Bill S-211, the National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising Act, has passed the House of Commons Canadian Heritage committee and now moves to third reading. The committee passed the bill “on division” on 3 November, after adopting Liberal amendments and rejecting proposals from Conservative members.
What the bill does
The bill does not ban betting advertising itself. It requires the federal government to set up a national framework to restrict sports betting ads, covering their volume and placement and the use of celebrities and athletes, and asks the broadcast regulator, the CRTC, to review its rules.
- Senator Marty Deacon introduced the bill in May 2025, and it passed the Senate on 21 October 2025.
- Liberal MP Bardish Chagger sponsors it in the Commons, where it passed second reading in April by 291 votes to 28.
- The committee’s amendments soften some consultation requirements from “must” to “may” and extend the deadline for a report from one year to two.
- Rejected amendments included a proposal from Conservative MP Andrew Lawton to ban in-game betting ads.
- No date has been set for third reading; the House rises on 11 December.
Supporters and critics
Liberal MP Michael Coteau has said he hopes the bill leads further. He told CBC:
“I hope this legislation gets to a point where we can ban (sports betting ads) completely across this country,”
Chagger told the committee:
“Gambling should not be an expected part of being a sports fan”
Opponents include Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey, Alberta minister Dale Nally and the Canadian Gaming Association. Kevin Desjardins, CEO of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, asked the committee:
“What specific problem are we trying to solve?”
Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux has said he cannot support the current text because it conflicts with Quebec law.
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The Ontario numbers behind the debate
Pressure on the bill has grown since CBC reported in October that nearly 130,000 Ontarians show signs of problem gambling, up from about 43,000 in 2018. The estimate, by Carrie Shaw of the Alberta Gambling Research Institute, applied the Problem Gambling Severity Index to Statistics Canada’s 2025 Canadian Community Health Survey.
Ontario’s regulated online market continues to attract suppliers, such as Stakelogic, which recently went live with LuckyDays. Alberta opened its own regulated iGaming market in July 2026.
Sources: InGame, Gambling.com, Casino.com.
