International Comparison
How other countries regulate gambling ads.
A short, sourced comparison of gambling-advertising rules around the world. Canada legalized single-game sports betting in 2021 with almost no advertising rules — most peer countries have done more. Adapted from the comparison chart in our first whitepaper.
| Country | Gambling-advertising rules | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | Near-total ban on gambling advertising and sponsorship under the “Dignity Decree” — across TV, radio, online, print, and sport, including sponsorship of sporting and cultural events.2 | 2019 |
| Belgium | Ban on most gambling advertising since July 1, 2023; gambling ads banned from sports stadiums from 2025, and shirt sponsorship for professional clubs ends January 1, 2028.3 | 2023 |
| Netherlands | Ban on untargeted gambling advertising — TV, radio, print, and outdoor — since July 1, 2023; sponsorship of programs and events ended in 2024, and of clubs, athletes, and shirts in 2025.4 | 2023 |
| Spain | Advertising restricted to a 1–5 a.m. window, welcome bonuses prohibited, and sports sponsorship (including shirts) banned; parts of the decree were later narrowed by the courts.5 | 2021 |
| United Kingdom | Voluntary “whistle-to-whistle” ban on TV betting ads during pre-watershed live sport (since August 2019); Premier League clubs have agreed to end front-of-shirt betting sponsorship from the 2026–27 season.6 | 2019 / 2026 |
| Australia | Betting ads banned during live sports broadcasts between 5 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.; a 2023 all-party parliamentary inquiry (You win some, you lose more) recommended a complete, phased ban within three years — not yet implemented.7 | 2018 |
| United States | No federal rules — a state-by-state patchwork. The federal SAFE Bet Act, introduced in late 2024, has not advanced. | — |
| Canada | No national rules yet. Ontario bars athletes, and celebrities likely to appeal to minors, from igaming ads. Bill S‑211 would create Canada's first national framework on sports-betting advertising.8 | Ontario rule: 2024 |
Rules are summarized at a high level, as of July 2026. Consult the primary instruments cited below for the full detail and current status.
Sources
- BAFG, White Paper #1 — The Impact of Advertising for Gambling (2023), international comparison chart.
- Italy: Decree-Law 87/2018 (the “Dignity Decree”), converted into Law 96/2018; advertising ban from 2018, extended to event sponsorship from January 1, 2019.
- Belgium: Royal Decree of 27 February 2023 restricting gambling advertising (Belgian Gaming Commission), in force July 1, 2023.
- Netherlands: Kansspelautoriteit — Decree on untargeted remote-gambling advertising (Besluit ongerichte reclame kansspelen op afstand), in force July 1, 2023.
- Spain: Royal Decree 958/2020 on commercial communications for gambling activities (Boletín Oficial del Estado).
- UK: Betting and Gaming Council — whistle-to-whistle ban (2019); Premier League statement on gambling sponsorship (April 2023).
- Australia: House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, You win some, you lose more (June 2023); Broadcasting Services (Online Content Service Provider Rules) 2018.
- Ontario: AGCO — Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming, advertising restrictions on athletes and celebrities, in force February 28, 2024.
The takeaway
Canada is behind — and catching up is on the table this fall.
More than a generation ago, Canada led the world in banning tobacco advertising. On gambling, our peers moved first. Bill S‑211 is the chance to close the gap.