry is worth an estimated $14 billion per year in the country. NHL players are mum on their gambling endorsement deals.
NHL stars are mum on gambling endorsement deals. Masse is concerned about the effect on children. Sports betting has been legal in the UK since 2007. In 2021, there will be 1.4 million gambling addicts in UK. 55,000 children between the ages of 11 and 16 are problem gamblers. 86% of gross gambling yield comes from 5% customers in U.K.
NHL stars are mum on gambling endorsement deals. Public Health England study revealed 409 people per year take their own lives in suicides related to problem gambling. New rules came into effect in October 2022, if a celebrity is of strong appeal to children or young persons, they can't appear in a gambling advertisement.
Gambling is hardwired into sport in Canada. Some of the biggest companies in gambling have struck deals with NHL stars Gretzky, McDavid and Matthews. In Ontario, the only province where private betting companies are allowed to operate, there are 67 sports betting operators and online casinos. Prochaska has a message for Canada: "You'll see a gambling industry which is now much more profitable and therefore more powerful"
