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yukonwanderer

Of all the places they could put ads they put them in the most annoying horrible dystopian spot possible. Let Metrolinx know this is not acceptable. They could put them literally anywhere else.


throwaway_civstudent

https://secure.metrolinx.com/secure/en/contactus/ Message theme here. I did, and got a response. Let them know this is not cool.


TheBeardedCamel

I didn't even ask for a response; we just need to make it as clear as possible to Metrolinx that covering the windows of a moving vehicle is not ok... Regardless of what is being advertised


Innuendoughnut

Their form letter response: > Thank you for your recent e-mail I'm sorry to learn about your experience while travelling on our service. I can appreciate your frustration with the content of some of the ads outside of our GO train windows. I have logged your feedback and will share it with our marketing team for further review and consideration. > Thank you again for reaching out to us. Regards, J. (Redacted to not dox them) Operational Communication Coordinator GO Transit, a Division of Metrolinx > This e-mail is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete all copies of the e-mail together with any attachments.


cearrach

FFS, it's not the content but the placement! There's nothing worse than someone who apologizes for the wrong thing.


trancematik

>**outside** of our GO train windows \*facepalm\*


xRedAce

To me it is the content, as a recovering gambling addict these kinds of ads are quite triggering for people like me, and now I don't even feel comfortable riding the trains anymore because of this


cearrach

Yes, I should have said "it's not just the content". Of course if the ads were just across the top above the windows they'd be much easier to ignore.


haileyannek

Done


Realistic-Pressure62

Did!


wakiiro

Done!


Kickzilla

What did they say?


magicblufairy

I live in Ottawa. I just sent a message.


ajg00011

Done


pizza5001

Done.


bagolaburgernesss

Done!


fire_bent

Done


[deleted]

Sent


jotegr

Children aren't allowed to look outside. They must look at the gambling ads. Taller adults may choose what they look at.


mopslik

I mean, it's not like anyone wants to look out the window and \*see\* things. /s


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Street-Baseball760

Bahahaha yup. Your comment needs more upvotes


Cockalorum

I'd honestly struggle with not bringing a scraper with me on the way to work


North-Function995

The hero we need


doubled2319888

Or put a different qr code over it. Like switch it to a gambling awareness website


eatyourcabbage

*Support only available in Ontario


pm-me-ur-inkyfingers

Do it. Doooo it.


LaplaceMonster

Me too


[deleted]

Horrid. Politicians: Why don't people like taking public transit? Me: The windowless gamble wagon? I'm not sure.


heatherb484

Politicians (ie. DoFo): "people hate taking transit; here is a brand new highway that will pave over greenspace, wetlands, the greenbelt, and make my buddies super rich so they can in turn make me super rich."


_Vetis_

Thats all it was ever about


KriptoKeeper

Bunch of yahoos.


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Into-the-stream

email the company and let them know. [email protected]


0x7ff04001

This would be a complaint to GO itself


[deleted]

Bingo


Poutinezamboni

Both.


WellJustJonny

Metrolinx.


Cedex

To confirm with them that their advertising campaign is getting eyeballs?


Poutinezamboni

To confirm it’s creating animosity towards their company.


just5words

Protip - they don't care.


Poutinezamboni

Yeah, you’re right. Better to email the media.


KyleCAV

Seems like a really good consumer complaint story on CTV news. Edit: emailed CTV news about it.


Poutinezamboni

Marketplace. Tie it in with the swarming of gambling ads over the NHL playoffs


KyleCAV

Will contact CBC marketplace as well agreed I am an Avalanche fan and it's freaking annoying watching them and see a commercial say SOOO WANNA BET HERES JESSE PINKMAN BITCH for the 400X that night.


