With the National Hockey League playoffs soon to start, some addictions experts worry more people may struggle with gambling problems. Alana Brown, a mental health and addictions instructor at Edmonton’s NorQuest College, says fans should be wary of advertisements for online gambling and sports betting during game broadcasts. “For a lot of individuals, it’s going to remain recreational ... When it starts to become a concern is when people are chasing losses and their mood starts to depend on the outcome of the game,” she told CTV News Edmonton. “There are certainly risks associated with problem gambling, including a higher chance of developing depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, substance use issues, as well as elevated suicide risk.” And because the NHL playoffs are about to begin this weekend, involving the hype around the Edmonton Oilers, she says she’s concerned the intensity surrounding them could push some people too far. “You also want to be aware of your own emotional state of mind,” Brown said. “It’s a high-intensity, emotionally charged game.” And soon, Albertans will have more platforms to gamble on. Online sports betting companies Draft Kings and theScore are coming to Alberta in July. “What we’re doing is we’re trying to create regulated legal format for those that want to participate in online gambling that is a little more safer than the black market today,” Dale Nally said Thursday at the Alberta legislature. The Service Alberta minister says people are betting online anyway and that the province wants to make sure they’re doing it in a responsible way, which he says is why it has introduced the I-Gambling Act to regulate the market. Thirty-two private companies are applying to be provincially regulated, with 20 of them having already paid a $150,000 deposit. “I would say that those 20 companies are committed to player safety,” Nally told media. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Kenny
