The NHL embracing sports gambling was a major mistake

[FriendlyGhost92]

The more concerning thing to me, despite all the gambling adds, logos on jerseys, new tv contract, expansion teams, and massive inflation going on, the salary cap isn’t making any sort of massive jump that you’d expect.

Yeah it's almost like the COVID debt the players owed froze it for years...

... Not that this has been well documented or anything.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Is the NHL making money? If yes than there was no mistake made whatsoever

So… no one is an adult anymore? It’s up to companies to not advertise and make sure the “youth” understand to not gamble?

I hate it all, don’t get me wrong, but this whole “protect people from themselves” thing is ridiculous.

I totally agree with you. Apparently its everyone else's fault for my addictions , who needs self accountability when you can point fingers around.

People are just mad their loved ones are getting absolutely FARMED by gambling companies lol. Nobody is going into anybody's pocket , freedom of choice

 

[JPT]

So… no one is an adult anymore? It’s up to companies to not advertise and make sure the “youth” understand to not gamble?

I hate it all, don’t get me wrong, but this whole “protect people from themselves” thing is ridiculous.

Where do we draw the line? Are seat belt laws bad? Are bans on cigarette ads bad?

Addiction takes a toll on more than just the addict, just like higher rates of injury or death in car accidents or health repercussions from smoking do. These are issues that cause damage to societies. We aren't islands unto ourselves, despite how pervasive individualism is in our culture.

Is the NHL making money? If yes than there was no mistake made whatsoever


I totally agree with you. Apparently its everyone else's fault for my addictions , who needs self accountability when you can point fingers around.

People are just mad their loved ones are getting absolutely FARMED by gambling companies lol. Nobody is going into anybody's pocket , freedom of choice

This is a strawman

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Where do we draw the line? Are seat belt laws bad? Are bans on cigarette ads bad?

Addiction takes a toll on more than just the addict, just like higher rates of injury or death in car accidents or health repercussions from smoking do. These are issues that cause damage to societies. We aren't islands unto ourselves, despite how pervasive individualism is in our culture.


This is a strawman

Supply and Demand

 

[Dreakon13]

We're way past the point of people being self-aware or proactive enough to hold themselves accountable for their addictions. In the age of social media, it's just easier and more gratifying to keep your bad habits AND rally likeminded people to prove to the world its everyone elses fault.

 

[zenator]

People certainly are responsible for their own addictions.

With that in mind, the NHL should hook up with cigarette companies. Gretzky should be in ads targeting teenagers as to how cool smoking is. Marlboro patches on uniforms, and ads all over the ice. Do it, as it'll bring more money for the NHL. Why not? Cigarette smokers are responsible for themselves becoming addicted.

 

[JPT]

Supply and Demand

What?

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

People certainly are responsible for their own addictions.

With that in mind, the NHL should hook up with cigarette companies. Gretzky should be in ads targeting teenagers as to how cool smoking is. Marlboro patches on uniforms, and ads all over the ice. Do it, as it'll bring more money for the NHL. Why not? Cigarette smokers are responsible for themselves becoming addicted.

Yeah sure , look at the world around you , are you not noticing where things are going?

We have to speak with our wallets , crying about ads wont do a thing when millions of people consume the product.

 

[Craig Button]

Supply and Demand

What?

Lol

 

[JPT]

Yeah sure , look at the world around you , are you not noticing where things are going?

We have to speak with our wallets , crying about ads wont do a thing when millions of people consume the product.

I assume this is what you meant by "supply and demand." It has nothing to do with what I said.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Is the NHL making money? If yes than there was no mistake made whatsoever


I totally agree with you. Apparently its everyone else's fault for my addictions , who needs self accountability when you can point fingers around.

People are just mad their loved ones are getting absolutely FARMED by gambling companies lol. Nobody is going into anybody's pocket , freedom of choice

This is quite the myopic view on gambling, addiction, and advertising.

 

[JPT]

The invisible hand of the market is offering me a syringe. Would Adam Smith want me to take it?

 

[Svechhammer]

The gambling companies may be the ones that finally force the NHL to stop fixing games under threat of a lawsuit.

I used to think this, and hell even I alluded to that in the OP of the Marek thread. But the more I think about it, if the Casinos are going to go after a reporter for leaking draft picks but isn't going to say a word about the NHL publicly admitting it manipulates games via game management policies, it couldn't be more obvious that the Casinos are absolutely part of that corruption and may be pulling more of the game management strings than we originally thought.

 

[JPT]

I used to think this, and hell even I alluded to that in the OP of the Marek thread. But the more I think about it, if the Casinos are going to go after a reporter for leaking draft picks but isn't going to say a word about the NHL publicly admitting it manipulates games via game management policies, it couldn't be more obvious that the Casinos are absolutely part of that corruption and may be pulling more of the game management strings than we originally thought.

Did casinos go after Marek, or was it the gaming commission who did an investigation? I could have sworn it was the latter.

 

[um]

We're way past the point of people being self-aware or proactive enough to hold themselves accountable for their addictions. In the age of social media, it's just easier and more gratifying to keep your bad habits AND rally likeminded people to prove to the world its everyone elses fault.

Fair enough for adults… but a lot of kids watch sports, and they are easily influenced, in any age.

 

[Svechhammer]

Did casinos go after Marek, or was it the gaming commission who did an investigation? I could have sworn it was the latter.

I mean in an ideal state, yes the gaming commission and the casinos operate separately from each other and the commission makes sure the casinos are operating on the up and up. Unfortunately, years of bribes, kickbacks, and heavy lobbying have meant that many members of the commission are outright bought by the casinos and operate to do their bidding.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

Yeah it's almost like the COVID debt the players owed froze it for years...