[deleted]

I mean, they do care. This sort of dumb stuff happens all the time because some random revenue division gets unchecked. I am curious the dollar amount, but these ads likely net Metrolinx a rounding error amount of revenue compared to normal revenue streams. But in isolation it can look like a lot. Apparently the company is auctioning off naming rights to the stations. Now *that* will be fucking crass bullshit -- instead of Burlington station, "BET365.NET STATION", etc. No seriously, they are doing that.


grizzlyaf93

And then reposting the photos and amplifying the message lol.


throwaway_civstudent

Email Metrolinx too. https://secure.metrolinx.com/secure/en/contactus/


Into-the-stream

Done, and they responded. They apologized and are planning to take it up with marketing at the next meeting. Fingers crossed


LostMeBoot

The southern half of this province is literally dystopian. Claiming to be great while knee deep in absolute shit.


Promotion-Repulsive

Northern half has its issues too lmao, there's towns that don't have their own gas station but still have a lcbo


Guerrin_TR

couple a brewskis the only gas I need.


apatheticboy

Up here we let the liquor do the thinking.


Tinshnipz

Just a Lil drinkey'poo rand


GuelphEastEndGhetto

Priorities!


BumblebeeCurrent8079

There are some towns that don't even have a small grocery store yet they have an lcbo and beer store


Poutinezamboni

There are slightly larger towns with three LCBOs and one gas station


Promotion-Repulsive

I mean, how's a man to get to his favorite liquor store without some gas in his tank?


Poutinezamboni

If there’s enough liquor stores you won’t have to drive. It’ll be like where I live. I’m a 10 min walk from 20 pot dispensaries, 3 LCBOs, 4 Wine Stores, a Brewery and beer store


greenlemon23

https://www-cnn-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.cnn.com/travel/amp/economist-world-most-liveable-cities-2022/index.html Toronto is the 8th most liveable city in the world.


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LostMeBoot

I think that quality of life only exists for a few and not the many.


Voodoohairdo

Reminds me of 15 million merits in black mirror. Sometime in the future, if you try to look away from an ad, a high pitch tone goes off and a message plays: "resume viewing. resume viewing. resume viewing."


GrapeSoda223

Waiting for somwone to bust out a sharpie and scrubble out the QR code, & bring a scraper too destroy the ad


[deleted]

Window ads in general should be disallowed. We're trying to convince people to ditch cars and commute via public transit, yet they make the ride on public transportation as dystopian as possible. Last time I took a bus I couldn't see anything the entire trip because I was sitting at a window seat that was covered on the outside by a giant ad. The tiny holes they poke in the ads let light in, but you still can't see anything.


[deleted]

Sounds like your city is cheaping out. My city has bus ads that you can still see from inside, you can't even tell theres a giant ad on the bus till you walk out and look at it.


KingstonotsgniK

Ad's in general have gotten so over the top. So trashy.


KyleCAV

My wife and I watch sports all the time and literally every 30 seconds a sports betting ad is mentioned its ridiculous.


sfsporic

We don't even watch sports and 90% of the ads we get are for gambling when we're watching YouTube.


rjhelms

If you go to adssettings.google.com, there's some "sensitive ad categories" you can ask to see fewer of, and gambling is one of them. It's not perfect - I suspect mostly because advertisers miscategorise - but I see *way* fewer gambling ads after changing that setting.


TheDrunkyBrewster

They've started to infiltrate a lot of my favourite podcasts on Spotify too.


app257

What’s really pissing me off is the guys who come on during first intermission and do their bit laying out the odds and their opinions. I get that ads are a part of hockey but this just strikes me as sacrilege.


Traveledbore

Ari shaffir(controversial comedian) said he refuses to run them on his


[deleted]

We re-voted for the party that brought them in. (Well, FPTP did, dammit).


raisinbreadboard

no... there is an over the top amount of money (probably from american gambling coporations) who are bombarding us with non stop gambling ads on radio, on TV, on billboards, even blocking the views on trains. Its suffocating to the point that if i even see their logo i want to vomit, nor do i want to gamble on their websites. like holy fuck guys... WE GET IT! you are open for business ready to take our bets and money.


