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Harry Levant walked out of a casino after making what would be his final wager on April 27, 2014, returned to his hotel room and attempted to write a suicide note to leave for his family. He decided against taking his own life and has spent the past four years dedicated to working with people struggling with gambling addiction, as he did.
Now a Doctor of Law and Policy, and the Director of Gambling Policy at Northeastern University. Levant has been a loud voice on what he believes the regulated gaming industry is getting wrong when it comes to prevention of harm from sports wagering and online casino games. The good doctor, who was recently quoted in a Washington Post article on abuse of athletes on social media, and on CBS 60 Minutes about the impact of technology on problem gambling, was our guest on the latest episode of the Gaming News Canada Show.
He shared his story from that April night 11 years ago, the judge who gave him a second chance and his path to becoming a counselor, therapist and now leading the charge in developing a public health response to what he calls “the crisis created by the unprecedented expansion of the gambling industry”.
We asked Levant for his thoughts on the impact of in-play betting, easy access to online gaming, what he’d like to see happen with advertising around sports events, and his response to the bill introduced by Sen. Marty Deacon in the Canadian Senate to create a national framework on sports betting advertising. Levant also spoke about the efforts by operators, regulators and other companies/organizations in the regulated gaming industry to reduce gambling harm.
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At The Parleh, we’re Canada’s most trusted sports content creators—not just because we know the game, but because we know how to tell a story that scroll-stopping fans want to watch. Our full-service, fan-first approach makes us the ideal partner for brands looking to stand out on social.
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For more information, contact Kevin Kennedy, Parleh’s Director, Client Strategy & Partnerships (kevin@theparleh.com). You can also hear Kevin on the “Gaming advertising - what’s the problem” panel with Charmaine Hogan (Playtech), Catherine MacLeod (thinkTV), Andrew Garven (Covers), and Mike Maodus (Blake, Cassels & Graydon) on Thursday afternoon at the Canadian Gaming Summit.
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