Research conducted during November 2012 on Canadians views on legalizing single event sports wagering

1. Single
Event
Sports
Be0ng
November
2012

2. Methodology
• A total of 1002 respondents 18 years of age or older were interviewed
by telephone during the period: December 4th - 9th , 2012
• The margin of error is +/-3.10% at 95%.
Gender
Frequency
%
Male
500
49.9
Female
502
50.1
Total
1002
100.0
2

3. Single Event Sports Wagering
No
one
knows
for
sure
how
much
money
Canadians
bet
on
single
spor=ng
events,
but
we
know
it
is
in
the
billions,
perhaps
the
tens
of
billions
of
dollars.
Single-­‐event
sports
beBng
is
readily
available
and
widely
prac=ced
by
Canadians.
-­‐
Hon.
Bob
Runciman
moved
third
reading
of
Bill
C-­‐290,
An
Act
to
amend
the
Criminal
Code
(sports
beGng).
Thursday
November
29,
2012
–
Debates
of
the
Senate
If
it
were
possible
to
move
people
from
beBng
with
a
bookie
to
more
legi=mate
beBng
on
single
games,
that
would
be
a
benefit
to
those
people
beBng
with
a
bookie,
at
least
from
a
problem
gambling
point
of
view.
-­‐
Gary
O'Connor,
CEO
of
the
Ontario
Problem
Gambling
Research
Centre
The
proponents
of
legalizing
single
game
sports
be0ng
lead
us
to
believe
that
it
will
reap
benefits
for
provincial
coffers
by
taking
a
widely
pracJced
pasJme
and
regulaJng
it
for
the
benefit
of
everyone
but
the
bookies.
But
do
Canadians
really
support
changing
the
law
to
allow
single
event
sports
be0ng?
The
answer
is
not
so
simple.
Regulated
gambling
at
casinos,
on
loOeries
(including
“parlay”
sports
wagers
on
two
or
more
games
at
once),
and
on
other
games
of
chance
is
widespread
and
adds
over
$15
billion
to
the
Canadian
economy
every
year,
but
just
half
(50%)
of
Canadians
now
think
legalized
gambling
is
a
good
way
for
governments
to
raise
money.
Furthermore,
over
half
(55%)
of
Canadians
think
more
needs
to
be
done
to
restrict
gambling
in
their
province.
While
a
majority
of
Canadians
say
they
don’t
really
support
gambling
as
a
revenue
generator
for
governments,
they
sJll
line
up
in
droves
for
a
$50
million
LoOo
Max
jackpot.
So,
it
appears
that
we
like
to
say
gambling
is
not
good
and
we
should
do
more
to
restrict
it,
but
our
behaviour
clearly
says
something
different.
3

4. Single Event Sports Wagering
In
line
with
this
view
on
gambling,
less
than
half
(44%)
think
Canadians
should
be
allowed
to
bet
on
the
outcome
of
a
single
sports
event
and
a
significant
porJon
of
Canadians
(33%)
are
against
any
kind
of
sports
be0ng,
regardless
of
whether
it
is
on
a
single
game
or
not.
The
country
is
clearly
divided
on
this
issue
as
well.
Provinces
in
the
East
(i.e.
AtlanJc
Canada
and
Quebec)
are
least
likely
to
agree
with
allowing
single
event
sports
be0ng
while
Ontario
and
the
West,
where
professional
sports
flourish,
are
more
likely
to
think
single
event
sports
be0ng
should
be
allowed.
Age
and
gender
seem
to
be
the
determining
factor
for
supporJng
single
event
sports
be0ng
with
males
and
those
under
age
45
years
more
likely
to
be
supporJve.
So
should
the
laws
be
changed
to
allow
single
event
sports
be0ng?
According
to
Canadians
only
four
in
ten
(41%)
say
it
should
be
changed,
while
just
under
half
(49%)
say
the
law
should
not
be
changed,
and
a
further
one
in
ten
are
not
sure.
Even
if
the
law
were
changed
to
allow
single
event
sports
be0ng
only
a
small
majority
(12%)
say
they
would
likely
make
a
wager.
Research
shows
that
only
between
3%
and
4%
of
Canadians
placed
a
wager
on
the
highly
publicized
Grey
Cup
game
last
November.
Clearly,
be0ng
on
sports
is
neither
a
widespread
phenomenon
nor
a
major
concern
among
Canadians.
So
what
is
driving
the
divide
on
this
issue?
Those
who
think
the
law
should
not
be
changed
are
most
likely
to
think
this
type
of
gambling
will
lead
to
more
social
and
gambling
problems
(80%)
and
that
it
threatens
the
integrity
of
pro
sports
because
match
fixing
will
be
easier
(67%).
Half
of
these
Canadians
also
think
there
should
be
no
sports
be0ng
at
all.
On
the
other
hand,
those
who
support
a
change
in
the
law
feel
that
regulaJng
single
event
sports
be0ng
will
protect
Canadians
from
the
illegal
sports
be0ng
industry
(62%)
and
match
fixing
issues
will
be
addressed
with
checks
and
balances
of
a
regulated
system
(68%).
InteresJngly,
over
a
third
of
Canadians
who
think
single
event
sports
wagering
should
not
be
legalized
realize
that
if
it
is,
it
will
lead
to
beOer
protecJon
for
Canadians
(39%)
and
that
checks
and
balances
will
address
any
match
fixing
concerns
(38%).
4