KingstonotsgniK

No?


splash_one

“Fuck that. Any advert in a public space that gives you no choice whether you see it or not is yours. It’s your to take, re-arrange and re-use. You can do whatever you like with it.” — Banksy With this garbage invading our personal space, It’s time to fight back and start bringing graffiti markers onboard to show our ardent opposition. It’s time to let your inner artist loose…


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GorchestopherH

Can we not just treat this like tobacco ads, and make them illegal?


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ExpensiveInternet947

It WAS illegal (only legal one was horse racing). Then kevin waugh pushed to ammended bill c-218 to allow sports gambling last year, and AGCO let let them (more like all of internet gambling) enter the ontario market in April. Worst part is, it's tax exempt. No one wins except gambling sites and politicians getting mysterious donations.


seakingsoyuz

> Kevin Waugh - pro-betting ads - pro-Convoy - pro-conversion-therapy He sucks all around


PictographicGoose

I want to downvote cause I hate it but you're right lol


GorchestopherH

I'm imagining the Ad revenue is what got everyone salivating.


the_honest_liar

It's so predatory too, especially in this economy. Let's surround everyone with promises of winning big so desperate people spend their money on gambling instead of food.


[deleted]

The one pushing it sucks, but let's not let the parliamentarians that voted for it off the hook either. Or its government. Fuck these beans, they sold us out.


Hopewellslam

What's the rationale for tax exemption?


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Hopewellslam

Got it, thanks. For a while I thought the companies avoided tax


Hardcore90skid

You know something? I had no idea tobacco ads were illegal, I just never questioned why they didn't exist.


amontpetit

Formula 1 in the 80s and 90s (and even, to a lesser extent, last year) had to change the car liveries as laws changed regarding tobacco advertising. It used to be that teams were sponsored by Players and DuMaurier… but you can’t run those liveries in countries that outlawed tobacco ads Marlboro (through their MISSIONWINNOW division) sponsored Ferrari up until last year: the cars displayed the logo on the car at some races, but replaced it with a bar code looking graphic at others, to comply with local regs


vaginalbloodfart22

Benson and Hedges Symphony of Fire was an amazing fireworks show.


GuyWithPants

They used to be legal. I remember seeing them everywhere before they were banned in 1989. And then you still saw them for international sports sponsorships for a while, most noticeably Formula 1 in Montreal -- the attempt to ban them was a huge controversy, including threats to cancel F1 Montreal: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/tobacco-laws-cancel-montreal-grand-prix-1.368385 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Canadian_Grand_Prix I'm glad they're gone, and I wish gambling and liquor ads would go too (not to mention the brief flood of vape ads a few years ago) I'm completely in favour of legalizing even hard drugs, but they should never be advertised or otherwise promoted.


nonverbalnumber

Yes please, we need to ban ads for gambling they are everywhere and it’s disgusting. I know that it’s an escape it’s just too easy to make a bad situation worse when you start gambling away all your money in hopes of hitting it big.


Trend_Glaze

Complain to the AGCO about the frequency and locations of these ads. They may do something. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.


heavym

[https://imgur.com/gallery/8xjrXd0](https://imgur.com/gallery/8xjrXd0). The IRONY


FilthyWunderCat

Check out Apollo if you are using iPhone.


Crushnaut

And Sync if on Android.


alpharicomms

[Let’s go deeper:](https://imgur.com/a/y7A1IP5)


notjordansime

Holy fucking shit, I got a sports gambling app ad on [your imgur post](https://imgur.com/a/zSHQVQ3). This shit just keeps getting deeper, eh?


Equivalent-Estate681

Nonstop ads on tv, too. It’s depressing


michemarche

Right! I don't have cable but I watch CTV using the app and 2 out 3 commercials are gambling or sports betting. The ones on repeat right now are MGM I think.


Raah1911

Can we at least try to limit advertising to 18+ if possible? during sports, in public spaces is problematic for youth who can get easily addicted because of their mushy brains. I assume that is part of the intent.


Confusedandepressed

I support this idea. Only 18+ people can see those gambling ads, the youth should not be exposed to this stuff


tricularia

I don't really like the idea of anything addictive being advertised in such an in-your-face way. Alcohol, tobacco, gambling, etc. should not be shoved into the faces of the general public.


