Press Kit

Fact sheet: sports-betting advertising in Canada.

Key statistics with sources, for quick reference. Every figure below is cited — please attribute to the original source, not to the campaign.

9.9% of Canadian adults are likely to experience the symptoms of problem gambling — a six-fold increase from 1.3% in 2018, before legalization¹.
22% of high-risk problem gamblers have planned suicide¹.
69.4% of young adults (18–29) who gambled online in the past year met the criteria for problem gambling¹.
At least six other people, on average, are negatively affected by one person experiencing problematic gambling².
Underage gambling in Canada can begin as young as 9 or 10 years old³.

69% of Canadians encounter gambling ads in everyday media; among online gamblers aged 18–34, 37% say advertising led them to bet⁴.
75% of Canadians think there are too many gambling ads (Leger, September 2025)⁵.
Since Ontario opened its online market, the total wagered online in the province grew more than 400% — from $4.08 billion in early 2022 to $22.9 billion by early 2025⁶.
A systematic review of 166 studies found "responsible gambling" messaging does not reduce harm⁷.

Bill S‑211, An Act respecting a national framework on sports betting advertising, passed the Senate unanimously on October 21, 2025, and second reading in the House of Commons on April 22, 2026, by a large majority. Committee hearings and final votes are expected for the fall of 2026.
Canada banned tobacco advertising in 1988 and cannabis advertising in 2018 — but legalized single-event sports betting in 2021 with no advertising guardrails.
Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy have banned most gambling advertising outright; other jurisdictions restrict it by time, place, or medium.

Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), Greo Evidence Insights & Mental Health Research Canada, Online Gambling Among Young Canadian Adults: A Call to Action (2025).
The Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling, citing Goodwin et al., International Gambling Studies (2017).
Canadian Paediatric Society, “Teen gambling.”
Leger survey for CPA Canada, 2026 Gambling Study (June 2026).
Leger poll, September 2025, as cited in Macfarlane & Kidd, The Globe and Mail.
Greo Evidence Insights / CCSA, Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action (updated November 2025), citing iGaming Ontario (2025).
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), systematic review of 166 studies on responsible-gambling messaging (2025).