A national framework, one vote from law
Bill Sā211 passed the Senate in October 2025 and second reading in the House on April 22, 2026, by a large majority. Committee hearings and a final vote come this fall.
Read about the bill āNews
The issue, region by region.
Curated coverage of gambling advertising and regulation ā what's moving federally, in the provinces, and around the world. We highlight the main themes rather than attempt an exhaustive archive.
Federal
The national picture.
Globe and Mail: “Time to ante up on sports-betting ads”
An editorial in support of the federal framework. CBC research found nearly three pro-gambling messages a minute during NHL game broadcasts, and 49 gambling companies were operating 72 gambling websites in Ontario in December 2023.
Read the editorial ā“More Than the Score” PSAs
The Canadian Mental Health Association's public-service campaign confronts the normalization of betting in sport ā including around the 2026 World Cup.
Visit the campaign āProvincial
Across the provinces.
The provinces license gambling operators ā which means they hold real power over advertising, too.
Lee Fairclough's Ontario bill voted down
MPP Lee Fairclough put forward a bill that would have banned all online gambling advertising in Ontario. Although it was supported by all three opposition parties, the Ford Government voted it down.
Ontario context āFIFA sponsorship reaches host cities
FIFA's international gambling/gaming sponsorship would obligate host cities ā including Toronto ā to execute the agreement. The City declined to debate the issue.
Read Bulletin No. 19 āAlberta opens its online gambling market
Alberta has become the second province to license private online gambling operators ā with the same power Ontario has to restrict advertising as a condition of its licences.
Read our Alberta analysis āA family physician on gambling harm in Ontario
Dr. Iris Gorfinkel, a Toronto family physician and clinical researcher, on a 17-year-old patient's gambling problem ā the ads, the harm to young people, and what the provincial government should be doing.
Read the Star column āShould betting platforms be treated like Big Tobacco?
Steve Paikin profiles the campaign ā Bruce Kidd and Robin Campbell on prop bets, the abuse of athletes, and why the ads should go the way of tobacco advertising.
Read the TVO analysis āInternational
Lessons and milestones from abroad.
Countries with a longer history of legalized betting show where Canada is headed ā and what works.
An all-party committee recommended a full ban
In June 2023, an Australian parliamentary committee recommended a complete, phased ban on gambling advertising within three years. Australia has since imposed some restrictions, though far short of what its own committee recommended.
How Australia compares āBelgium, the Netherlands, and Italy have banned most gambling ads
Three European countries have gone further than anything proposed in Canada, banning most gambling advertising outright ā and their experience is shaping the debate everywhere else.
How Europe compares āA state-by-state patchwork
Every U.S. state sets its own rules. The federal SAFE Bet Act, introduced in late 2024, has not advanced ā leaving advertising largely unrestrained.
How the U.S. compares āPodcasts & broadcast
Hear the case being made.
Why Sports Betting Ads Are Everywhere
The Decibel Ā· Globe and Mail Ā· Sept 2022
How Sports Betting Hit the Mainstream in America
The Daily Ā· The New York Times Ā· Feb 2023
How College Athletes Face Social-Media Abuse From Gamblers
ESPN Daily Ā· April 2023
Advocates push to ban gambling ads featuring athletes
The Current Ā· CBC Ā· April 2023
How this page is curated
Campaign volunteers track developments federally and in the provinces, along with regulatory milestones abroad. We surface the items that best explain where the issue stands ā this page is a set of highlights, not an exhaustive news archive. For the campaign's own updates, read our newsletters.
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