Calls to ban sports betting advertising in Canada were renewed Wednesday at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications. This comes during the consideration of Bill S-269, the National Sports Betting Advertising Framework Act, which proposes pan-Canadian standards for event betting advertising.
Bruce Kidd, a former Olympic distance runner and member of the Campaign to Ban Gambling Advertising, spoke about the influx of gambling advertising following the decriminalization of single-game sports betting in 2021. He criticized the lack of debate about the effects of advertising, citing Statistics Canada data that suggests about 300,000 Canadians are at moderate or severe risk of problem gambling.
“The federal government needs to take responsibility for this situation that it has created,” Kidd said. “The most effective public health harm reduction strategy is to ban advertising.”
Steve Jordens, a psychology professor representing the Canadian Psychological Association, echoed Kidd's position, saying gambling companies are “using psychology” to normalize gambling. He noted that more than 19 million Canadians participate in sports betting, emphasizing that those who are not interested in gambling, especially young people, should not be exposed to such marketing.
Despite widespread support for the ban, including a Maru poll showing 59% of Canadians favor a ban, legal troubles are brewing in the country. Ontario Senator Marty Deacon, the bill's sponsor, expressed doubts that the bill would withstand constitutional scrutiny.
The ban proposal gained momentum after a competitive iGaming market opened in Ontario in 2022 , leading to a surge in sports betting advertising. However, provinces with state-owned gaming entities may resist advertising restrictions, complicating the bill's potential impact.
Bill S-269, if passed, would limit the number and placement of sports betting advertising, promoting intergovernmental cooperation to prevent gambling harm. It also suggests that the Canadian Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) review its advertising harm reduction policies, similar to restrictions on alcohol advertising.
Jean-François Crépeau, senior policy analyst at the Center on Addiction and Mental Health, noted a sharp increase in the number of Ontarians seeking help with sports betting and called for national gambling advertising regulations similar to those in place for alcohol.
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