Activist calls for ban on sports betting ads as legislation moves through Parliament

Summary

• A psychologist urges the federal government to ban all sports betting advertising while a new national regulatory framework is considered.
• Bill S-211, which passed second reading in April, aims to impose federal oversight on sports betting ads.
• Dr. Steven Joordens of the Canadian Psychological Association states the bill's two-year timeline requires immediate action to ban ads.
• Senator Marty Deacon, the bill's sponsor, argues ads cross provincial lines, making it a federal concern.
• Paul Burns of the Canadian Gaming Association contends provinces possess the best tools to handle the issue.
• If the bill passes its final reading in the House, it will return to the Senate for a vote.