Cultural Factors Influencing Sports Betting Preferences Among Canadian Bettors

Exploring any domestic betting market can throw up interesting facts, and this is even more apparent with a drastically changing market—which is where Canadian sports betting is at the moment. As one of the most prominent global economies, the introduction to digital sports betting in Canada was huge news for those platforms that have been targeting entering the market for over two decades. 

I’ll examine how this market has developed over the last couple of decades and just how crucial sporting culture is in determining which sports betting markets emerge at the top of the industry as the most popular and profitable. 

While the popularity of certain sports in specific countries might be considered an anomaly, one of the most consistent characteristics of the sports betting market is how it mirrors the broader appetite for the most popular sports. Canada is no different in this regard, from what I have observed over the years, at least. 

An Expanding Canadian Market 

As the walls that have previously acted as digital sports betting barriers are torn down in Canada, it’s opened the doors to comprehensive sports betting analysts. Two years is plenty of time for those with an eye for numbers and statistics to crunch the stats and see how the market is shaping up. Early estimates put the market in the region of $15 billion USD per annum, with 1 in 6 Canadians reportedly placing a sports wager since the legislation came into play. 

Exploring the Relationship Between Popular Sports and Markets

Popular sports markets vary from country to country, and while these sports might be interchangeable, throughout Europe the most popular sports market is soccer – which correlates with its place as the number one sports betting market.

Betting companies wasted no time putting their names and brands on kit sponsorship deals to alleviate their standing, in Canada, some of the biggest names in the country’s sporting culture have aligned themselves as pro-gambling faces. Getting the famous faces in a country’s sporting heritage to get behind the industry is a surefire way to get people talking, and while this doesn’t come without its detractors, it’s a business model that has worked all over the globe. 

Likewise, this is evident in the US, where the staggering popularity of the NFL and Super Bowl, and the immense viewing figures they generate, also means it controls the most significant portion of the market in the US. It’s a multi-faceted marketing approach, but one of the only constants in sports betting is that the most popular betting markets correlate with  

Number One Sports Betting Market in Canada

So, with the UK’s top sports betting market being soccer, which is the most dominant in their sporting culture, and the USA equivalent being the NFL for the same reason, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to connect the dots and figure out the most betted on sport in Canada is ice hockey. 

Culturally, ice hockey and winter sports have always held enormous importance in Canada. It’s ingrained into the country’s psyche, but it’s a sport that flourishes due to the environment in Canada and the penchant its population has for it. The Stanley Cup is, undoubtedly, Canada’s number one sports betting event of the calendar year. 

Other Popular Canadian Sports Betting Markets

While ice hockey might dominate the airwaves, it’s not the only sport people bet on in Canada. Other markets hoover up action, too, such as the NFL, NBA, and soccer leagues. The cultural significance of ice hockey is tremendous. So, the fact that this is the number one online sports betting market, shouldn’t come as much of a shock.

Of course, Canada has close cultural ties with France, with over 20% of the population able to speak French fluently. France has a much closer affinity to soccer than other sports, so while ice hockey is the dominant force and Canadian ice hockey stars are the dominant voice in the sporting culture, some trends are beginning to mimic the global scene. 

Lionel Messi is the face of soccer. His recent move to the MLS has meant that his Inter Miami team has played in Montreal, and Canadian soccer fans have been able to get a glimpse of, arguably, the most outstanding player to ever play the game. Soccer is Canada’s second most popular sport, which is reflected in the domestic Canadian sports betting markets.

Shifting Platforms

Aside from the main reasons why certain sports are the most popular in respective countries or territories, how people place their bets applies broadly across the global online spectrum. While Canada may have only passed sports betting legislation to allow online gambling in 2022, sports betting companies didn’t specifically target the Canadian market—they offer a platform encompassing a global range of gambling activities.

I’ve watched the popularity of certain devices and platforms grow exponentially during my time dealing with casino companies. The cultural change of the Internet was absolutely enormous. It’s immeasurable how much it has changed the casino industry. Still, as the landscape continued evolving and the innovation within casino gaming moved toward smartphone gaming, this saw a meteoric rise in the number of people using their mobile phones, tablets, or specific gambling apps to place sports bets. 

This is where legislators in Canada missed a trick, unlike in other countries, which ensured that any online sports betting company with the correct licensing could develop its sports betting platform and pay tax on its profits. In contrast, similar appetites for sports betting emerged in Canada, but the legislators were slow on the uptake.

Ultimately, this turned it into a multi-billion-dollar black market for over a decade—costing both federal and provincial legislators billions of dollars in potential tax revenue. This figure is proven now that sports betting is legislated across multiple Canadian provinces.

Looking Across the Water – Legislative Impacts from Europe

Canadian legislators weren’t alone in their endeavours to enact effective legislation at both the federal and provincial stages. In fact, they had a fantastic framework to use as inspiration.

The UK Gambling Act 2005 was a revolutionary piece of legislation in the digital gambling world—it encompassed sports betting and casino gaming. It was the first legislation adequately adapted to the colossus of online gambling that was on the horizon.

In the 80’s and 90’s, online gambling was a distant dream. Yet many of the regulations we see now in online play had their origins in the ‘bookies’ on British streets. Opening hours, advertising restrictions and differing regulations on certain games – like high-stake variants – were a staple.

By the time it came for Canada to legalise their own industries, online gambling had become the norm. So, while the Canadian market might not have been involved this early on, it’s picked up the proverbial baton, and has caught up with the current digital landscape in the UK, using the 2005 Act as a blueprint.

Onus On Safe and Responsible Gambling

Again, another critical part of the global sports betting industry focuses on safe gambling. Canadian sports betting legislation puts a crucial focus on safe gambling and ensuring that those gamers who begin exhibiting any potential red flags with their gambling can get the help that they need.

Problem gambling can manifest in many forms, but if you’re somebody who views gambling as a source of income, or someone who is starting to see gambling harm your close friendships and relationships, you need to speak to an organization or professional service that can assist you and stem your problem gambling. 

Spending money you can’t afford to lose on gambling is another telltale sign that shouldn’t be ignored. While gambling addiction can be harder to spot than some other types of addictions, Canadian legislations ensure that it lies at the foundation of their legislation and that a percentage of the tax base generated goes back to charities and professional organizations that can help people who develop an issue. 

Final Thoughts

The main cultural factor impacting the domestic Canadian sports betting market is the love of ice hockey. No other gambling market in the world sees the same level of NHL betting activity, and this is the main component setting the sports betting preferences in Canada apart from the rest of the world. 

However, if I strip away ice hockey, Canadian sports’ popularity and betting markets follow quite a similar pattern to that of the US and Europe. Soccer is number two, and then there’s an interchangeable mix of basketball and baseball, which can see spikes in activity depending on the time of year it is and what competitions are on. 

Mobile app betting continues to prove itself to be the number one route and sports betting preference. Therefore, platforms have this as a focal point of the design when they’re looking to streamline their services or explore how new markets or in-play markets are just as easy to play on their website on a PC or laptop as they are on smartphones or tablets.