The senator is pushing to reduce the unchecked sports betting ads. This effort is currently progressing through the legislative process. This aims to establish a national framework for regulating these services.
The legislation would require Ottawa to set limits in advertising in broad strokes. This includes possible measures to curb how much of it reaches Canadians. It also involves establishing national standards for preventing gambling problems. Nonetheless, with an election on the horizon, it still has a long way to go before reaching the finish line.
Senator Marty Deacon said that it’s a long haul. She introduced Bill S-269. This has recently passed second reading in the Senate. Its text has remained unchanged since the first reading.
Canada legalized single-event sports betting in 2021. That effort gave provinces the green light to develop private markets for these services. Nevertheless, so far, only Ontario has taken that step.
One CBC investigation found that gambling messages filled up to 21 percent of each broadcast, on average. The move towards legalization resulted in a flood of gambling-related advertising. The flood of marketing has irked some sports fans, prompting Deacon to initiate regulation of these ads.
Deacon is a member of the Independent Senators Group. She mentioned that the effort to legalize gambling required multiple attempts over several Parliaments before it finally became a reality. However, that legislation didn’t address the advertising blitz that has ensued. Deacon believes this must be reined in.
Along with Deacon, other critics have raised concerns over its impact on youth, as well as those who might develop issues with gambling problem.
A New Democrat MP, Brian Masse, advocated for the legalization of sports betting. He said it would have been preferable to have a more comprehensive approach to this from the get-go. However, it approves of the efforts of the Senate to deal with the issue.
