National Conference on Problem Gambling

June 26 - 28, 2008
Long Beach, CA

A recently released study by Ipsos on Internet gambling in the U.S. and Canada revealed considerable confusion over the legality of Internet gambling as well as fairly widespread support for legalized Internet gambling regulated by the federal government. In this presentation entitled "Gambling Policy and Public Opinion", Ipsos' Senior Vice President and Managing Director of our lottery & gaming division, Paul Lauzon, will highlight some of the key differences in the two markets, and offer perspective on the results of recent public opinion surveys conducted in both countries.

The presentation will start with results from the first Ipsos poll on the topic, conducted between September 5 and September 9, 2007, showing that over 70% of Canadians believed gambling over the Internet was considered to be legal. At that time, 59% of Americans believed Internet gambling was a legal activity. A more recent second poll conducted between January 3 and January 8 of 2008 replicated similar awareness levels in Canada (73%), but indicated slightly fewer Americans (55%) believe that gambling over the Internet is considered to be legal.

The truth is, Internet gambling is illegal in Canada and is considered illegal in the United States. In the U.S., Internet gambling is illegal in a number of states, with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 focusing on financial transactions associated with Internet Gambling rather than the act of gambling itself. These are facts that may surprise the majority of the population. One possible explanation for the minor shifts in awareness amongst Americans could be the recently intensified Republican and Democratic battle for primary elections across the nation. The heavy campaigning may have elevated some social issues to the forefront of Americans' minds.

The results of the recent poll, conducted online as part of a joint Canada/U.S. lottery survey, show an interesting pattern of thought in relation to Internet gambling, namely it's not where you live, but when you were born that has the greater impact on what you believe about the subject. Learn more about these studies, and what it means to your market today.

To learn more about this conference or to register today, please visit the NCPG website.