The Responsible Gambling Council is expanding its gambling harm prevention initiative to 40 publicly funded college and university campuses across Ontario for the current academic year, backed by a partnership with iGaming Ontario and funding from the provincial Ministry of Health. Sarah McCarthy, chief executive officer of the Responsible Gambling Council, stated that the program aims to reach 10,000 students in person by meeting young adults directly on campus where sports betting is woven into daily social and athletic viewing.
Targeting 10,000 Student Interactions Across Ontario
The expanded post-secondary tour builds on previous prevention work that covered 20 campuses. According to the Responsible Gambling Council, the initiative officially launched on September 23, deploying peer-aged educational ambassadors to 40 publicly funded institutions. With 70 percent of individuals aged 18 to 24 attending college, the organizations behind the campaign are focusing resources on a demographic identified as particularly vulnerable to gambling-related harms.
“Young adults are growing up in a world where betting is woven into how they watch and talk about sports,” said Sarah McCarthy, chief executive officer of the Responsible Gambling Council. “Meeting students on campus, in the moments that matter, is how we help them understand the risks and know their options. With iGaming Ontario’s support, we can now do that on almost all publicly funded campuses in the province.”
The Random Tower Teaches Randomness and Risk
A central feature of the campus tour is an interactive education program called The Random Tower, delivered by trained student ambassadors alongside the distribution of 10,000 Student Education Kits over the course of the year. The activity utilizes a giant version of the block-stacking game Jenga, featuring safety messages and harm-reduction prompts printed directly on individual wooden blocks.
Participants pull blocks containing questions such as “What are signs that gambling is becoming harmful?” while trying to keep the structure upright. The messaging emphasizes that sports betting outcomes are shaped by external factors outside a player’s control, such as a player injury or a last-second play. When the tower eventually collapses, ambassadors use the moment to reinforce the educational takeaway that the outcome of a wager is never in the player’s hands.
Did You Know?
According to program organizers, approximately 70 percent of individuals aged 18 to 24 attend college in Ontario, making campus-based outreach an essential strategy for reaching young adults exposed to sports betting.
Promoting BetGuard for Province-Wide Self-Exclusion
In addition to interactive games, peer ambassadors are introducing students to BetGuard, a single, province-wide self-exclusion system launched last spring that allows players to restrict their access to all regulated online gambling platforms in Ontario. iGaming Ontario created BetGuard on behalf of the provincial government.
“We’re proud to have recently launched BetGuard, which gives Ontarians a simple option to take a break from all regulated online gambling,” said Joseph Hillier, president and CEO of iGaming Ontario. “This is just one part of our comprehensive responsible gaming approach that includes ongoing education on risks and knowing where to get support when you need it.”
Alongside these tools, iGaming Ontario has issued warnings to the public regarding unlicensed gambling websites that misuse the BetGuard name to deceive consumers, urging players to verify site legitimacy before participating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Responsible Gambling Council’s campus tour?
It is an educational initiative visiting 40 publicly funded college and university campuses in Ontario to raise awareness about gambling risks and safe practices among young adults.
What is BetGuard?
BetGuard is a single, province-wide self-exclusion system created by iGaming Ontario that empowers individuals to restrict their access to all regulated online gambling platforms in the province.
How many students does the program aim to reach?
The campaign targets 10,000 in-person student interactions through peer ambassadors and educational kits distributed throughout the academic year.
What is The Random Tower?
The Random Tower is a giant block-stacking game used by RGC ambassadors to teach students about randomness, risk, and harm reduction in sports betting.
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