Ontario Senator makes second attempt at nationwide betting ad regulations
Two years on from her first proposal, Marty Deacon is looking to establish a framework that would reduce the number of TV ads
Ontario Senator Marty Deacon has made a second attempt at forming a framework for nationwide sports betting advertising in Canada.
Deacon introduced Bill S-211 on May 28, with part of the proposal aiming to reduce the overall number of gambling ads shown in the country.
Titled ‘An Act respecting a national framework on sports betting advertising,’ the legislation, if successful, would force Canada’s government to create national guidelines for the marketing of online sportsbooks, with the aim of preventing the risk of overexposure to Canadians.
Bill S-211 bares several notable similarities to its predecessor, S-269, which was put forward by Deacon in the Canadian Senate two years ago and received backing from fellow senators in November 2024.
Yet it was quashed by this year’s federal election while awaiting further approval in the House of Commons over concerns of pushing players towards the black market
Drafting of a new national framework would be undertaken by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, with “a view to restricting the use of such advertising, limiting the number, scope or location – or a combination of these – of the advertisements or to limiting or banning the participation of celebrities and athletes in the promotion of sports betting.”
Additionally, the legislation would call for any new ad regulation to promote research and “intergovernmental information-sharing” in a bid to prevent gambling-related harm and support those affected.
The heritage minister would be required to consult multiple groups for their input on the guidelines, including fellow cabinet members, provincial officials, indigenous communities, and other industry stakeholders.
Should S-211 be passed, 12 months on the heritage minister would compile a report outlining the regulations and how they would be implemented. Then, within a five-year period from the framework being approved, the minister would write a follow up report highlighting which measures have been enacted and which haven’t.
Deacon’s proposal would also call on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to assess its own policies to determine how effective they are in “reducing the incidence of harms resulting from the proliferation of sports betting advertisig.”
Its conclusions and recommendations would be submitted to the heritage minister within 12 months of the bill receiving royal assent, the final stage before being fully signed into law.
Gambling activity in Canada, in both sports betting and igaming, has drastically risen since the decriminalization of single-game sports betting in 2021, followed by the launch of Ontario’s regulated online gambling market the following year.
As part of the market’s launch, several regulated sites fell under provincial regulation, though in some instances, marketing materials used by the Ontario-licensed firms can be seen by residents of other provinces where the advertised operator is not authorized to accept wagers.
However, with the prospect of nationwide gambling ad legislation back on the table, opposition from the regulated sports betting market and its supporters is probable.
Allies of the gambling industry scuppered the momentum of Deacon’s bill in 2023, with several prominent figures telling lawmakers that gambling ads signpost sites that offer greater player protection and can potentially change the minds of users looking to engage with offshore operators.
When S-269 progressed beyond the Senate last year, Jonathan Nabavi, the NFL’s VP of public policy and government affairs, warned the chamber’s committee: “Unreasonably curtailing responsible advertising will inevitably hamper the important effort to channelize illegal sports betting into the legal market.”