Certain sports have a certain reputation when it comes to gambling culture and closer connections than other sports might have. The NHL has always had a reputation as being a league with fairly close ties to the gambling industry.
So is the gambling culture having an impact? What are NHL players thinking about the gambling sponsors, and are they able to engage in the hobby?
In recent years there has also been a big shift in the world of gambling in Canada in general. Different provinces are responsible for setting their own guidelines, and players may go to AskGamblers Canada in order to understand more about the industry as well as the different ways that people can play and the many different casino brands.
Can NHL Players Gamble?
NHL players can gamble, but this is always a bit of an interesting area as different sports leagues need to provide their own rules. Of course, there has to be some level of restrictions and we have recently seen Shane Pinto banned for violating the policy.
This led to players being given a stark warning: “don't share your account; don't place bets with third parties; and if you do a prop, it'll be treated the same as betting on a hockey game." In 2023, there were a lot of talks between players and officials as they were reminded of the rules.
It makes perfect sense that players wouldn’t be able to gamble on any game they were involved with, and this is pretty common for sports. Gambling bans have also happened to EFL and Premier League players in the football league. Ivan Toney had been through something similar before he decided to move to the Middle East.
NHL players have long been linked to gambling but not on the sport they are playing in. Instead, it is important that the players stick to other games.
Poker has long been a favorite and there are a lot of players who have been spotted playing poker either in a casino or online. The poker industry has even used the NHL (and plenty of other sports) as a chance to advertise their products. Perhaps it makes sense that poker is popular among NHL players and fans as it involves a level of strategy. Some NHL players have the sort of cerebral brain that will focus on tactics and outcomes, and this could translate to playing poker.
Other games of skill could be popular choices among those who are involved in the NHL. Blackjack is a fast-paced game and could see a lot of the NHL players using some of their salaries to gamble against the dealer.
There are no rules to it and players might enjoy games of total chance just as much. The NHL has a culture among the dressing rooms of potentially gambling on some other sports or visiting online casinos.
NHL and Sports Betting Industry
The broader culture of NHL gambling has grown in recent years with the legalization of sports betting in the United States and Canada. Fans are increasingly betting on NHL games through legal platforms and while the players can’t get involved with this, sportsbooks and online betting sites often feature NHL games with loads of different markets. This rise in fan betting has brought more attention to NHL games, increasing viewership and fan engagement.
This has also led to a lot of interest in deals between teams or franchises and the big gambling brands…
Sponsorships
This is one of the most striking examples of the way that these industries work together, and there is inevitably a substantial amount of people who enjoy both casino games and the NHL. Some players who have earned a lot of money out of the game (even without sponsorships) are known to enjoy playing different casino games or gambling on other sports. Jaromir Jagr was one who was known to bet on other sports as well as casino games. Players have to stick to the rules but there are ways for them to gamble. Plus, once they are no longer involved in the sport they may also gamble on the NHL.
Sponsors are becoming a lot more common in the NHL and there seem to be partners for pretty much everything including the scoreboards. Brands that are focused on gambling may use their sponsorship deals to try and expose their offers to a new audience and in NHL players and fans they may have a large audience!
Sponsorships can be worth a lot of money to these teams and sports have been propped up by gambling for a long time.
Responsible Gambling in the NHL
Both fans of the NHL and players need to only ever gamble in a responsible way if they are going to. Team officials and the league continue to promote the importance of ethical behavior, and efforts are constantly made to avoid scandals. The introduction of more regulated betting markets means the industry is becoming more transparent and accountable and this benefits both the NHL and its fanbase. Some people hold stereotypes about what NHL players are like.
As gambling has become a big part of the sporting landscape, the NHL has had to navigate its place in this world. While the league allows partnerships with betting companies and promotes responsible gambling it remains keen on preventing any form of gambling-related problems. Players and fans should be given support and only ever gamble responsibly. Different localities and provinces of Canada provide their rules and restrictions plus also support for players.
Conclusion
There is definitely a long link between the sport and gambling. Sponsorship deals are also helping to keep these closer together. Jaromir Jagr was just one name in a long history of NHL players who is known to have enjoyed gambling. A lot of players keep it private but there is a big gambling culture in the sport today.