The NHL embracing sports gambling was a major mistake

[waitin425]

Can't say I disagree with anything here.

The prevalence and ease with which you can bet on sports is alarming. I know a few young men in the 20-23 age bracket. No University education, but making decent money at that age $60K per year working in the trades. The amount of money they spend on sports betting is truly alarming. They are still young enough to live at home and have a ton of expendable income. It's not just hockey the bet on. UFC is a big thing for them. But they bet on golf, baseball and of course football.

It will be interesting when that generation has real equity in 10-15 years how they are impacted by this.

Does anyone know of any studies that show the increase in usage in sports gambling and the age demographics? I suspect we are going to see massive problems in short order.

 

[robertmac43]

I certainly don't limit that to gambling.

Lol yeah so true.

They are still young enough to live at home and have a ton of expendable income. It's not just hockey the bet on. UFC is a big thing for them. But they bet on golf, baseball and of course football.

Some people just bet on what ever they can. I know people who will find second division pro-soccer to bet on just to have a bet on the go.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Well with all the extra revenue from the gambling promotion, they won't need those helmet ads anymore right? You know, the temporary ones to recover losses from the covid seasons? Which I guess means they'll be taking those ads of the jerseys any day now too.

And I'm assuming ticket prices will be getting cheaper. That's a sure bet.

 

[EdJovanovski]

I personally love it and hope they feature more sports betting ads. I’d ban the alcohol ads though as that is an infinitely greater plague on society. About 100,000 deaths directly from health consequences of drinking alcohol per year in the US, another 10,000 from drunk drivers, and 40% of all violent crime is committed by someone who is drunk.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Here’s a question for the OP and anyone else that wants to answer. Asking with no bias or agenda other than to possibly add some perspective.

Is this really that much different from alcohol? Does it only seem different because gambling advertising is relatively new and alcohol advertising has been around so long that people are used to it?

There's definitely a similarity with alcohol ads, but as people have already mentioned, the big difference is the announcers don't talk about recipes for cocktails and encourage you to have one more during the game broadcast.

The NHL isn't just running gambling ads, they've dedicated broadcast time during the game to discuss and promote it. It's completely interwoven.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

You know, you don't need to bet or pay attention to betting ads.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Once customers allowed leagues to put crappy ad's on historic uniforms, it showed these leagues that they could get away with anything.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Stanley Cup get a name change in my lifetime at this point.

 

[SimpleJack]

League doesn't care about anything except making money. They'll sell their souls if it means more money in their pockets.

U can pretty much replace “league” with “the human race” and then you’ll get an idea of the big picture problem. The overall behavior and mindset of the average individual these days is….concerning to say the least. The direction we’re headed as a civilization in general isn’t good. People are greedy and selfish. And lazy on top of it. Nobody has integrity. Etc, etc.

 

[The Management]

The NHL isn't just running gambling ads, they've dedicated broadcast time during the game to discuss and promote it. It's completely interwoven.

Yes, well said. Even if you leave the whole morality of the thing aside, it's just bloody annoying how intertwined it has become with the broadcast.

 

[BraveCanadian]

MBA drones / "shareholder value" mentality always ruins whatever it touches for short term gains.

 

[Evergreen]

Like any other business entity in a hyper-capitalist system, the NHL exists exclusively to make money. It’s no surprise they have embraced gambling the way they have. They don’t give a flying f*** if anybody gets hurt because of it. They add in their legally required language about how to get help if you’ve got a problem and disclaim any liability.

In a way I think it says more about our society than the NHL or any other business that this occurs. One of the downsides of unregulated capitalism is that everybody has to deal with being inundated with ads in their own home and everywhere they go, often for things they find morally or personally objectionable.

 

[Lshap]

I'm sure more people have tried it that wouldn't have, but actually creating committed gamblers in a way that it could be classified as a problem or an addiction even?

Of course that's an entirely different question. It's a reasonable guess that greater access to gambling leads to greater number of addictions, but I'm not qualified to assign blame or responsibility.

My issue with the non-stop ads is the NHL is turning itself into a de facto gambling product. It's becoming less about the sport and more about the odds. Personally, it makes me sick.

