CGA: Do You Really Want To Protect Young People From Gambling Harms?
Posted on: September 11, 2025, 03:44h.
Last updated on: September 12, 2025, 10:01h.
- Op-ed says onslaught of sports betting ads makes gambling a danger for youth
- Canadian Gaming Association says the industry already has guardrails on gaming ads
- National advertising bill would put restrictions on ads
The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) says the dangers of problem gambling comes down more to weaker regulatory frameworks, and not policing unregulated operators, than it does advertising, especially on television.
Sports Betting Intensifies with NFL Season
The CGA issued a statement to media this morning that challenged an op-ed piece in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday arguing that sports betting ads are too prevalent during sports broadcasts, particularly during a time of the year where the NFL is back playing, and with a new NHL season on the horizon, making it enticing for youth.
“The legalization of online gambling (iGaming) in Ontario in 2022 turned any smartphone into a betting platform, compounding existing epidemics of technology and social media use addiction,” the article said.
The CGA responded, saying that what really protects young is a regulated environment with checks and balances in place, putting guardrails on advertising, banning people below 19 from accessing gaming sites, in Ontario’s case, while also offering a full menu of tools to help people that are experiencing problem gambling.
CGA Response
“Gambling has been a part of daily life for decades, serving as a form of entertainment, social interaction, and economic activity,” the CGA said in the statement sent to Casino.org. “While gambling can have risks, its impact depends on regulation and individual circumstances. As gambling becomes more embedded in digital platforms and everyday experiences, oversight and regulation are important to reduce potential harm. The CGA has encouraged provincial governments to strengthen regulatory frameworks to address issues related to unlicensed operators.”
In the Canadian Medical Association Journal article, the journal’s editor, Dr. Shannon Charlebois, said that because the brains of children and teens are still developing, the onslaught of ads normalizes gambling, and young people then develop habits that carry into adulthood.
Youth Picking Up Bad Habits
Charlebois called for ads to be restricted during games and ads to be banned from social media platforms used by young people. She also referenced the number of sports betting platform names shown on hockey rink boards, the ice itself, and on football fields, for example.
The article contends that gambling addiction among young people especially is an issue that is getting worse.
Charlebois referenced how a new national advertising bill for the gaming industry in Canada, generating no shortage of industry reaction, would help.
Bill S-211, formerly Bill S-269, sponsored by Canadian Senator Marty Deacon, calls for the Minister of Heritage to develop new national standards on gaming advertising around what goes into gambling ads, when they run, and the volume of advertising that’s out there.
National Advertising Bill
The Minister would begin a dialogue with provincial lawmakers, Indigenous groups, and gaming regulators to set the new framework.
The Bill is awaiting first reading in the House of Commons, with MPs returning for the first time since June this Monday.
The CGA referenced Ontario’s regulated igaming market, currently with 50 licensed operators, which has in place advertising and responsible gambling regulations which operators must comply with, including the removal of athletes and clarification regarding the use of celebrities in advertising so as not to appeal to minors.
Ontario has restrictions on mass market advertising of bonuses and inducements and requires mandatory training for staff at igaming operators who interact with customers, as well as offer ways to identify and respond to players showing signs of problem gambling.
Regulatory Guardrails
“Our position has consistently been that discussions surrounding advertising should be ongoing and informed by evidence-based research. Furthermore, we maintain that a robust regulatory framework must encompass comprehensive measures aimed at educating and safeguarding players.”
Alberta will soon follow Ontario in opening a competitive regulated igaming market, likely in early 2026.
“Prohibiting advertising will not eliminate this activity. For over two decades, Canadians have had unrestricted access to unregulated online gaming and disregarding the existence of such activities or purporting that advertising is the cause of problem gambling would be unrealistic – and naïve.”
The debate around advertising is grounded too much in emotion, the CGA said in the statement. Also, the CGA added the gaming industry does not control the presentation of sports betting commercials or in0game content tied to betting. Broadcasters ad sports leagues have their policies and restrictions on how, when and where ads are shown.
CGA: Decrease in Gaming Ads
The CGA has been saying for months that the amount on sports betting advertising, especially on television, has been decreasing. At a panel discussion on the topic of gaming advertising at the Canadian Gaming Summit in June, thinkTV CEO Catherine MacLeod said the quantity of gaming advertising has gone down every year since Ontario’s market launch in 2022.
“It’s not, in my view, a problem with too much advertising,” she said. “If you want to reach kids, the last place you want to be is on television. This idea that every kid is watching television is just so antiquated.”
thinkTV is a marketing and research association that assists advertisers and agencies in maximizing the effectiveness of TV advertising.
“I think that we’ve got a lot of 55, 60 year olds who are concerned on behalf of their children about what’s going to be on the air,” she said. “I have yet to meet a broadcaster, or a gaming operator, who doesn’t, on the surface, want to do the right thing. Overall it’s a very responsible group of people when it comes to advertising. We have to keep this in perspective.”
MacLeod said thinkTV clears 35,000 pieces of advertising per year. As of June, this year, the organization had cleared 88 gambling ads.
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