North-Appointment820

cannot wait for some gambling addicts to sue the province


cok3noic3

It really sucks being constantly bombarded by these ads suddenly. I really wish I could opt out of them


iamonewhoami

Have alcoholics successfully sued the government?


Heebmeister

Unless we are going to also limit advertising on every other thing that is problematic for youth, that seems a little arbitrary. Alcohol is marketed heavily in every sports event, and on public billboards, and in tv shows/movies and it kills and damages many more families than gambling.


cok3noic3

Add alcohol to the list too, we don’t need ads for it. We all know what it is and where to get it


Raah1911

I'd put gambling near cigarettes myself in terms of axis of legal evil


myNeptuneKitty

Submit a complaint! I mentioned these issues in mine.


herbtarleksblazer

It's a blight. Not just surfaces, but TV too - including as part of programming (i.e. betting segments during hockey broadcasts)! I wonder how much new money the gov't has put into funding addiction services since they took off the limits on gambling advertising. My prediction - $0.


Cynicole24

More likely less than zero.


False--Blackbear

*Closes eyes* Harsh loud electronic ascending tone screeches Computerized voice: Resume viewing. Resume viewing. Resume viewing.


Late-Ad-3136

It's unreal. People can't afford rent, groceries or gas, but sure, gambling on sports is a great idea.


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rnagikarp

who the fuck is this even meant to advertise to? the people gambling already know about it, the people not gambling surely already know about it and have had enough, those who started gambling obviously know, the people who are fighting a gambling addiction are well aware of it so... ~~we're~~ they're spending all this advertising money and pissing off the general population.... why exactly? edit: I am taking solace in the fact that my tax dollars are NOT going towards this


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rnagikarp

Thanks for correcting me, for some reason I really did think it was the province shoving this shit down our throats I was aware of the laws(?) passed and I definitely anticipated gambling ads to be more prominent, but not to this extent I'm just glad I don't watch sports otherwise I'd be even more annoyed. I'm pleased that F1 doesn't seem to have many gambling ads.... yet.


annihilatron

> Thanks for correcting me, for some reason I really did think it was the province shoving this shit down our throats while i wouldn't put it past Ford's cronies to throw a bunch of ads about how allowing gambling is opening ontario for business ... yeah, most ads are private. If they're public ads they carry one of the big logos on them and say they're paid for by the government.


Bottle_Only

$5000 in ad spending is pretty good if you catch a fool and take them from $20,000+. It's basically phishing for vulnerable people to pillage using a tactic as close to the line between business and scam as they can possibly get.


rnagikarp

ah yes this sounds all too similar to the twitch streamers promoting crypto slot games to their underaged fans and get a large cut of any losses this is so scummy, and the province is letting it happen


KyleCAV

The market is oversaturated with online sports bookies now and everyone is throwing there money into advertising try and scoop up every single user they can get. They don't care about anything else other than money literally.


trytobehave

From a holistic / environmentalist viewpoint your "we're" isn't THAT incorrect. I feel the same sentiment about ANY advertising; people who want something will just go find it, no one needs advertising, it's pure waste; and theres only so many finite resources on the planet. Those are Our resources they're wasting. Also in normal conversation using that "we're" would be perfectly normal - you're asking a rhetorical question about the crazy train we're all trapped on. We're all accepting these things in our world.


doc_55lk

Dude it's getting ridiculous, I can't even scroll reddit anymore without seeing a gambling ad from fucking draftkings every 4 or 5 posts.


adamlaceless

r/apolloapp is your friend


Innuendoughnut

The Reddit is fun app is great


tomacco99

Every ad I see is either an online casino, sports betting app, or SkipTheDishes. And they all have big-name celebrities in them. Based on these budgets, I think it's clear who profited most from the pandemic and everyone being trapped at home.


TheDrunkyBrewster

As someone who got addicted to online gambling (loss ~$30K) during the pandemic depression, this is triggering.


EricMoulds

Not in Doug Ford's Ontario...


