{"id":277662,"date":"2025-11-22T18:32:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T18:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/277662\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T18:32:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T18:32:11","slug":"legislators-take-aim-at-sports-betting-ads-as-concern-grows-over-gamblings-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/277662\/","title":{"rendered":"Legislators take aim at sports-betting ads as concern grows over gambling\u2019s risks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

An advertisement for online gambling company FanDuel is displayed during an NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 24. Canada\u2019s Bill S-211 would create a national framework to address sports-betting advertising.Brandon Dill\/The Associated Press<\/p>\n

For Noah Vineberg, problematic gambling hits close to home. Before he sought help seven years ago, he estimates he gambled more than $1-million. He won some money and lost more, in the process damaging relationships with his wife and four children.<\/p>\n

He was able to rebuild those relationships after seeking help at a rehab facility in Windsor, Ont.<\/p>\n

A lover of sports, Mr. Vineberg said he has become frustrated with the amount of gambling advertising during broadcasts \u2013 including commercials, sponsored segments, commentary on odds and digital ads projected on the playing field. Given his firsthand experience with gambling addiction, he worries about its influence on young or vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would love for sports to just be sports,\u201d he said in an interview, adding he is not against legal gambling itself. \u201cI would love to be able to tune in and actually just watch a hockey game and not once see an ad\u201d related to sports betting.<\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Noah Vineberg is frustrated with how much gambling advertising is shown during broadcast sports events.Dave Chan\/The Globe and Mail<\/p>\n

A growing number of experts and legislators want to regulate sports-betting advertising, which has been a prominent part of broadcasts \u2013 including during the recent Blue Jays World Series run. Bill S-211, which would create a national framework to address the issue, passed the Senate in September, and recently cleared first reading in the House of Commons.<\/p>\n

Canada legalized single-game sports betting in 2021, allowing people to bet on the outcomes of matches and place bets within a game. Proponents said it would reduce the black market and allow provinces, which regulate gambling, to put the revenue back into supporting research, health care and other priorities.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Ontario launched iGaming, an internet gambling marketplace that allows private companies to operate. Earlier this month, the province won a legal case<\/a> to expand to bettors outside of Canada.<\/p>\n

Other provinces generally allow online gambling through government-run platforms. Last spring, Alberta passed legislation to allow private companies into its market but it has not yet come into force.<\/p>\n

Doctors call for restrictions on sports betting ads, say they set youth up for problem gambling<\/a><\/p>\n

Toronto Metropolitan University assistant professor Andrew Kim, who studies addictions, said the federal law made sports betting more accessible, while the Ontario decision has led to the flood of advertising, as the private companies are now competing for market share.<\/p>\n

There is evidence in the United Kingdom and Australia that \u201cthese advertisements do impact future gambling behaviours, and those who are most impacted are those who are vulnerable,\u201d he said in an interview.<\/p>\n

A 2024 Mental Health Research Canada survey found that<\/a> 10 per cent of Canadians have a high risk of problem gambling, while another five per cent have a moderate risk. A 2023 study<\/a> from CAMH found an association between the expansion of legalized gambling and advertising and the number of people who call a helpline because of online gambling.<\/p>\n

Experts are also concerned about how the advertising is affecting children. In September, an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal urged<\/a> Canadian jurisdictions to eliminate all commercials that promote sports betting during broadcasts where minors were likely to see them. It recommended the passing of Bill S-211.<\/p>\n

MLB moves to cap bets on single pitches, ban them from parlays<\/a><\/p>\n

Shawn Kelly, a pediatric addictions specialist and co-author of the editorial, said in an interview that developing teenage brains are particularly vulnerable to the advertising.<\/p>\n

Bill S-211 is trying to solve a problem Parliament had a hand in creating, according to sponsor Senator Marty Deacon. The single-game sports betting legislation was rushed because of an impending election, she said, and not enough thought was given to the advertising aspect of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s our responsibility to try to fix this and fix this as quickly as we can,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Bill S-211<\/a> would mandate that the minister of heritage consult with partners \u2013 including provinces \u2013 to create a national framework, which would identify measures to regulate sports-betting advertising with a view toward restricting it.<\/p>\n

It would also outline ways to promote research and information sharing for youth involved in harmful gambling activities, as well as set national standards on prevention, diagnosis and support.<\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Advertisements for online sports betting companies BetMGM and DraftKings at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass., on June 18, 2024.Brian Snyder\/Reuters<\/p>\n

Bill S-211 itself does not set out specific standards, nor what types of advertising are included. Ms. Deacon said partners \u2013 mainly provinces \u2013 would decide that, as they regulate gambling in their respective jurisdictions.<\/p>\n

Possible options for regulations include restricting advertising from the start to finish of games, or only allowing it during certain hours when children are unlikely to be watching.<\/p>\n

As well, more than 40 senators recently wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney, urging him to implement a full ban on advertising for sports gambling apps and websites. <\/p>\n

The government can do so using the legislative and regulatory tools already at its disposal, according to the letter, including its power to give direction to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), which oversees the broadcasting industries. <\/p>\n

Ms. Deacon said she supports a full ban, but was worried that putting one in the bill could stall its progress through Parliament. Therefore, the bill has a more open-ended framework that would allow government to introduce a ban.<\/p>\n

Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Steven Guilbeault told senators<\/a> in September that the government is examining the issue of the advertising and determining the best way to \u201climit the damage that this is having on too many Canadians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opinion: Our governments are willfully blind to the financial fentanyl that is online gambling<\/a><\/p>\n

Canadian Gaming Association president Paul Burns said that Bill S-211 is unnecessary and duplicative. Gaming advertising in Canada is already subject to a few layers of oversight and guidance, including provincial regulations, marketing association ThinkTV\u2019s code and the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards.<\/p>\n

The provinces can already ban operators from advertising if they wanted to, he said.<\/p>\n

Bill S-211 \u201cwill take years to produce anything, because it\u2019s now calling for everybody to get together to create a framework,\u201d Mr. Burns said, noting it only covers advertising about sports betting, rather than all gambling.<\/p>\n

Mr. Burns also said the current advertising guidelines and regulatory standards are \u201cliving documents,\u201d pointing out the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario recently made changes and could make more in the future.<\/p>\n

In 2024, the commission banned online operators from running ads that feature athletes and celebrities that could appeal to minors, saying they could only appear in ones that feature responsible gambling messages.<\/p>\n

Dr. Kelly said this change was well-intended but ineffective.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat [my son] sees is \u2018Connor McDavid thinks there\u2019s a way for me to gamble safely,\u2019\u201d Dr. Kelly said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t think \u2018gambling is bad\u2019 and \u2018gambling is dangerous,\u2019 and so we really need to add some teeth to this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Vineberg worries about his children feeling pressure to \u201ckeep up with the Joneses\u201d as gambling has become cool now. He said his teenage son is dabbling in it with friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy messaging to my son was: \u2018If you ever get to a point where you look at my wallet because you want to be able to still make that bet, that\u2019s when we need to talk,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: An advertisement for online gambling company FanDuel is displayed during an NBA game…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":259598,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[102,1906,6623,229,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-277662","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-mental-health","10":"tag-mentalhealth","11":"tag-politics","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277662"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277662\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/259598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}