Media portrayal of sports betting in Canada before and after Bill C-218

Background. In 2021, a Federal Bill C-218 was passed in Canada to allow the legalization of single-event sports betting, from a previous system of parlay betting. This led to Ontario’s decision in 2022 to move to private licensing of online gambling operators, as well as nationwide expansion of gambling advertising and opportunities for in-play sports betting. Over this time period, sports betting has received substantial media coverage in Canada, which both reflects and also shapes the public's perceptions of gambling. We sought to characterize the themes and voices that were present in news reporting before and after the passing of C-218.  

Methods. Using a systematic search on the Newsstream database, we identified news articles on sports betting across 15 leading outlets, for 18 months either side of C-218 (Time period 1: Jan 2020 – June 2021; Time period 2: July 2021 – Dec 2022). We modified a coding schedule from David et al 2017 (BMC Public Health 17: 878) that classified Australian media portrayal of gambling reform. We coded articles for seven main themes (legality, industry change, technology, marketing and communication, integrity, reform, and risks of harm) and subthemes; their primary theme; and voices (industry, government, broadcasters, sports leagues, treatment providers, academics, celebrities, and people with lived experience of gambling harm).

Results. In 144 articles, dominant themes were legalization, industry change, marketing and communications, and integrity (both sporting integrity and gambling integrity with respect to offshore operators); these were each coded in over 50% of articles. Technology (40%), risks of harm (19%) and reform (16%) were less represented. Discussion of in-play betting (as a subtheme of technology) was coded in only 15% of articles. Industry change, technology, and marketing and communication, increased from before to after C-218 (chi-squared, all p < . 05). In terms of voices, gambling industry (70%) and sports leagues (30%) were most frequent, whereas academics, treatment providers, and people with lived experience of gambling harms were each featured in <10% articles. 

Conclusion. In the portrayal of both themes and voices, Canadian media coverage of the legalization and subsequent expansion of sports betting has emphasized the industry and financial impacts, with less attention to the risks of harm and changes to the underlying gambling product.