Ontario's Advertising Guidelines Remain Unclear as Advertisements Intensify
Sports betting ads are everywhere in Ontario, and some believe the situation is out of control. Senator Martha "Marty" Deacon, representing Ontario's Waterloo region, is one of those pushing for national guidelines on sports betting advertising.
"The constant advertisements encouraging people to bet on sporting events are both frustrating and risky," says Deacon.
Ever since single-game wagering became legal in Canada in 2021, regulations on how this can be promoted have been minimal.
Deacon is concerned that ads often feature celebrities or athletes, making them especially persuasive and addictive. Therefore, she wants to create a nationwide framework for regulating sports betting advertisements and possibly ban celebrities and athletes from appearing in these ads. Her proposal would also limit the number of ads allowed in a particular location.
She says the rapid increase in discussions about gambling and advertising has overwhelmed the public. "We didn't foresee this happening so quickly or with such intensity. We need to take action now."
The proposal bears similarities to regulations around alcohol and tobacco advertising.
The Market Is Thriving
For the first year of the legalization of single-game sports betting in Canada, Canadian sportsbooks generated almost CAD 433 million in revenue out of about CAD 7 billion in accepted wagers.
Deacon stated that she supported the change to better regulate the industry.
Basketball was the most popular sport for wagering, accounting for 29% of the handle in FY 2022-2023, followed by soccer at 15% and football at 13%. Hockey was fourth, but sports wagering only began in the final weeks of the 2021-22 NHL regular season.
Some sports fans and bettors complain that the ads are unavoidable. One hockey fan mentioned that it was particularly noticeable during the Toronto Maple Leafs matches in the NHL playoffs, as there were more than eight minutes of gambling advertising in Game 1 of the series against the Florida Panthers.
Mobile phone users see ads during commercial breaks on top of the TV ads. In soccer, players even have ads on their jerseys. The Premier League in the UK agreed to ban this practice beginning around the end of the 2026/26 season.
Deacon emphasized that sports betting companies should be socially responsible in promoting their products and warn people of the potential financial risks of gambling.
Push for Rules Gains Support
A University of Toronto campaign called Ban Ads For Gambling, spearheaded by the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, has gained support from TV host George Stroumboulopoulos and retired Olympic speed skater and cyclist Clara Hughes, among others.
While not advocating for a total ban, Deacon thinks there should be some rules in place.
"It would be great if we could get this done quickly, but let's make sure it's done right. I've heard concerns from Canadians about how these ads might affect children," she says.
However, this process takes time, as the senate bill will need to go through two more readings before it returns to the House of Commons for MPs to consider it.
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Source: www.casino.org
