We were inundated with ads from the beginning and it was suggested that this was because online gaming was being launched and it would die down as company's money ran out and like the litany of pot stores, the number of players in the game would be reduced as the market settled in.    What's happened instead is there seems to be new ones or rebranded old ones showing up and even with restrictions on athletes doing them, the number of ads and placements keeps rising.  This is especially with the new ad technologies putting ads on the boards as seen from the centre camera.   The president of the gambling association's opinion is that the number of ads is OK, but I disagree.   There are far too many and the gambling category appears to make up 35 - 50% of the ad content of hockey games (I don't watch Basketball).    They should restrict the ads to only ones that include the 19 years-old + warning and see how that goes in reducing the number first, then consider restricting the ad time they're allowed if the flood continues.    If they don't, this will be more than it is, an annoying problem with ads, it will be churning out kids with gambling problems by the dozens and then it becomes a public health issue.    There's currently a small amount of the proceeds going towards gambling addiction programs but that's like saying 'we'll sell dope loaded with fentanyl and pay for the funerals to compensate'.   It's not a solution.

Last edited by SpinningWheel (January 20, 2024 1:12 pm)