With the hockey season winding down, many Canadians have two things on their minds: their teams’ playoff chances and a barrage of television ads for online sports gambling.
The deluge of commercials is a creation of Ontario. Canada’s most populous province decided to go with a competitive marketplace just under two years ago, after the federal government opened up sports betting. As of Friday, 79 online gambling sites, not all of them based on sports, are legally permitted to relieve Ontarians of their money. In other provinces, sports betting is part of the provincial lottery system.
Just over a week ago, Ontario put in effect new rules that bar online gambling ads that feature athletes and celebrities, including the hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as well as Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, the current N.H.L. stars.
