Executive summary

In 2021, Parliament legalized sports betting in Canada, and enabled provinces and territories to ‘control and manage’ gambling on sports. Ontario established the first such regime on April 4, 2022, and registered 40 betting companies. Since then, there has been an explosion of advertising for gambling—on television, radio and social media, in venues and on players’ uniforms—and a tremendous growth of sports betting. In its first year of operation, iGaming in Ontario reported 1.6 million active bettors.

Gambling can lead to significant harm, including runaway debt, stress to families, low self- esteem, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Statistics Canada has estimated that 1.6 % of adult gamblers are at moderate to high risk of gambling disorders—more than 300,000 Canadians. Problem gambling is a mental health issue, and has been defined as an addictive disorder.

Underage gambling is common in Canada, too, and is increasing with the spread of advertising for gambling. Ads make people much more susceptible to gamble, particularly since betting can be done so easily and quickly online. Research shows that the restriction of ads can prevent or minimize the harms from gambling, especially among youth and other vulnerable groups.

The Campaign to Ban Ads for Gambling calls for the prohibition of ads for gambling in the same way that ads for tobacco and cannabis have been restricted.

A growing number of countries are adopting this solution. Australia is in the process of adopting a four step process, which will ban gambling advertisements within three years.