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Ontario's bold move to ban most gambling ads faces legislative hurdles

A crackdown on gambling promotions could reshape Ontario's betting industry—but political odds are stacked against it. Here's why.

,   and  Administrator
2 min read
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The image shows an old newspaper with the title "Budweiser Betting" printed on the front page. The paper is yellowed with age and the text is written in black ink. The headline is bold and stands out against the yellowed background.

Ontario's bold move to ban most gambling ads faces legislative hurdles

Ontario political pressure on gambling ads is back. A new Liberal bill would ban most advertising by licensed online sports betting and iGaming operators, even as the path to passage still looks steep.

Good to Know

  • Bill 107 was introduced by Lee Fairclough and co-sponsored by Stephen Blais, John Fraser, and Ted Hsu.
  • The proposal would target TV ads, social media promotion, and paid sponsorships by licensed operators.
  • Ontario already tightened gambling ad rules, including limits on athlete and celebrity use.

Ontario Liberals Bring Gambling Ad Ban Back To The Floor

Lee Fairclough put Bill 107 on the table Monday at Queen Park. The Stop Harmful Gambling Advertising Act, 2026 would amend the Gaming Control Act and make it illegal for licensed Ontario operators to advertise or otherwise promote gambling sites through television, social media, and paid sponsorships. Operators that breach the law could face fines of up to $1 million on a first offence, with possible licence loss after later violations.

Fairclough tied the bill to addiction concerns after Ontario opened the online market to private operators in 2022. She said there are now about 50 private gambling companies promoting their brands across platforms, while more people are reaching out to ConnexOntario for gambling-related help.

Politically, the bill faces a hard road. The Ontario Liberals are still the third party in the legislature, just as they were when John Fraser pushed for tighter marketing rules in 2023. So even with fresh attention on sports betting ads, sportsbooks, iCasino marketing, and gambling sponsorships, getting the measure through looks difficult.

Still, the filing matters. It shows that anger over gambling ads during live sports has not faded, and it lands while Ottawa is also weighing more federal limits. Ontario regulators have already acted on part of the issue by banning athletes and restricting celebrity endorsements, plus keeping inducement ads off most public channels. Bill 107 goes much further by trying to shut down broad operator promotion at the provincial level.

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