Canadian Parliament Passes Law Curtailing Sports Betting Advertisements
A bill that aims to limit the advertising practices of sports betting companies in Canada is making headway in the nation's Parliament. MP Marty Deacon (ISG-Ontario) introduced Senate Bill 269 in April, which proposes creating a national regulatory framework for gambling firms. This framework would regulate how they advertise their in-person and online sports betting operations.
Some of the changes in Deacon's bill include limiting or banning the use of celebrities and athletes in sportsbook ads, restricting the number of ads allowed at sporting events, and prohibiting commercial sports betting advertisements during tv coverage of live events. The bill is expected to pass through the Senate after receiving support during its first two readings. It will then move on to the House of Commons for further consideration.
Legal single-game sports gambling began in Canada in 2022, with Ontario taking the lead. Since then, it's expanded across most provinces, with provincial lotteries and/or alcohol and gaming commissions handling its regulation.
Concerns over Gambling Harm
Supporters of the bill believe that restricting the number of ads would benefit the public. Many viewers may find the ads annoying, but for some, they can trigger addiction. Downe adds, "My particular concern is the impact on young people." He's concerned about the marketing tactics used by gambling companies that often involve celebrities and popular athletes, which may lure young people with the promise of a glamorous lifestyle.
The Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction claims that sports betting ads often use "masculine" language to make fans think they're better if they bet on a game. The center's senior researcher, Matthew Young, explains that excessive advertising promotes more gambling involvement and ultimately leads to increased harm. "Anything we can do to curtail or reduce the amount of gambling advertising is in the public interest," he said.
Similar Regulations in the US
This isn't the first time we're seeing regulations geared towards gambling advertising. US lawmakers have also introduced measures. In February, Rep. Paul Tonko (D-New York) introduced the "SAFE Bet Act" (Supporting Affordability and Fairness With Every Bet Act). The bill seeks to ban sports betting ads during live sports events and ban words like "bonus" and "boost" from sportsbook ads. It will also prevent the use of credit cards for funding online gambling accounts and restrict a customer to no more than 5 deposits in a 24-hour period. The bill is currently with the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
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Source: www.casino.org