... Not that this has been well documented or anything.

Yes but that debt has been completely paid back, that's well documented too, so has zero relevance to this years cap.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Yes but that debt has been completely paid back, that's well documented too, so has zero relevance to this years cap.

It kinda does have relevance considering it's written in the CBA that the cap can only increase 5% annually...

 

[Dreakon13]

Fair enough for adults… but a lot of kids watch sports, and they are easily influenced, in any age.

Personally, having seen the devastating results of drinking problems first hand on a number of occasions at this point... if we're going to do something, we should get rid of the relentless assault of alcohol ads.

But we shouldn't do anything. Parents need to spend less time online getting mad that companies aren't raising their kids well enough for them, and more time with/raising their damn kids.

Where are kids getting the money for their gambling addictions anyways lol

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Personally, having seen the devastating results of drinking problems first hand on a number of occasions at this point... if we're going to do something, we should get rid of the relentless assault of alcohol ads.

But we shouldn't do anything. Parents need to spend less time online getting mad that companies aren't raising their kids well enough for them, and more time with/raising their damn kids.

Where are kids getting the money for their gambling addictions anyways lol

I mean, I agree that parents need to be parents, but most aren't.

A lot easier to control what content is being put out there for kids to see than to rely on every single parent to shelter their kid from it.

... Then again, I'm for as little government oversight as possible. f***.

 

[Svechhammer]

Personally, having seen the devastating results of drinking problems first hand on a number of occasions at this point... if we're going to do something, we should get rid of the relentless assault of alcohol ads.

But we shouldn't do anything. Parents need to spend less time online getting mad that companies aren't raising their kids well enough for them, and more time with/raising their damn kids.

Where are kids getting the money for their gambling addictions anyways lol

Its both. Parents need to be a part of their kids' lives and know when this kind of stuff is happening so they can nip it before it becomes a big problem or help establish the good practices in life that help kids understand the risks involved with stuff like gambling.

But

There also needs to be a massive scaling back on the way gambling is advertised and sold. So much of it right now makes it seem like a game where you can only win, which appeals to so many people of all ages. It reminds me a lot of the tobacco ads from 30 years ago, which were specifically aimed at adults, but didn't exactly shy away from targeting kids as well. Globally, tobacco ads have been banned, and its helped scale back tobacco use worldwide, but not completely eradicated it. Within 10 years I could very easily see the need to similar bans to gambling ads as well.

 

[JPT]

Personally, having seen the devastating results of drinking problems first hand on a number of occasions at this point... if we're going to do something, we should get rid of the relentless assault of alcohol ads.

But we shouldn't do anything. Parents need to spend less time online getting mad that companies aren't raising their kids well enough for them, and more time with/raising their damn kids.

Where are kids getting the money for their gambling addictions anyways lol

Do you think the main reason parents don't have more time with their kids is they are online complaining about companies not raising their kids?

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

It kinda does have relevance considering it's written in the CBA that the cap can only increase 5% annually...

That 5% isn't set in stone.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4590229/2023/06/08/nhl-salary-cap-increase/

A memorandum of understanding in the current collective bargaining agreement dictates that the cap can only go up 5 percent in any one year...... but an agent and a GM both pointed out that the league and the NHLPA can always agree to a larger number despite the memorandum of understanding.

 

[Dreakon13]

I mean, I agree that parents need to be parents, but most aren't.

A lot easier to control what content is being put out there for kids to see than to rely on every single parent to shelter their kid from it.

... Then again, I'm for as little government oversight as possible. f***.

Is it a lot easier though? Basically anything you type into Google, you're two clicks from an article about some greedy, predatory company doing something toeing the line of illegal or immoral. Doesn't seem like it's working.

Seems like it'd be a lot easier for Parent A to make sure Kid A is doing alright, then devote a lot of time (that probably could be spent with Kid A) in a thankless effort to save Parent and Kid Z.

Its both. Parents need to be a part of their kids' lives and know when this kind of stuff is happening so they can nip it before it becomes a big problem or help establish the good practices in life that help kids understand the risks involved with stuff like gambling.

But

There also needs to be a massive scaling back on the way gambling is advertised and sold. So much of it right now makes it seem like a game where you can only win, which appeals to so many people of all ages. It reminds me a lot of the tobacco ads from 30 years ago, which were specifically aimed at adults, but didn't exactly shy away from targeting kids as well. Globally, tobacco ads have been banned, and its helped scale back tobacco use worldwide, but not completely eradicated it. Within 10 years I could very easily see the need to similar bans to gambling ads as well.

I think tobacco use being curbed is less a scaling back of advertising and more just a noticeable push from younger generations adopting physically healthier lifestyles. Advertising in the sense that you'd see during a hockey game is way less influential than peer pressure in the social media age.

Do you think the main reason parents don't have more time with their kids is they are online complaining about companies not raising their kids?

Main reason? I dunno. But there are plenty of nosy, outraged parents online and any amount of time spent trying to sway favor against things they consider immoral would probably be better spent with their kids.

 

[Svechhammer]

I think tobacco use being curbed is less a scaling back of advertising and more just a noticeable push from younger generations adopting physically healthier lifestyles.

It took a heavily coordinated advertising campaign to convince younger generations that tobacco use was dangerous and hazardous to your health combined with a lack of positive advertising from tobacco companies to get to this point. They didn't just miraculously start being healthier on their own.