A motion to direct TTC staff to study whether to ban all sports betting and gambling advertisements on subways, streetcars and buses was shot down by the board Tuesday afternoon, with commissioners concerned about restricting revenue streams for the already cash-strapped transit agency.
The motion was raised by city councillor and TTC commissioner Chris Moise after he met with former Toronto mayor John Sewell and University of Toronto professor Bruce Kidd, who are part of an advocacy group called “BanAdsForGambling.ca,” Moise’s office told TorontoToday.
After listening to Sewell and Kidd, Moise agreed that “gambling ads in the largest public transport system in Canada does not contribute positively to society, and in fact may harm those who see it.”
His motion noted that older adults, people with lower incomes and other vulnerable populations are at a greater risk of harm from problem gambling, and that these are the demographics “most likely to [use] the TTC.”
In an effort to safeguard transit riders, Moise wanted the TTC to start reviewing any new sports betting or gambling advertisements to ensure they comply with the agency’s policies, and to study the feasibility of an outright ban.
Off the bat, TTC board members were wary of the motion.
“I’ve never been in a situation where a board has been so allergic to revenue,” Commissioner Fenton Jagdeo joked, prompting laughter from some in the room.
Commissioner Julie Osborne said she was concerned the TTC was heading towards a “slippery slope” with the motion, and questioned why attention was turning to gambling ads and not, for instance, alcohol ads — despite more Canadians struggling with alcoholism compared to problem gambling.
“I just see no end in sight to this,” Osborne said. “I’m not sure going out of our way to lose advertisers is really in our best interest.”
Commissioners also heard from TTC staff members who said the agency already reviews any potentially controversial ads, including gambling ads.
City councillor and TTC commissioner Stephen Holyday asked if the motion was redundant, to which a staff member said the TTC would be “following the same process regardless” when it comes to ad reviews.
The staff member added that the TTC’s third-party ad provider, Pattison Outdoor Advertising, isn’t compelled to bring contentious ads to the TTC’s attention, but in practice they do. The motion, then, would solidify in writing that Pattison must forward all sports betting and gambling advertisements to the TTC for approval.
— with files from TorontoToday’s Aidan Chamandy
