A renewed push to curb the influence of sports gambling in Canada is gaining momentum, as Senators Percy Downe of Charlottetown and Marty Deacon of Waterloo have formally called on the federal government to ban all advertising for sports betting apps and websites. Their letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, endorsed by 40 additional senators, requests that the CRTC impose a nationwide prohibition on gambling promotions across all broadcast and digital platforms.

The senators argue that Canadians—particularly young people—are being overwhelmed by a relentless stream of sports betting ads that effectively turn mobile phones into “pocket-sized casinos.” The letter cites a recent CBC Marketplace investigation showing that gambling messages occupy an average of 21 per cent of the airtime during a sports broadcast, raising concerns about the normalization of betting among fans of all ages.

Downe, who represents Charlottetown, said the landscape has dramatically shifted since amendments to Bill C-218 legalized single-event sports wagering in 2021. Unlike traditional wagers on game outcomes, current platforms allow real-time micro-bets such as predicting who will score in the next five minutes.

“Everybody, in effect, is carrying a mini casino in their pocket,” Downe said. “It’s enticing more and more people to participate, and many people, unfortunately, will suffer as a result of that.”

While recent regulatory tweaks—including banning sports celebrities from appearing in gambling ads—have attempted to mitigate harm, Downe believes the government must go further. He compared sports betting promotions to tobacco advertising, which was banned decades ago.

“For the same reason we banned cigarette ads on all platforms, we should ban this because of the harm it does to society, and there's no benefit,” he said. “You can’t legislate away human weaknesses, but you can legislate away the ability of others to take advantage of them.”

Youth at heightened risk
Counselling therapist Elizabeth Stephen of Halifax warns that young people are especially vulnerable. She has observed a sharp rise in gambling ads during televised sports and says the messaging has become inseparable from the viewing experience.

“Professional sports are completely associated with gambling these days, and it’s become so normal,” she said. “Youth are highly influenced—how could you possibly watch sports and not be affected by that in some way?”

Some of Stephen’s clients have even expressed distress about the constant exposure. “One of them said, ‘I can’t watch sports, it’s too triggering.’”

Stephen believes that, at minimum, strict guidelines should be introduced if a total ban is not implemented.

Regulation or prohibition?
Charlottetown MP Sean Casey says he agrees with the concerns raised in the senators’ letter.

“Beyond the nuisance factor, there are all the public health factors associated with the promotion of gambling and the social harms that come from it,” he said.

Casey noted that Bill S-211—legislation aimed at establishing a national framework for sports betting advertising—has already passed the Senate and is currently moving through the House of Commons. The act seeks more robust regulation rather than an outright ban, placing it in contrast with the senators’ position.

Casey, who was in Parliament when single-event sports betting was legalized, acknowledged that lawmakers did not anticipate the explosion of gambling advertising that followed.

“I’m not opposed to it being eliminated altogether,” he said. “But if it could be reduced by 90 per cent so that they don’t advertise sports betting any more than they advertise cars or breakfast cereal, I’d be fine with that.”

As the debate intensifies, the federal government faces growing pressure to determine whether Canada’s future lies in tighter regulation—or a complete end to sports betting advertising across the country.