The debate around advertising in Canadian gambling has heated up in recent weeks, with Bill S-269, which would create an advertising framework for Canadian sports betting, being discussed by the Standing Committee on Transport and Communications. In the latest turn, the NHL and NFL have both written to the senate warning against a heavy-handed approach.
Ongoing Debate
Many lawmakers in Canada have expressed concerns over the nature of sports betting advertising in Canada since the legislation of single-wager sports betting in 2021. The prominence of sports betting advertising at major sporting events, combined with several high-profile sports betting scandals in the country, has once again made it a huge talking point.
The debate around this has been ongoing for some time, and the Standing Committee on Transport and Communications has spent several hours discussing it in recent weeks. Other parties have been involved in the discussion, including the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) and the Canadian Responsible Gambling Council.
Unintended Consequences
The NFL and NHL have both sent official letters regarding the subject, which can be read in full on the Senate’s website.
In their letter, the NFL’s VP of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Jonathan Nabavi has said that the elimination of illegal operators depends on an alternative legal, robust market that enables communication. Navibi argues that “unreasonably curtailing responsible advertising will inevitably hamper the important effort to channelise illegal sports betting into the legal market.”
Conal Berberich, group vice president and deputy general counsel for the NHL, said that while the division supports the consumer protection elements of the bill, adding strict caveats on advertising may prove to be counter-productive. Berberich argues that advertising allows brands to distinguish themselves from one another and to build a brand identity that separates them from illegal operators.
