Masse Critiques Canada's Sports Betting Rollout

0:00It's April 6th. This is Vancouver News today, driven by AI, former NDP, MP Brian Mass, spent over a decade fighting to legalize single-event sports betting in Canada. He got his private members bill rolling in 2019, and it passed with cross-party support in 2021. Now, five years on, he stands by the push to modernize the law, but calls some parts of the rollout, said and deplorable. The move came as U.S. states like Michigan, legalized betting after a Supreme Court ruling, hurting Canadian spots like Windsor's Casinos. Mass-1 regulated options to cut out organized crime and black market action. But provinces handle the details, and Ontario went big by letting private companies run 47 eye-gaming operators since April 2022, turning it into a multi-billion dollar scene. Ads for sports betting are everywhere now, taking up to 21% of Ontario sports broadcasts according to a recent analysis. A study last month showed a more than 300% jump in young men calling Ontario's gambling

1:03helpline. Experts say this isn't just shifting black market players, it's pulling in new gamblers. Mass blames weak federal rules, leaving provinces unchecked, and wants betting kept with government agencies like the Ontario Lottery and Gaming. Corporation. Think Tank Leader Renze Natta pushes for an ad ban, like on cigarettes, while Senator Marty Deacon's bill S-211 for National Ad Standards has, passed the Senate and hit the House. The gaming industry says provinces should lead and ads won't fix problem gambling. Mass figures the feds could speed things up with their own bill or budget tweaks have motivated. The story's far from over week can still dial back the risks and get this right.