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A debate over sports betting advertising is heating up in Canada, with Senator Marty Deacon renewing her push for national rules. After an editorial raised alarms about the impact of gambling promotions on young people, Deacon has brought Bill S-211 back into focus.
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Deacon, who has represented Ontario’s Waterloo region since her appointment to the Senate in 2018, has long supported advertising regulation. She argues that the government needs to set a national standard, rather than leaving provinces to patch together their own rules.
“We need a common approach, a national standard similar to alcohol, similar to tobacco ads, that is not patchwork. And that’s why the government has to take the lead on this,” Deacon said.
Her legislation, Bill S-211, first introduced in 2023, would prevent sportsbooks from running ads during broadcasts where children are likely part of the audience. Deacon resubmitted the proposal in May 2025, hoping it will reach a full Senate review soon.
“It’s an addictive behavior,” she told CBC’s The Morning Edition this week. “It’s a great health concern.”
The latest push gained momentum after an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal highlighted the risks of gambling exposure to minors. It was authored by Dr. Shannon Charlebois, the CMAJ medical editor, and pediatrician Dr. Shawn Kelly.
Kelly, who often works with patients dealing with substance abuse and other addictions, noted that gambling problems are starting earlier than many realize.
“The typical story that I see in the clinic is a 13- or 14-year-old boy who has borrowed dad’s credit card, or mom’s credit card, engaged in some online wagering and lost a significant amount of money,” he said in a CBC interview.
The editorial also cited a 2019 survey of 14,142 Ontario students in Grades 7-12. Results showed that 4% reported low to moderately severe gambling disorders, while 2% reported gambling addiction. It further linked gambling among youth to theft and, in extreme cases, assault.
Canada legalized sports betting in 2021, and each province has since introduced its own framework. While Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission banned athletes and celebrities from appearing in ads in 2024, sportsbooks quickly shifted strategies by featuring athletes in “responsible gambling” campaigns within apps.
Charlebois argued that Deacon’s proposal could close gaps left by existing provincial measures, particularly for those at higher risk. She told CBC that the bill would help protect individuals “biologically predisposed to enjoy risk-taking.”