A bill that would set up a national framework for sports betting advertising in Canada passed a major milestone Tuesday.
The Canadian Senate passed Bill S-269, sending it to the House of Commons. The Senate’s Transport and Communications Committee held debates in June and several hearings this fall to further flesh out the legislation that creates guidelines for the industry’s advertising.
“Let’s start with what this legislation won’t do,” Sen. Marty Deacon told the chamber at the first sitting. “It will not ban gambling ads completely … What this bill would do instead is require the Minister of Canadian Heritage to develop a national framework on the advertising of sports betting.”
The Canada sports betting bill does not have a set timeline now that it moves to the House of Commons.
Purpose of the Canada sports betting bill
Deacon introduced the bill last year to curb the glut of sports betting advertising that came to Ontario with the launch of commercial sportsbooks and online casinos in 2022.
The guidelines could include restrictions on the number, scope and location of advertisements. It could also further limit or ban the use of celebrities and athletes in advertising.
It would also promote research on the effects of advertising on minors and help set up standards for responsible gambling.
Adverts already waning
Multiple witnesses told the Transport and Communications Committee that sportsbooks and broadcasters are already limiting their gambling advertising.
A representative from ThinkTV, a research group, said that out of 28,000 ads reviewed this year, 189 were gambling-related, down from 442 in 2022.
The NFL and NHL both sent letters to the senators, urging the legislators against national legislation.
Strong regulations in place
The Canadian Gaming Association and the nonprofit Ad Standards are already working on a code for operators. Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunication Commission VP Scott Hutton said the commission will require broadcasters to adhere to those codes, with or without the legislation.
Ontario regulators have already fine-tuned their advertising rules, including banning the use of athletes. In the months following the April 2022 provincial launch, Ontario regulators fined multiple operators for violating advertising rules.
Alberta, which is set to be the next open commercial market in Canada, is modeling its regulatory framework on Ontario. Recently, the chief regulator in Alberta said sports betting likely will not launch until later in 2025.