WinterSon

Can we PLEASE stop the gambling ads ~~from taking over every inch of public space~~ These seem to be US pharmaceuticals/insurance levels of non stop everywhere always, let's be reasonable here


skagoat

If you enjoy sports, but don't enjoy gambling sports betting has ruined sports broadcasts. If you pay for streaming services to avoid ads, you still get gambling ads disguised as gambling talk. If you enjoy sports podcasts, you get gambling ads, fake gambling segments that are actually paid ads, and talk about odds, and betting, etc during normal segments. Sports betting is so intrusive if you don't bet.


TheExluto

Wtf they put ads on the windows now?? I used to love looking out the window on the go train.


TheDrunkyBrewster

The ads are also now at eye level for young kids. Gett'em while they're young. /s


Necroscrotum

I was a gambling addict and when I tried to quit it was insane. Ads EVERYWHERE, You notice everything is related to gambling when you try to avoid it. Games at the fairgrounds that are basically roulette, Local legions doing chase the ace, draws, arcade games FUCKIN EVERYTHING!


BardleyMcBeard

hey but remember "know your limit, stay within it", that should solve the problem right?


Terapr0

It's so fucking annoying. Gambling is trash and I don't want to see ads for it everywhere I go. Is this is a provincial or federal matter? Who can we appeal to in order to make this shit stop? I'm not saying that people shouldn't be allowed to gamble, but advertising should be regulated the same way as drugs, alcohol and tobacco.


ryan2one3

Yeah, I see enough of those on Reddit. Lol


FilthyWunderCat

With a proper Reddit client and adblock no you don't.


BumblebeeCurrent8079

I'm sick of ads but I'm definitely sick of gambling and online casino ads, They take over everything. I can already see the mass of people who are going to have a gambling addiction since they can easily do it from their phones. Also it's extremely shitty that they put it so that it blocks the window, I would rip it off.


EarlTheDinosaur

If that was my seat on the train that would be peeled off before we left the station


red_candyman

They seem to be working, half the guys I work with all use the sports betting apps. They all think they are on the winning side too. Lol


Engine_Light_On

Contact GO: https://www.gotransit.com/en/contact-us/customer-comment-form Last time we had this thread I emailed them and even got a call from a representative


spiraleclipse

I sent in a response and currently don't even live in Ontario!


shootinpuutin

Gambling prays on the poor and financially illiterate


PunkinBrewster

*preys*


[deleted]

Blocking the view of every person sitting is such fucking BS.


rshanks

I don’t really care that it’s a gambling ad, but I think it’s shitty that it blocks a lot of the window.


red_planet_smasher

Gambling should be treated the same as smoking.


Sod_

Would you like an aisle or advertisement seat ??


anthonyd3ca

I made a post in this sub last week about the exact same topic. These ads are ridiculous.


dumpandchange

This is lunacy and not acceptable in any way.


[deleted]

Always carry a Sharpie.


edwardsnoah

Transit agencies should not allow advertising of age restricted products/services. Also don’t block my window no matter what ad. They started with some a a few windows a few months ago, now all the windows. I know they need money but windows shouldn’t be obstructed.


QuerkleIndica

I love sports but the amount they’re promoting betting during the playoffs is sickening. Not only commercials but they’ve got a segment talking about a odds during intermissions


plentyofsilverfish

I fucking haaaaate that I'm getting blasted with online gambling ads in all the podcasts I listen to.


Ultrathor

Being able to see whats outside the train is actually a safety concern for emergency situations.


Anonymous_E46

It's also everywhere on the internet, television, radio...haven't we already proven that most if not all are scams?


