National Sports Betting Advertising Framework: Implications for Gamblers

A National Sports Betting Advertising Framework is exactly what it appears to be: legislation or regulations implemented at the national level to oversee the promotion of sports betting. The goal is to protect people — especially those who are more vulnerable — from false or harmful advertisements.

Why It Matters to Gamblers

Our experts conducted in-depth research and specified some of the most important reasons why ads can influence players in a bad way.

Advertising Can Enforce More Gambling

Studies have revealed that viewing sports betting commercials has the tendency to make people gamble more often and spend more. It can even force people to gamble on impulse — taking riskier bets or betting more often than they planned.

In Canada, the problem mounted following the opening of Ontario's regulated online gambling market in April 2022. Advertising quickly proliferated, especially during hockey matches. More than $300 million had been spent by legal betting operators on advertising during the first year of the new market, according to iGaming Ontario.

According to a report by Ipsos (2023), 37% of Canadians report they have noticed more gambling advertising during the last year, and among young adults aged 18–34, three-quarters reported that offers such as “free bets” had increased their engagement with gambling. This demographic is also most likely to be attracted to celebrity endorsements and sports sponsorships.

Advertisements that include “risk-free” or “bonus play” offers are particularly effective, but are likely to come with very strict conditions involving additional expenditure to unlock benefits. In addition, problem gamblers are very sensitive to advertising. These types of advertisements can be an incentive to induce problem gamblers to play again after they have tried to quit.

Advertisements Boost Gambling Spending in the U.S.

Domestically, ad spending for sports betting has exploded as regulation spread in 2018. TV commercials jumped from about $21 million in 2019 to over $300 million in 2022. Online ad spending nearly doubled, from $1 billion to $1.9 billion in two years.

The purpose of such advertisements is simple: attract new players as quickly as possible. They like to use tailored digital messages, aimed by age, interests, and even the history of past browsing. Canada has also followed a similar path since 2022, with operators launching targeted social media campaigning initiatives to reach sports fans.

Too Few Rules Can Raise Risks

In the United States, some states require that numbers for helplines be included or that direct targeting of minors be avoided. Nevertheless, in the majority of cases, there are no frequency restrictions or placement limitations. Other countries are more restrictive. In the United Kingdom, gambling adverts are prevented from promoting themselves based on sporting personalities, celebrities, or any other personality who could draw minors. In Australia, increased public pressure exists to ban gambling adverts from being broadcast during live sport coverage, but national policy has yet to take effect.

In Canada, however, it is not the same. Adverts are allowed in Ontario, but deceptive promotions are not, and adverts have to contain responsible gambling messages. There is no national regulation, though, so adverts remain prevalent and in-your-face. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) recently introduced new, tighter controls (effective from February 2024) that ban celebrities, sportsmen, and influencers from gambling adverts if they may be appealing to minors.