Ontario banning online gambling commercials featuring athletes and celebrities
Athletes, as well as some celebrities, will no longer be allowed to appear in commercials promoting online gambling in Ontario.
The new rules, proposed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), will go into effect at the end of February 2024.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The ACGO argues that a ban on the use of athletes and celebrity endorsements would “help safeguard children and youth who can be particularly susceptible to such advertising content.”
CEO and Registrar of the AGCO Tom Mungham has previously told CTV News Toronto the amount of advertising associated with gambling has increased since the province legalized single-game online sport betting just over a year ago.
In May, the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, as well as other organizations, said they supported an early proposal to restrict athlete and celebrity participation in gambling advertising as “children and youth, as well as those already experiencing gambling problems, are especially susceptible to these effects.”
"Children and youth are heavily influenced by the athletes and celebrities they look up to," Mungham said in a statement.
"We're therefore increasing measures to protect Ontario's youth by disallowing the use of these influential figures to promote online betting in Ontario."
As of Feb. 28, no athletes—both active or retired—may be used in advertising and marketing for Internet Gaming in Ontario, with the exception of advocating for responsible gambling practices.
The same rules apply to the use of celebrities, role models, social media influencers, entertainers, cartoon figures and symbols who would “likely be expected to appeal to minors,” the ACGO said.
The changes do not affect regulations to the volume, location or style of the advertising, Mungham clarified.
The proposal by the AGCO comes after significant criticism from advocates, experts and parents about the notable rise of online gambling advertisements, especially during live sports. For example, during a 2023 playoff series game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers, nearly eight and a half minutes of advertisements were dedicated to online sport gambling.
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, are among high-profile athletes who have starred in recent online sports-betting promotions.
Former Olympian and University of Toronto professor emeritus Bruce Kidd told CTV News in May they recently launched the “Campaign to Ban Ads for Gambling” because “watching them on television today feels like I’m in a casino.”
And Kidd isn’t the only one to express concern. Canadian Senator Marty Deacon has introduced legislation to compel the government to regulate gambling ads, including limiting or banning the participation of celebrity athletes.
Single-game sports betting was legalized in Canada in 2021, but each province has been left to determine how to regulate the industry.
In Ontario, iGaming -- a subsidiary of the AGCO -- manages about 30 third-party operators.
With files from CTVNews.ca’s Daniel Otis
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.
Mookie Betts leads Dodgers past Blue Jays 4-2; Toronto drops fifth consecutive game
Mookie Betts went 3 for 5, including a triple and an RBI single, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Saturday.