A Senate committee has quietly approved new federal restrictions on sports betting ads, brushing aside opposition from professional leagues including the NHL and CFL.Blacklock's Reporter says Bill S-211, An Act Respecting A National Framework On Sports Betting Advertising, passed the Senate transport and communications committee after a 45-second hearing with no debate. The bill directs cabinet to develop regulations limiting the use and scope of gambling promotions nationwide.“The proliferation of sports betting advertising and other forms of gambling activities has become pervasive in Canadian society,” the bill’s preamble states, adding that research links increased ad exposure to higher rates of gambling participation..Sen. Marty Deacon of Ontario, who sponsored the bill, said she was alarmed by the explosion of betting promotions that followed Parliament’s 2021 decision to legalize single-event sports wagering. “It is foolish to gamble with the health and well-being of Canadians when we already know what the outcome will be,” Deacon told colleagues. “I did not anticipate the level of promotion we’re seeing — potentially creating a generation of problem gamblers.”Deacon said she still supports legalization but wants Parliament to “correct our course” before the damage worsens.The NHL and CFL have both urged senators to reject the measure. The NHL argued in a 2024 submission that “national legislation is unnecessary” given what it called existing “industry cooperation” on consumer protection. .The league has multimillion-dollar partnerships with U.K. bookmaker William Hill, MGM Resorts of Las Vegas, and FanDuel of New York.The CFL also objected, saying it supports “continued learning and evolution” but does not back federal regulation. Former commissioner Randy Ambrosie told senators last year the league “does not claim perfection on this or any other issue.”Bill S-211 mirrors an earlier version that cleared the Senate last November but died when Parliament was prorogued in January. If passed, the measure would mark Ottawa’s first national move to curb sports betting ads since legalization.
