Canada moves toward a national betting ad framework with Bill S-211. Ontario sets $8.55B wagering record. What’s next for operators and players?
Your Content Goes. October marked a turning point for Canada’s gambling industry.
Lawmakers in Ottawa advanced a federal bill to rein in sports-betting advertising, even as Ontario’s online gambling market hit record highs.
Between new national rules taking shape and regulators upgrading their oversight frameworks, the month revealed a country balancing rapid market growth with mounting pressure for consumer protection.
Federal push for national ad rules
The Canadian Senate recently passed Bill S‑211 on October 22, sending the proposed National Framework on Sports-Betting Advertising Act to the House of Commons for further debate.
The legislation aims to require the Minister of Canadian Heritage to devise a national framework for regulating sports-betting advertisements, addressing how frequently and where ads appear, and further limiting or banning the use of celebrities or athletes in such promotions. Bad news for Drake as his betting tips may need to find a new home.
Proponents argue that provincial rules have been patchy and insufficient, and a federal standard is needed to protect vulnerable consumers from ad saturation. Critics, however, caution that the existing provincial frameworks, especially in jurisdictions such as Ontario, are robust, and that heavy regulatory interference may push users toward unregulated alternatives because nothing says ‘I’ll make better choices’ quite like spite-gambling on a sketchy offshore site. The bill does not immediately ban sports-betting ads outright, but gives Ottawa the power to set limits.
What to watch: whether the House makes major amendments, how quickly the advertising framework is rolled out, and how operators across Canada adjust marketing strategies in response. Spoiler alert. We can expect a sudden surge in ‘totally-not-gambling-related’ lifestyle content featuring wealthy influencers.
Ontario’s mMarket Showing Record Activity
In the province of Ontario, the regulated iGaming market hit a new high in September 2025, with players wagering a total of CA$8.55 billion on online casino and sports betting platforms. iGB+1 That’s a billion with a B, roughly equivalent to the GDP of a small nation or what it costs to fill your gas tank these days in Canada. All jokes aside, of that total, online casino games accounted for about CA $7.34 billion, sports betting just over CA $1.06 billion, and peer-to-peer poker roughly CA $144 million.
iGB Active player accounts in September hit a record of approximately 1.2 million, yet the average revenue per active account dipped to CA$282, indicating a broader user base but lower intensity per account. iGB Translation. As a result, more Ontarians are gambling, but they’re spreading their losses more democratically. While this surge demonstrates strong consumer engagement, it also raises questions around responsible play, marketing reach, and player protections, especially in light of the federal advertising discussions.
You can also read more about Ontario’s officially released stats, with the last report being the July 2025 Ontario Gambling Stats, written by Jack Bannon here on Casinoplusbonus.
Operator/Regulator Moves and Oversight
Earlier in October, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) updated its Lottery Licence Policy Manual, signalling tighter oversight of lottery and gaming-machine licensing in the province. gamingamericas.com Because if there’s one thing regulators love, it’s a good manual update. At the same time, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) made its regular lottery-winner disclosures (for example, winners listed October 22) and announced community payments, thus reminding stakeholders that land-based and lottery operations continue alongside the online market.
These developments reflect a dual-track regulatory environment: online markets are booming, but traditional lottery and retail gaming remain under active supervision and reform.
Why this matters and what’s next
October’s defining theme in Canada’s gambling sector is regulatory shift rather than product innovation. The federal ad framework bill creates a major shift in how online sportsbooks, casino operators, and affiliates market themselves across provinces. Operators should prepare for tighter controls on ad placement, celebrity/athlete endorsements, and cross-platform promotion. Time to dust off those genuine user testimonial scripts, I guess.
Meanwhile, the Ontario market’s record wagering underscores user demand, but also heightens the need for responsible-gaming safeguards and effective oversight. Enhanced licensing policies and continued public-disclosure practices reflect regulators’ heightened vigilance.
- For players:the growing attention to ad-rules and regulatory reform means you may see changes in marketing offers, fewer celebrity-endorsed campaigns, and possibly stricter identity/marketing controls.
- For operators: this is a moment to review compliance, marketing spend, and prepare for potential national-level constraints—preferably before the Minister of Canadian Heritage decides your ad strategy needs a timeout.
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