The Responsible Gambling Council of Ontario has released a new public service announcement for gambling damage aimed at males aged 19–24, created by the province's Responsible Internet Gambling Fund (RIGF).
The program's message, unveiled at a news conference in Toronto by the RGC's CEO Sarah McCarthy, is straightforward: It aims to bridge the gap between the initial emotional impulse to gamble online, when the heart begins to pound, and making an educated decision, while also offering practical tools and advice to assist them in doing so.

McCarthy also discussed a new RIGF Impact Report, which contains metrics that her organization is utilizing to create a gambling education and prevention program for young people, where they may be reached more successfully. Ontario's industry is growing, and so are its protections. One of the groups most vulnerable to gambling-related harm is young adult males.

Security Net

The government has given the RIGF $3 million to work with. The PSA will be widely disseminated throughout Canada via digital media and broadcasters such as Spotify, Meta, and Netflix.

Impact Report highlights include:

• 6 million people reached through a responsible gaming 2025 PSA called The Randoms via the MLSE Partnership and paid ads on digital platforms.
• The Randoms PSA secured approximately $100 million in broadcaster investment or donated time (since the launch of the regulated market).
• 65% of respondents reported a significant increase in their knowledge of gambling, harm, risks.
• 601 million impressions were generated during MLSE home (316 million) and away (285 million) game broadcasts.
• Pro sports leagues and arena partners committed to safer gambling messaging, generating $4.15 million in media value through partnerships and arena activations.
• 49 million people reached through TV, media, activations via ethnocultural outreach partnerships.

Prevention Efforts

“We didn’t just spend the money, we amplified it and unlocked value,” said McCarthy. “This ensures a visible counterbalance to gambling marketing that is happening today. The second part of that, the really impactful part, 12% of viewers also confirmed that they made a concrete plan for safer gambling after seeing our messaging.

This is truly evidence of prevention in action.

“We know that sports betting surges, of course, during major events. Our big game strategy met players in those high intensity moments. During the Super Bowl we reached an estimated 121 million people with messages designed to interrupt the urge to play, the impulse. Prevention only works if it’s actually relatable and culturally grounded.”

According to McCarthy, the goal is to foster an atmosphere that not only raises awareness but also makes people more willing to talk about treatment, which helps reduce the stigma associated with it.

Uncharted Waters

“This is how we ensure that our safety net is both inclusive and built to last,” she said. McCarthy also highlighted RGC’s online impact – 5,773 click throughs on their website support tools in the last year, an engagement rate 10 times higher than the industry average. Users stayed on the page 2.5 times longer than the average, she said. Also student athlete training program across Ontario schools has had measurable impacts on young people.

“Sustained investment is what allows us to stay ahead of the curve,” she said. “It ensures that gambling innovation never outpaces the safety of the people of Ontario.”

As Cho pointed out: "When you enter these statistics into something and don't have the results to support it, it means nothing (government expenditure on initiatives for responsible gambling)." 12% of people, according to Sarah, intended to prevent problem gambling behavior.

That is meaningful behavior. 28 institutions participated in the pilot program. They all agreed that they would do it again. Currently, 62% of student athletes are aware of where to get support. I believe that these findings are quite significant. "

Industry is Expanding Rapidly

"How can we balance the tax advantages of a billion-dollar regulated market with growing concerns about aggressive advertising and rapid tech advancements?" is the issue that government policy makers in the province frequently confront regarding igaming.

All that, while ensuring the education and safety of players about responsible gaming and implementation, particularly young,impressionable men, and mitigating potential harm.

Stan Cho, Ontario's Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming, remarked at a press conference on April 2 that you'll never get it 100% correct in this tap dance.

There will never be an idealistic Shangri-La moment where everything comes together flawlessly. These challenges will increase along with the industry's predicted expansion. It's like attempting to hug a dancing bear.

However, as Cho mentioned today, the truth is that igaming is here. It's going nowhere. Since the Ontario regulated market opened four years ago, the channelization figures of gray market operators migrating to the regulated sector have been amazing, at roughly 85%.

Therefore, the actual game right now is how to enter the deep grass and make it as safe and sustainable as possible in the long term as the sector expands.

According to Cho, there was no place for gamblers who were in over their heads to seek aid in the past when the grey market was the only option. Cho mentioned someone he met who lost their house because of gambling after being unable to receive the assistance they needed. Additionally, he stated that he had a gambling-related family problem.

Therefore, this is a personal matter for him and was a major factor in his campaign for igaming regulation in the province.