Why NHL Games Suddenly Feel Like Casinos

If this year's Stanley Cup finals seemed like one big sportsbook ad, you're not wrong. The hockey fans watching the six games between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in June were hit with a gambling ad or logo as often as every 13 seconds, reports the Guardian. That's 3.5 betting ads every minute. The findings come from researchers at the University of Bristol, who studied the broadcasts along with those for the seven NBA finals games, and they clocked 6,282 gambling-related marketing messages. But a staggering 94% of them came during the NHL games. "The constant barrage of marketing is especially dangerous for young and vulnerable groups," said Democratic Rep. Paul Tonko of New York.

It began in 2018, when the Supreme Court overturned a federal ban on sports betting, and the gambling industry exploded. Sports betting is now legal in most states and companies like FanDuel and DraftKings have poured billions into ads and sponsorships. Because gamblers can place bets at any point during the game, the marketing can seem endless—especially in the NHL, which doesn't lean on platforms like YouTube that limit gambling ads, and also includes an endless barrage of logos on rinkside advertisements. And it must be infuriating to hockey fans because it's the least popular for betting out of the four major sports in the US, according to Statista—and also lags behind soccer, boxing, and tennis. But it wasn't like this before 2018. "Most sports organizations wanted nothing to do with gambling," said Stephen Shapiro, a sports management professor. "Now, you see leagues, teams, athletes, and betting companies partnered up."

Live sports remain one of the few places where you can't skip the ads—and the gambling companies know it. But researchers and politicians are warning about the long-term effects and calling for action. The Bristol study recommends federal legislation to regulate how gambling ads appear in sports broadcasts, and Tonko has introduced bills in Congress aimed at protecting consumers. But some, like sports media expert John Fortunato, doubt much will change anytime soon. He said any government action would require legislation. "And all these state governments like the tax revenue that they're getting."