Exposure and Influence of Online Gambling Advertising: Issues and Challenges in an Unregulated Market

Conference by Annie-Claude Savard

Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Online (Zoom only)

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Abstract

Research shows that gambling advertising is associated with increased gambling intentions and behaviors, particularly among individuals who experience gambling-related harms. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of gambling advertising in Québec and Canada. This issue is especially relevant in Québec, where a self-regulated state monopoly coexists with unauthorized private operators in a liberalized market where gambling supply and advertising remain largely unregulated.

The objective of this presentation is to document exposure to, and the impact of, online gambling operators’ advertising practices in Québec. Drawing on a web panel survey of 3,825 online gamblers, the study examines: the extent of exposure to advertising disseminated by both private online gambling operators and the state monopoly, and the perceived impacts of such exposure. Findings reveal that: (1) individuals experiencing online gambling-related harms are more strongly influenced by gambling advertising; (2) these individuals are equally exposed to advertisements from private operators and from the state monopoly; and (3) no significant differences are observed in the perceived influence of advertising based on its source (private vs. state). Overall, the results suggest that a state monopoly does not in itself provide protection for individuals harmed by gambling in the absence of advertising regulation. The presentation concludes by discussing the challenges posed by the [lack of] regulation of online gambling advertising.

Biography

Annie-Claude Savard

Annie-Claude Savard is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work and Criminology, Université Laval. She is also a regular researcher at the Institut universitaire sur les dépendances of the CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l’Île de Montréal, as well as a member of the Habitudes de vie et Recherches Multidisciplinaires (HERMÈS) team. She leads the Jeu, responsabilités et société research group. Her work focuses on gambling among young adults, the discourses and impacts of prevention and gambling advertising, the balance between individual and collective responsibility in the field, and emerging forms of online gambling (e.g., Free-to-Play).