5. Views
on
Gambling:
RestricVng
Access,
Raising
Revenues,
and
Single
Event
Sports
BeGng
67%
63%
55%
57%
51%
49%
53%
52%
52%
50%
50%
47%
46%
44%
43%
39%
35%
35%
Canada
BC
Prairies
Ontario
Quebec
AtlanVc
More
should
be
done
to
restrict
access
to
gambling
in
Canada
Legalized
gambling
is
a
good
way
for
provincial
governments
to
raise
money
Canadians
should
be
allowed
to
place
bets
on
the
outcome
of
a
single
sports
event
Percentage is top 2 box score- those who strongly/agree with the statement.
5

6. Should Canadians be allowed to place bets on the outcome of a single
sports event?
37%
28%
27%
36%
46%
52%
Disagree
20%
17%
16%
16%
Neither
17%
8%
44%
49%
53%
46%
Agree
35%
35%
Canada
B.C.
Prairies
Ontario
Quebec
AtlanJc
37%
29%
33%
40%
43%
Disagree
19%
16%
16%
18%
13%
Neither
44%
50%
48%
Agree
39%
41%
Canada
18-­‐29
Years
30-­‐44
Years
45-­‐59
Years
60+
Years
6

7. Should
the
laws
be
changed
to
allow
single
event
sports
beGng?
Q:
Which
of
the
following
views
about
be0ng
on
a
single
sport
event
is
closer
to
your
own?
The
laws
should
be
changed
to
allow
Canadians
to
legally
wager
on
the
outcome
of
a
single
sporJng
event
OR
The
laws
should
not
be
changed
to
allow
Canadians
to
legally
wager
on
the
outcome
of
a
single
sporJng
event
Not
Sure
10%
Laws
Should
Be
Changed
41%
Laws
Should
Not
Be
Changed
49%
7

8. Single
Event
Sports
BeGng
–
Benefits
vs.
Problems
Legalizing
single
event
sports
be0ng
will
lead
to
more
social
problems
and
problem
gambling
62%
Legalized
single
event
sports
be0ng
threatens
the
integrity
of
pro
sports
making
it
easier
to
engage
in
52%
match
fixing
By
regulaJng
single
event
be0ng,
checks
and
balances
will
be
put
in
place
to
address
match
fixing
risks
49%
By
regulaJng
single-­‐event
sports
wagering
Canadians
will
be
protected
from
the
unregulated
&
illegal
sports
48%
be0ng
industry
Wagering
on
any
kind
of
sports
event
should
not
be
allowed
in
Canada
33%
Legalized
single
event
sports
be0ng
will
be
good
for
drawing
tourism
dollars
into
my
province
33%
Percentage is top 2 box score- those who strongly/agree with the statement.
8

9. Single
Event
Sports
BeGng
–
Benefits
vs.
Problems
Split
by
Age
72%
Legalizing
single
event
sports
be0ng
will
lead
to
more
63%
social
problems
and
problem
gambling
58%
52%
Legalized
single
event
sports
be0ng
threatens
the
50%
integrity
of
pro
sports
making
it
easier
to
engage
in
54%
51%
match
fixing
53%
43%
By
regulaJng
single
event
be0ng,
checks
and
balances
49%
60+Years
will
be
put
in
place
to
address
match
fixing
risks
54%
45-­‐59
Years
51%
48%
30-­‐44
Years
By
regulaJng
single-­‐event
sports
wagering
Canadians
will
be
protected
from
the
unregulated
&
illegal
sports
42%
18-­‐29
Years
52%
be0ng
industry
49%
44%
Wagering
on
any
kind
of
sports
event
should
not
be
35%
allowed
in
Canada
29%
24%
29%
Legalized
single
event
sports
be0ng
will
be
good
for
31%
drawing
tourism
dollars
into
my
province
33%
40%
Percentage is top 2 box score- those who strongly/agree with the statement.
9

10. Legalizing
Single
Event
Sports
BeGng
–
Even
those
opposed
can
see
the
benefits
Legalizing
single
event
sports
be0ng
will
lead
to
more
80%
social
problems
and
problem
gambling
43%
Legalized
single
event
sports
be0ng
threatens
the
67%
integrity
of
pro
sports
making
it
easier
to
engage
in
match
fixing
37%
Law
Should
38%
Not
Be
By
regulaJng
single
event
be0ng,
checks
and
balances
Changed
will
be
put
in
place
to
address
match
fixing
risks
68%
Law
Should
By
regulaJng
single-­‐event
sports
wagering
Canadians
will
39%
Be
Changed
be
protected
from
the
unregulated
&
illegal
sports
be0ng
industry
62%
Wagering
on
any
kind
of
sports
event
should
not
be
52%
allowed
in
Canada
15%
Legalized
single
event
sports
be0ng
will
be
good
for
23%
drawing
tourism
dollars
into
my
province
47%
Percentage is top 2 box score- those who strongly/agree with the statement.
10

11. If betting on the outcome of a single sports event were legal would you
make a wager?
19%
12%
10%
12%
10%
6%
Canada
B.C.
Prairies
Ontario
Quebec
AtlanJc
17%
12%
11%
11%
9%
Canada
18-­‐29
Years
30-­‐44
Years
45-­‐59
Years
60+
Years
11

12. Contact: Richard Leigh-Bennett, CMRP
richard.leighbennett@environics.ca
www.environics.ca
12