New framework for sports betting ads on the way in Canada

The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage of the House of Commons agreed on October 22 to begin clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-211. The bill calls for a national framework for sports betting advertising and a review by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. However, the bill does not directly ban betting ads during ice hockey broadcasts.

The bill, introduced in May 2025 by independent Senator Marty Deacon, passed the Senate in October 2025. The House of Commons approved it at second reading in April 2026 and sent it to committee. According to official records, the bill has not yet received the committee report, third reading or Royal Assent, so it is not currently in force.

Under the bill, the Minister of Canadian Heritage would develop a framework in consultation with provinces, territories, Indigenous representatives and experts. The framework could consider limits on the number, scope and placement of ads, as well as the role of celebrities and athletes. Deacon said in the Senate that the bill alone would not ban betting ads, and that options such as a five-minute restriction before and after games would depend on the future framework.

The debate was also brought into focus by an analysis conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol for CBC News. The analysis found 3,062 betting messages across seven NHL games involving Canadian teams, and 95 percent of those messages included no harm reduction or age restriction information.