For Alberta, which remains on pace to become the next North American jurisdiction to launch an open online gambling sector, establishing a solid regulatory structure is paramount to the well-being of both the market and Albertans.
As such, PlayCanada identified six crucial areas of focus to help lawmakers cultivate a responsible, thriving, regulated wagering environment.
The first of which called for a steadfast commitment to developing robust responsible gambling initiatives.
To gain further perspective, PlayCanada reached out to the problem gambling support and awareness experts at ConnexOntario.
The free and confidential helpline’s executive director Nerin Kaur said it is imperative for Alberta to build an effective responsible gambling foundation well ahead of its highly-anticipated launch.
Base advice for Alberta problem gambling services
Having spent the last two and a half years navigating Ontario’s open iGaming market, Kaur and her Connex team are abundantly aware of the system’s upsides and shortcomings.
That experience has granted Connex the foresight to advise Alberta’s problem gambling support centres on several pertinent administrative issues.
“There should be adequate gambling support available, with easy access, and funding to accommodate increased capacity due to the wide accessibility of gambling,” said Kaur. “Ensuring clients can self-exclude from all gambling platforms through a streamlined process is crucial.
“Governance and accountability measures should also be implemented to manage vendors, including consistent guidelines for displaying responsible gambling information.
“Moreover, vendors’ contact centres must be easily accessible, as individuals using gambling platforms might have difficulty locating the appropriate support and could mistakenly reach out to responsible gambling centres, which may not be equipped to assist them.”
Availability and accessibility are no doubt integral components of a healthy, regulated market. And for Kaur, it’s in Alberta’s best interest to establish a program that satisfies both criteria.
Rather than waiting until well after the market launched, a la Ontario.
ConnexOntario: stablish a centralized self-exclusion program before launch
While talks of a program that would allow players to self-exclude from all Ontario iGaming apps and websites at once had been circulating since early 2023, no such system is currently in place.
The latest update, as of August, was that the development of a self-exclusion program in Ontario is underway.
But as Kaur said, starting with a similar system could be quite advantageous for Alberta.
“Having a centralized self-exclusion program in place before the launch of online gambling would be highly beneficial.
“In Ontario, we’ve heard frustration about the lack of such a system, highlighting the importance of implementing it early to provide seamless support for individuals seeking to manage their gambling behaviors.”
Because a centralized system is something those in need are asking for, Alberta would be remiss to ignore such requests.
How to handle influx of “misdirected” contacts
Play Canada also spoke to Connex in March of 2023 as part of a series on the first anniversary of online gambling in Ontario.
Back then, the helpline noticed an increase in problem gambling-related calls as a result of the market opening.
While that was to be expected — another reason why robust funding, accessibility, and availability of treatment and prevention programs should be priority one — recent insights from Connex suggested that when Alberta helplines inevitably receive greater call volume, it may also include what Kaur referred to as “misdirected” contacts.
“There will likely be an increase in ‘misdirected’ contacts — people seeking assistance with account issues, withdrawals, or winnings rather than problem gambling support. It would be beneficial to establish a standard where customer service information for each app is prominently displayed on the apps and websites.”
According to Kaur, treatment-focused calls are still up at ConnexOntario. With that in mind, she offered two more solutions for Alberta to consider.
“We’ve observed a rise in individuals seeking help related to online gambling, so reviewing capacity to manage this growing demand would be a prudent step,” said Kaur.
“Additionally, developing scripts to help iGaming agents identify when an individual may be experiencing problem gambling and providing resources to assist these individuals & agents would be highly beneficial.”
Show me the money, literally
PlayCanada previously recommended that Alberta commit 2% of iGaming revenue to better fund responsible gambling education, prevention, and treatment programs.
Doing so would also cement the province’s position as a North American leader in responsible gambling.
When asked how 2% of revenue, rather than the minimum 1% may help, Kaur said the additional funds would “allow those services to assist more individuals.” What’s more, it would likely cut down on any wait time-related issues, Kaur said.
The final, and perhaps most important aspect here, is greater transparency about how and where the money is being spent.
Kaur says that is one area where iGaming Ontario can certainly improve.
“We believe it would be highly beneficial if the revenue allocation were more transparent and accessible.
“While iGaming Ontario’s website provides some information on the revenue contributed to government funds from iGaming, it lacks a detailed breakdown of how these funds are distributed, particularly toward treatment services, research, and other related areas.”
Proactive, available, accessible, transparent.
The four principles that should guide Alberta’s responsible and problem gambling framework before and after launch.
Where to get help
With ConnexOntario, problem gamblers can expect confidential help available on multiple platforms 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. You can call toll-free (866-531-2600). You can also text (247247). There are also chat and email options available. Connex Ontario is not a counselling service. However, it does connect you to appropriate treatment options in your nearby community.
Help, support and education can also be found at:
Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare – Centre for Problem Gambling and Digital Dependency
https://www.hdgh.org/problemgamblingservices
They can also be reached by phone at: 519-254-2112.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres in its field. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.
www.camh.ca
Responsible Gambling Council
Website: RGC
Phone: 416-499-9800
GamTalk
Website: gamtalk.org
