The commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL) has publicly pushed back against calls for tighter national controls on gambling advertising, in a letter to a Canadian Senate committee. The trade publication iGaming Business reported that Randy Ambrosie may be the first major professional league commissioner anywhere in the world to publicly oppose a gambling ad ban.
The letter went to the Senate's standing committee on transport and communications, which is considering a bill on the frequency of gambling ads.
What the CFL told the Senate
"We do not agree a national framework is required to regulate the advertising of sports betting in Canada," CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie wrote.
Ambrosie added that the league does "not claim perfection on this or any other issue" and must "remain open minded and continue to learn and evolve". He outlined steps the CFL says it has already taken. He wrote that the league regulates sports wagering advertising on league-controlled channels, such as broadcast-visible signage on the field. The aim, he said, is to limit how often and how prominently a sportsbook's digital logo appears during a game. The league also said it has responsible gaming initiatives and educates its employees on the topic. These are the league's own claims, and the source material does not independently verify them.
The report noted that in the United States the NFL limits gambling ads to six per game. No other US professional league has imposed a limit on ads during games, and none has publicly opposed a blanket ban. In 2023, all the American professional leagues and several broadcast partners formed the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising.
Canada's bill and the political backdrop
The bill before the Canadian Senate, S-269, would limit the frequency of gambling ads. It does not propose an outright ban. The committee held a two-day hearing on it in June. Senator Marty Deacon, the bill's sponsor, said she wished lawmakers had "considered at the time the flood of advertising" that would follow legalisation.
Canada decriminalised single-event wagering in 2021, and betting went live in Ontario in April 2022. According to the report, citizens have complained about the number and content of ads since then. A Maru Public Opinion poll in February found 59% of respondents favoured a total ban.
It is not clear whether Canada's federal government could enforce such a law. Single-event wagering is a provincial matter, and the report said hearing participants discussed the need to work in partnership with the provinces. Ontario remains the only province with a legal competitive wagering market, though Alberta's government has promised to follow.
Ontario's regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Canada (AGCO), introduced rules in late February banning sportsbooks from using celebrities in promotions. The rules also ban sportsbook billboard advertising near schools and other places where youth or vulnerable people gather. The report said the AGCO has not publicly acted on limiting TV gambling ads.
In June, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction released a study with recommendations on when and how often gambling ads can run. Co-author Matthew Young told the CBC that gambling harms include financial challenges, relationship difficulties, health issues and psychological challenges.
The US and Australian angle
In the US, Senator Paul Tonko has proposed a bill that, according to its outline, would permit no gambling advertising between 8am and 10pm. It would also prohibit sports betting ads during live games, ban credit card funding of accounts and require states to seek permission to allow sports betting. His 2023 bill, which would have banned gambling ads, did not gain traction.
The report said Italy and Belgium already have blanket bans, while Germany and Holland have partial bans. It said it is unclear yet whether a blanket ban has the desired effect.
In Australia, a parliamentary social policy and legal affairs committee recommended a "comprehensive ban on all forms of advertising for online gambling, to be introduced in four phases, over three years, commencing immediately". The inquiry found that citizens are "frustrated and annoyed" by the level of wagering ads. Independent MP Kate Chaney told Sky News there has been no movement because politicians are "scared" of the "very strong gambling lobby who also make significant political donations".
The source material is incomplete and does not detail any government response to the recommendation. Online casino services remain prohibited in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The advertising debate described here concerns licensed wagering.