LETTER: NHL needs to end its ties to gambling

Editor,

An open letter to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman,

I am writing to express my serious concern regarding the NHL’s increasing reliance on gambling as a source of revenue, and the significant damage that the NHL’s involvement with gambling through advertising, sponsorships, and league and player promotional campaigns has in harming the integrity of sport, its fans – especially young people and adults and the communities it claims to serve.

Hockey is celebrated for skill, teamwork and fair competition. Yet, gambling intertwines with the NHL in a way that seriously erodes trust. Fans are no longer solely invested in the game itself but may wonder whether outcomes are influenced by betting interests. Even the perception of compromised integrity damages the reputation of hockey and the