Flutter has funded a research grant for the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) in Canada to provide a ‘first-of-a-kind baseline for North American gambling on marketing and advertising standards.
Coming off the back of the legalisation of single-event sports betting and the launch of online market regulation in Ontario, the research will be led by RGC’s Centre for the Advancement of Best Practices unit, which will assess current practices, policies, standards and safeguards applied across North America.
The research is set to be completed in 2024 and will assess evidence from ‘best-practice potential’ for responsible marketing and advertising practices as well as taking on board regulators and operators to help identify potential areas for improvement.
Shelley White, CEO of RGC, commented: “Through this research, we not only have the ability to affect necessary changes to our marketing and advertising standards here in Ontario, but also the ability to make great impacts to the harm minimization efforts of jurisdictions all around the world.
“This comprehensive study truly highlights the culture shift that the industry is currently undergoing, and by leveraging our research partners, we can make greater impacts in protecting players and communities.”
This funding comes just after Flutter strengthened its position in the lottery market through the acquisition of Italian gambling giant Sisal for a fee of £1.6bn.
George Sweny, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Flutter International, added: “We saw an opportunity to provide cutting edge thought leadership to the industry.
“There is a need to better understand the impacts of increased marketing and advertising on all stakeholders.
“This foundational research will help us all make necessary strides towards bridging the gap between best and better practices in an area of significant importance. Leading progress is one of the key pillars of our global Play Well strategy and we are delighted to be working with the RGC to support this important research.”
