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A Canadian sports betting advertising bill cleared a House of Commons committee on Nov. 3. It would give the federal government two years to develop a national framework, according to the Algonquin Times.
The framework could address advertising volume, placement, and the use of athletes and celebrities. Any resulting ad limits would follow the framework’s development.
MPs Split Over Two-Year Deadline
Liberal MP David Myles moved to extend the framework deadline from one year to two. He said the government needed time to consult provinces and Indigenous groups.
“We want to make sure we get it right,” Myles said.
Conservative MP Andrew Lawton criticized the longer deadline as unnecessary and unreasonable, citing the urgency of gambling-related health concerns.
Liberal MP Bardish Chagger, the bill’s House sponsor, hopes it eventually leads to a ban on gambling ads during live sports.
Canadian Heritage official Amy Award said the bill already allows the minister to ban in-game betting ads. Writing that ban into the legislation, she said, “suggests a particular outcome.”
Gambling Harm Concerns Fuel Ad Debate
The debate comes amid increased gambling advertising since Canada legalized single-game betting in 2021.
The Algonquin Times reported that nearly 130,000 Ontarians show signs of problem gambling, about triple the number in 2018. It also cited a September study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. That study found Ontario emergency department visits for gambling disorders had roughly doubled since 2022.
A University of Bristol study with CBC News examined seven NHL playoff games involving Canadian teams this spring. Gambling messages appeared two or three times a minute. About 95% carried no warning about risk or age limits.
The Canadian Mental Health Association supports the bill. Ontario and Alberta’s governments oppose it.
Alberta minister Dale Nally called the proposal “another case of federal overreach into provincial jurisdiction.”
House And Senate Votes Come Next
The bill returns to the House of Commons for a final vote. Because MPs amended it, the Senate must approve it again before it can become law.
The two-year framework deadline starts only after the bill becomes law.
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Source: As reported by algonquintimes.com.
