According to the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA), advertising, particularly on television, is less of a factor in the risks of problem gambling than lax regulatory frameworks and a failure to enforce laws against unregulated operations.

The NFL Season Increases Sports Betting

In a statement to the media this morning, the CGA contested an opinion piece published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday, stating that advertisements for sports betting are too common during sporting events, especially when the NFL is back in action and a new NHL season is approaching, making it alluring to young people.

“The legalization of online gambling (iGaming) in Ontario in 2022 turned any smartphone into a betting platform, compounding existing epidemics of technology and social media use addiction,” the article said.

In response, the CGA said that a regulated environment with checks and balances in place, guardrails on advertising, prohibiting, in Ontario's case, anyone under the age of 19 from accessing gaming sites, and providing a comprehensive range of tools to assist those who are struggling with problem gambling are what truly protect young people.

CGA Response

“Gambling has been a part of daily life for decades, serving as a form of entertainment, social interaction, and economic activity,” the CGA said in the statement sent to Casino.org. “While gambling can have risks, its impact depends on regulation and individual circumstances. As gambling becomes more embedded in digital platforms and everyday experiences, oversight and regulation are important to reduce potential harm. The CGA has encouraged provincial governments to strengthen regulatory frameworks to address issues related to unlicensed operators.”

According to Dr. Shannon Charlebois, editor of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the constant barrage of advertisements normalizes gambling because children's and teens' brains are still developing, and as a result, they form habits that last until adulthood.

Adolescents Developing Negative Habits

Charlebois demanded that advertisements be prohibited on youth-oriented social media sites and restricted during games.  She also mentioned how many names of sports betting sites are displayed, for instance, on football fields, hockey rink boards, and the ice itself.

According to the article, gambling addiction is a growing problem, particularly among young people.

Charlebois mentioned the benefits of a new national advertising bill for Canada's gaming business, which sparked a lot of industry response.

The Canadian Senator Marty Deacon is the sponsor of Bill S-211, formerly known as Bill S-269, which requires the Minister of Heritage to create new national guidelines for gaming advertising that address the amount of advertising that is broadcast, when it runs, and what goes into it.

The National Advertising Bill

To establish the new framework, the Minister would start a conversation with provincial legislators, Native American organizations, and gaming authorities.

On Monday, Members of Parliament returned to the House of Commons for the first time since June to await the Bill's first reading.

The CGA made reference to Ontario's regulated igaming market, which currently has 50 licensed operators. The market is subject to responsible gambling and advertising regulations, which operators must follow. These regulations include removing athletes from advertisements and providing clarification on the use of celebrities in advertising to avoid appealing to minors.

Mass market advertising of bonuses and inducements is prohibited in Ontario, and employees of igaming operators who deal with players must complete obligatory training on how to spot and handle gamers exhibiting symptoms of problem gambling.

Regulatory Guardrails

“Our position has consistently been that discussions surrounding advertising should be ongoing and informed by evidence-based research. Furthermore, we maintain that a robust regulatory framework must encompass comprehensive measures aimed at educating and safeguarding players.”

In early 2026, Alberta is expected to follow Ontario in launching a competitive, regulated iGaming market.

“Prohibiting advertising will not eliminate this activity. For over two decades, Canadians have had unrestricted access to unregulated online gaming and disregarding the existence of such activities or purporting that advertising is the cause of problem gambling would be unrealistic – and naïve.” 

In the statement, the CGA claimed that the discussion surrounding advertising is overly emotional.  Additionally, according to the CGA, the gaming industry has no control over how sports betting advertisements or betting-related in-game content are presented.  Sports leagues and broadcasters have rules about where, when, and how advertisements can be presented.

CGA: Reduction in Gaming Advertisements

For months, the CGA has stated that there has been a decline in the amount of money spent on sports betting advertising, particularly on television.  ThinkTV CEO Catherine MacLeod stated during a panel discussion on gaming advertising at the Canadian Gaming Summit in June that since Ontario's market opening in 2022, the amount of gaming advertising has decreased annually.

“It’s not, in my view, a problem with too much advertising,” she said. “If you want to reach kids, the last place you want to be is on television. This idea that every kid is watching television is just so antiquated.”

A marketing and research organization called thinkTV helps agencies and advertisers get the most out of television advertising.

“I think that we’ve got a lot of 55, 60 year olds who are concerned on behalf of their children about what’s going to be on the air,” she said. “I have yet to meet a broadcaster, or a gaming operator, who doesn’t, on the surface, want to do the right thing. Overall it’s a very responsible group of people when it comes to advertising. We have to keep this in perspective.”

According to MacLeod, thinkTV removes 35,000 ads annually.  This year, as of June, the group had removed 88 advertisements for gambling.