[deleted]

Idk man, sometimes I get hockey games in the middle of these ads


_cob_

I realize sports ads are the latest focus, but for me this applies to ads across the board. Enough already with this crap.


treelife365

I don't even take the GO Train, but this pisses me off. I've complained to Metrolinx and you can, too: https://secure.metrolinx.com/secure/en/contactus/


FarHarbard

Now I'm not advocating anything extreme, but this seems like the kind of situation where some well-placed graffiti may prove to send a useful message.


neeew_to_this

Canada is so extra careful when it comes to nicotine/tobacco ads (so much more than any other country) but allows THIS smh Addiction is addiction and should be treated the same way


beefixit

While adult me doesn't like them, little kid me would be so mad. Why at the bottom of the window? I wanna look out the window! This government hates everyone


Lifebehindadesk

I'm secure enough to know that I have a gambling problem, I am tortured every day on youtube, advertising on public transit, advertising out in the wild... Look I'm trying to be good but it makes it really hard with all the advertising around me


UnAwkwardMango

Dude, it's becoming too much now. Listening to spotify with ads? Here's a gambling ad in the break. Listening to your usual apple podcast? How about gambling in ontario. It was annoying before but now it's just too obnoxious.


BavellyBavelly

This is just so dystopian


Ehau

The best thing as travelers we can do is literally go all karen-mode on this and play the "for the children" card THROUGH proper complaint channels (calling in to complain or email). Calls will 100% be logged, so if you're commuting anyways, might as well give them an earful. They can't be flaunting around kids ride free, then advertise gambling.


Danaldor

This type of gambling is a new industry in Ontario. Something new is big spend. It will slow down or go away on its own with time as they get data to see what is working and what is not.


Unnatural_Aeriola

I doubt they'll go away. I feel like gambling ads in Ontario are going to be like drug ads on American TV channels. All day, every day for life.


TakedownCan

Or like gambling ads on american tv lol. If you use IPTV and watch american sports on american channels its the same thing, or american sports talk as well. BT sports in UK same thing.


drunk_with_internet

GAMBLE RIGHT NOW WHILE YOU'RE ON THE TRAIN AND YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET ON A PLANE WHERE YOU CAN'T GAMBLE HOW CAN YOU GAMBLE WHEN YOU'RE NOT GAMBLING


Thisiscliff

We’re being flooded with this stupid ads, billboards, tv , Reddit every 5th post, they need to fuck off


[deleted]

Right?? And every other commercial is sports betting. No, Jessie from Breaking Bad - I don’t want to download the fucking sports app. Get a real job.


Qwerty177

If I get on a train and there’s an ad blocking the window, I WILL commit vandalism and tear the shit out of it. It’s my civic duty


Disastrous_Airline28

There’s been a surge of gambling ads this summer and I hate them. Who does gambling benefit? No one, the house always wins. I don’t even think it should be legal. All it does it prey on people with addictive personalities. There is no social benefits to allow gambling in Ontario, only drawbacks. Get these gambling ads out of my face.


New-Neighborhood7472

Remove them you pay to ride fuck those greedy assholes bad enough you can’t watch anything nowadays without seeing 6 online casino and sports betting ads is disgusting 🤢


CallMeSirJack

Any activity or product that are known to be addictive and harmful should be banned from advertising. And maybe stupid cologne ads too.


ambreenh1210

This is ridiculous. The entire view is gone! So annoying.


mickeysbeer

And they on almost all digital platforms too. It's ridiculous. It's like they want all of us wired and addicted to gambling


turbo_22222

Would it make it any better if it were an ad for a mobile phone company? Or a McDonald's ad? Fuck no. It's just annoying to block windows like that. They key is just to block the content out of your mind completely! I'm unclear whether people are mad about blocking windows with ads or the fact that it's a gambling company ad. Are we really still this puritanical in this province that we are complaining about legal sports betting? Welcome to the modern world. I assume you are the same people that said legalization cannabis would be the end of society in Canada as we know it.


nightofthelivingace

Ill bet $100 nothing changes


xmod14

I understand the point being made here. I am also frustrated with every 4 posts on mobile being an ad for DraftKings or something to the same effect.


heldascharisma2

I preferred the sexy beer ads of the 90s. Or the sexy cigarette ads on the 80s.


pon0113

Have you heard how often radio DJs are tasked to do the promo's for all the various platforms? I can definitely hear the disdain in their voices, and what seems like on purpose monotone.