Responsible Gaming Council doubles down on Ontario with new campaign
Advocacy group partners with thinktv on new risks-based PSA initiative
Canada’s Responsible Gaming Council (RGC) has launched a new responsible gambling public service announcement (PSA) campaign aimed at encouraging responsible gambling among Ontarians.
The campaign, the advocacy group has said, is in response to the drastic increase in gambling-related advertising and marketing borne out of the legalization and regulation of single-event betting in Ontario.
As part of this, RGC has partnered with marketing and research association thinktv on the new PSA, which will air on television and radio in the province over the next month.
It aims to espouse the ethos that while online gambling can be fun, there are certain risks involved, while also signposting safer gambling strategies through the KnowTheRisks.ca website.
The campaign, developed with Toronto-based advertising agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, “taps into the look and feel” of an online gambling advert but with a responsible gambling slant.
RGC CEO Shelley White cited the need to double down on responsible gambling messaging in the province following the launch of the regulated market there.
“With the rise of online gambling and sports betting advertising in Ontario – and across Canada – we recognized there was a need to help the public understand the sensationalized ads we’re seeing on TV don’t necessarily reflect reality,” White said.
“It is important for everyone to learn and understand the risks involved when gambling in the online space and how to minimize those risks when playing online. This campaign is more important than ever as new operators continue to enter the market,” she added.
Utilzing thinktv’s member networks, this PSA will run across Canadian broadcast networks in Ontario, with the potential to expand to the rest of Canada.
Thinktv chairman Alan Dark expressed his delight at working with RGC to redress the increased gambling advertising in the province.
“There is an opportunity for us all to work together to ensure Ontarians receive a balanced message when it comes to online gambling and sports betting,” Dark said.
“The broadcast community plays an important role in shaping the gambling advertising landscape, and we are proud to be leading the charge in a responsible way to meet the needs of the industry and the public,” he added.