A new move to ban all sports betting advertising is moving forward in Canada after more than 40 senators signed a petition addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The petition, supported by Senators Percy E. Down and Marty Deacon, says sports betting advertising is causing “very real harm” in Canada.
“People of all ages are constantly bombarded with ads that promise a 'premium gaming experience' and encourage them to turn their phones into pocket-sized casinos,” the petition reads.
“We are calling for a ban on all advertising on sports gambling apps and websites. Such measures would be similar to the tobacco advertising ban and for the same reasons: to address public health concerns.”
This follows similar calls from medical professionals across the country. The Canadian Medical Association Journal published an editorial in September urging restrictions and warning about the dangers of sports betting advertising.
What are the concerns about sports gambling advertising?
Sports betting has grown in popularity since it was legalized in Canada in 2021, with users being able to bet on a single game using their smartphones. This means that legal participants can bet on NHL hockey games, for example, and in some cases even while the game is in progress.
A Leger survey released in September found that 19 per cent of Canadian adults said they had gambled on sports in the past year, down slightly from 21 per cent a year earlier.
Get weekly health news
Get the latest medical news and health information every Sunday.
However, the study did not ask Canadians under the age of 18.
Health Details More Videos
Experts say these ads are exposing young Canadians to the world of gambling earlier than previous generations, even if they're not placing bets directly.
“I was sitting on the couch with my then-seven-year-old son watching hockey highlights, and he asked me what the difference was between over-under and plus-minus. It was pretty shocking that he confused those two terms. It was an opportunity to have a conversation, and that's where the 'dad moment' began,” says Dr. Sean Kelly, a pediatrician with the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine.
“But it set off some alarm bells and prompted us to dig deeper into what we know about gambling advertising and the harms of gambling, especially among young people.”
Kelly continued: “We know that this worsens mental health, increases truancy, and increases criminal activity and delinquency among minors. For some people with severe gambling disorders, suicide is the number one cause of death for those suffering from this disease.”
“Adolescents are particularly sensitive. What they're seeing is the possibility of easy money, all these thrills, the risk-taking behavior that's really the hallmark of adolescence. But now they're being directed to places where profits can be extracted from these adolescents, and they're being victimized by their brain chemistry and neurodevelopment.”
Part of the problem, as one psychology expert points out, is how vulnerable young people become when exposed to these ads.
“This marketing is targeting young people who are looking for a quick reward, and this kind of thinking is influencing their thinking,” said Steve Jordens, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto.
“They brag about their wins to each other and feel great pride when their bets pay off. Older people tend to be a little quiet about what's going on. It's just all around them and it's presented as normal, and they don't really understand the risks.”
Jordens says gambling can quickly become an addiction.
“The reason this is so dangerous is because it uses random rewards. When you have a random reward, your brain says that if you haven't had a reward in a while, it feels like you're getting more and more rewards, and you want to keep chasing them. That's where most people run into trouble and end up in a lot of debt,” Jordens says.
current trends
Brother-in-law named suspect in 18-year-old woman's death on cruise ship
President Trump instructs military to refuse illegal orders 'equivalent to the death penalty'
“Suicide is a huge problem right now. If you go to any website about suicide, there's a section just for problem gamblers. And if we're indoctrinating children into this activity in the context of something really beautiful like sport, that's a real shame.”
Regarding advertising on gambling sites, particularly sports betting, Jordens said these ads are tied to the act of watching and engaging as a sports fan, encouraging viewers to place bets as part of their engagement with the game and competition.
“All of the advertising is designed for the sole purpose of getting people to gamble, and the people introducing us to sports are also talking about their bets. It really normalizes this and makes it feel as if this is part of being a sports fan, because every sports fan they see is doing this,” says Jordens.
“Advertising is always fun. It's always focused on people winning. It's exciting. The people doing it are young and attractive. They use every psychological tool in the book to get people to try gambling.”
The Senate passed a bill last month to ban sports betting advertising, and Deacon is one of the leading senators pushing the bill. However, for the bill to become law, it would need to be taken up and passed by the House of Representatives, which has not yet happened.
A petition sent out this week puts pressure on Mr Carney to force the government to support the Senate bill, but so far there has been no sign that he will.
“While we cannot legally eliminate human frailty, we can limit the ability of others to profit from or actually facilitate the exploitation of that frailty,” the senators' letter said.
Mr. Kelly said he supports a petition asking Mr. Carney to ban these ads in Canada.
“This new initiative is a great demonstration of support, motivation and interest in getting this right,” Kelly said.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.