Study Shows NHL Fans See Gambling Ads Every 13 Seconds During Stanley Cup

A new study has highlighted how deeply gambling promotion has become woven into sports broadcasts, with hockey fans exposed to betting logos and ads at a staggering rate during the Stanley Cup finals.

Good to Know

• NHL viewers saw gambling-related branding 3.5 times per minute on average.
• One game reached saturation levels of an ad every 13 seconds.
• NBA finals broadcasts carried far fewer references, just 0.26 per minute.

The study, carried out by the University of Bristol and reported by The Guardian, reviewed the six Stanley Cup finals between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, along with the seven NBA finals games between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Across the 13 games, researchers recorded 6,282 instances of gambling-related marketing. That included jersey logos, rinkside or courtside placements, electronic boards, in-game mentions, and commercials.

The disparity between hockey and basketball was striking. NHL broadcasts averaged 3.5 references per minute, with the most saturated game hitting 4.7 per minute—roughly one every 13 seconds. In contrast, NBA broadcasts averaged just 0.26 per minute.

Researchers suggested the difference could be tied to the NBA’s heavier reliance on platforms like YouTube, which enforces stricter rules on gambling advertising than traditional television.

The report noted that the most common form of exposure was in-stadium visuals, from rinkside boards and electronic signage to jersey patches and other fixed branding. Unlike commercials, which appear and disappear, these placements provide constant visibility throughout the game.

While commercials were less frequent overall, they still added to the volume, reinforcing the impression that fans are rarely more than a few moments away from seeing a betting-related message.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting in 2018, the industry has expanded rapidly. Today, wagering is legal in 39 states and Washington D.C., with operators spending billions of dollars to secure customers in a crowded market. The Bristol research underscores how central aggressive advertising has become to that growth.