BC’s Minister of Public Safety, Mike Farnworth, has announced that an additional $1.4 million will be invested in extensive research concerning the negative consequences associated with a severe gambling addiction. The funds will be allocated to the University of British Columbia’s Center for Gambling Research. It will be their duty to attend to the aforementioned factors. Moreover, this represents the third funding exercise that is being conducted.
A significant increase in activity has been noted within the gambling industry in Canada. The initial development was the legalization of single-event sports wagering in 2021. Subsequently, private iGaming businesses were integrated into Ontario’s certified market. For Canadians, this is becoming a major issue that must be addressed responsibly.
In the opinion of Farnworth, the need of the hour is to comprehend the root cause of the serious urge to gamble and then come up with an adequate solution.
Based on the latest online gambling news, Luke Clarke, the director of the Center for Gambling Research, asserts that a comprehensive investigation is required regarding the psychological dimensions of addiction. It is necessary to implement policies to prevent additional harm to the addicted participants.
Concerning the loot box system in video games in particular, Clarke has been conducting extensive research on the correlation between gambling and video games. This allows players to dive into virtual containers containing various rewards. From his perspective, these mechanisms are attracting an increasing number of gamblers, regardless of the damage they inflict.
The Center will rely on wagering data acquired from PlayNow, an organization owned by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, which comprises reliable data sets. In order to develop risk detection algorithms, this will be utilized to analyze the behavioral markets associated with higher-risk wagering.
Farnworth offered his perspective on the current state of Canadian sportsbooks across the nation. He concurred with Ontario’s decision to prohibit advertisements featuring prominent athletes and celebrities that were related to gambling. However, significant developments will not occur until February 2024.
According to Matt Lee of BCLC, British Columbia will not emulate Ontario’s stance on the matter, as the province has already instituted a policy prohibiting the endorsement of wagering by public figures. They will place greater emphasis on the player’s wellbeing.
