Alberta is set to launch a new online gambling market before summer but federal efforts to limit or ban sports-betting advertisements could gum up those plans.
The new market has been in the
since March as the province has made a series of changes to local gambling rules. The province has also laid the
to make it so companies, such as BetMGM, FanDuel, or DraftKings, could legally accept wagers in Alberta.
Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally said the goal of these changes is to reel in unregulated gambling. In a statement sent Friday, Nally also confirmed that the market is expected to be up and running before summer.
Often referred to as a “grey market,” unregulated gambling is estimated to account for 70 per cent of Alberta’s online gambling market.
“It is imperative that we crowd these bad actors out by establishing a regulated market where operators must put player safety and social responsibility first through strict, enforceable rules,” Nally said in a statement to Postmedia.
The new rules also call for changes to how gambling is advertised. Companies will be required to ensure their advertising does not target minors and that professional athletes are not used to promote gambling activities. Former stars, however, would be allowed to appear in spots promoting social responsibility.
But that framework could come into conflict with two federal efforts to limit or outright ban advertisements for online sports betting. Bill S-211, introduced and already passed by the Senate, had its first reading in the House of Commons in October.
If passed, the bill would mandate the federal minister of Canadian Heritage to create a national framework on sports-betting advertising to limit possible harms from gambling.
It would also call on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to review its own rules and address how adequate they are in limiting harms related to gambling advertising.
Nally has previously said the province is opposed to that bill, and that a federal advertising framework would create a confusing two-tier system that weakens enforcement, disadvantages regulated operators, and pushes players toward unregulated platforms with no protections.
While the bill moves through the House of Commons, a separate effort is calling to outright ban all ads for sports betting.
A
signed by more than 40 members of the Senate is calling on the prime minister to direct the CRTC to ban advertisements for sports betting in a similar way to how the CRTC bans advertisements for tobacco products.
Nally said a blanket ban could have unintended effects and give unregulated and offshore operators an advantage.
“These sites will never follow the rules, are not accountable to regulators, and often target vulnerable individuals, including our youth, regardless of advertising restrictions.”
A ban from the CRTC would also mean legal operators would face significant barriers in advertising locally in Alberta, Nally said, adding that it would impact the government’s ability to operate its own gambling market.
Carrie Shaw, a professor at the University of Alberta and a member of the Alberta Gambling Research Institute based out of the University of Calgary, said in an interview last month that the province’s rules are still too vague and allow for wiggle room.
Other countries, however, use a whistle-to-whistle ban, Shaw said. Meaning that no gambling advertisements can be shown during a sports event from the beginning until the end of the game.
“Some advertisers will undercut that rule by advertising right prior to the game, but at least there is some inoculation, some room to breathe without that advertising.”
Shaw emphasizes that any effort to regulate advertising should be backed by evidence.
Advertisements for sports betting have become commonplace since a change to the Criminal Code in 2021, and have raised concerns about how the frequency and prevalence of the ads could affect vulnerable people and children.
Edmonton sports fan Jason Hann said he’s witnessed firsthand how sports-betting ads have become inescapable. NFL broadcasts are filled with betting tips and references to gambling apps and websites, Hann said.
“It’s extremely pervasive,” Hann said. “If you’re not the type of person like myself who’s not interested in gambling at all, it’s just like, oh my god, can we please stop with this?”
When it comes to regulating advertisements, Hann said even if they aren’t banned, they could at least be more restricted.
This weekend, he expects to see many betting advertisements at the Super Bowl on Sunday.
“They’ve always made such a big deal about the epic Super Bowl commercials. Guaranteed at least two or three of them are going to be like DraftKings or Bet365.”
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