 

[DaveG]

College Basketball says Hi

Check out the episode on Netflix Bad Sport on Stevin Smith and the Arizona St. point shaving scandal

Or the 30 for 30 Playing For the Mob

 

[JPT]

I'm sure more people have tried it that wouldn't have, but actually creating committed gamblers in a way that it could be classified as a problem or an addiction even?

The problem with advertising addictive substances or activities is that a successful advertising campaign inevitably leads people to addiction. The question is where to draw the line. Cigarettes are already not advertised. Alcohol advertisement permeates not just sports culture, but North American culture in general. Alcoholism is more dangerous than gambling. Should those ads be banned like cigarette ads? If we care about the health of other people over money, yes.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

U can pretty much replace “league” with “the human race” and then you’ll get an idea of the big picture problem. The overall behavior and mindset of the average individual these days is….concerning to say the least. The direction we’re headed as a civilization in general isn’t good. People are greedy and selfish. And lazy on top of it. Nobody has integrity. Etc, etc.

Here comes the doomers. Good lord take this to your Facebook for your grandkids to read.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Here comes the doomers. Good lord take this to your Facebook for your grandkids to read.

Or Reddit

 

[dalewood12]

League doesn't care about anything except making money. They'll sell their souls if it means more money in their pockets.

This is it.

 

[JPT]

I personally love it and hope they feature more sports betting ads. I’d ban the alcohol ads though as that is an infinitely greater plague on society. About 100,000 deaths directly from health consequences of drinking alcohol per year in the US, another 10,000 from drunk drivers, and 40% of all violent crime is committed by someone who is drunk.

Found the person who works in marketing

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

The broadcasters don't tell you it's not too late to take a shot or have another beer before each period.

They tell you to gamble before each period?

 

[Mike C]

Or the 30 for 30 Playing For the Mob

or the tim donaghy netflix documentary called untold: operation flagrant foul

 

[Golden_Jet]

They tell you to gamble before each period?

That’s not what was said, they pimp gambling constantly during the game.

 

[Jared Dunn]

The problem with advertising addictive substances or activities is that a successful advertising campaign inevitably leads people to addiction. The question is where to draw the line. Cigarettes are already not advertised. Alcohol advertisement permeates not just sports culture, but North American culture in general. Alcoholism is more dangerous than gambling. Should those ads be banned like cigarette ads? If we care about the health of other people over money, yes.

Sure, that make sense. I would just say anecdotally those who already gambled still gamble and those who didn't might throw in a bet here and there when they're with their buddies watching a game but generally - I just haven't seen the increase in advertising really changing anyone's behaviour

Anyways I certainly wouldn't complain if there were less gambling ads/content but I just have my doubts that it's really contributing to any kind of epidemic

 

[tarheelhockey]

Here’s a question for the OP and anyone else that wants to answer. Asking with no bias or agenda other than to possibly add some perspective.

Is this really that much different from alcohol? Does it only seem different because gambling advertising is relatively new and alcohol advertising has been around so long that people are used to it?

Passively watching a hockey broadcast doesn’t activate the part of the brain that becomes addicted to alcohol. You still have to make a choice to get in your car and go to the store and pay money and then drink the beverage before you feel any effect of the alcohol.

It’s a whole different dynamic when the broadcast itself is tracking the outcome of a gambling line as an embedded element of the “entertainment”.

It’s like if the government gave drug dealers permission to add a little product to the water supply. Most of us didn’t ask for this and aren’t OK with the implications.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

They tell you to gamble before each period?

They do. They read ad copy / report lines for gambling sites during the broadcasts/intermissions and they are idiot bets too (over/under goals scored next period for example).

 

[tarheelhockey]

Sure, that make sense. I would just say anecdotally those who already gambled still gamble and those who didn't might throw in a bet here and there when they're with their buddies watching a game but generally - I just haven't seen the increase in advertising really changing anyone's behaviour

Anyways I certainly wouldn't complain if there were less gambling ads/content but I just have my doubts that it's really contributing to any kind of epidemic

If this were true, the advertisers wouldn’t be paying for this many ads.

They’re doing it because it’s swelling their revenue through increases in gambling activity. And it’s a statistical fact that when gambling goes up, addiction goes up, followed by a bunch of follow-on outcomes like broken homes and crime.