Gambling Weekly News Summary in Canada – 2025/10/11
Canadian Senate Committee Advances Sports Betting Ad Restriction Measure
Lawmakers from the Senate Transport and Communications Committee have cleared bill S-211, which would tighten restrictions on sports betting ads. The bill advanced in a 45-second hearing with no debate.
The bill, titled An Act Respecting a National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising, would require the cabinet to create a national framework that imposes regulations on sports betting advertisements.
“It is foolish to gamble with the health and well-being of Canadians when we already know what the outcome will be,” the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Marty Deacon, said. “It makes absolutely no sense to wait for these problems to arise and then react to them at which point tens of thousands of Canadians’ lives will have been devastated through problem gambling.”
Yet, the bill has met opposition from sports leagues like the NHL and the Canadian Football League. S-211 also mirrors similar legislation that passed the Senate in 2024, but ultimately failed after Parliament was postponed in January.
Play Alberta Partners with NHL Athletes to Promote Responsible Gaming
TAlberta’s only regulated iGaming platform (ALGC), Play Alberta, recently announced it has teamed up with two NHL players in a campaign to highlight the Atlanta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission’s social responsibility programs, GameSense and Self-Exclusion.
Dustin Wolf, goaltender for the Calgary Flames, and Leon Draisaitl, center for the Edmonton Oilers, will appear in various materials to remind betters of the tools and resources available, including limits for bets, deposits, and losses.
AGLC’s Vice President of Gaming, Dan Keene, said, “The addition of two new elite athlete ambassadors will help connect Alberta sports fans to Alberta-based teams with some of the most exciting, show-stopping performers this province currently has in it. Leon and Dustin are competitive, world-class professionals who give Play Alberta deeper opportunities to remind legal-aged Albertans of the responsible gambling features and tentpole matchups on the sports calendar.”
Additionally, exclusive meet-and-greets will be held with both Wolf and Draisaitl throughout the season, providing fans and social media followers with the opportunity to win.
Ontario Gambling Regulator Fines theScore $105K for Not Meeting Responsible Gambling Standards
Ontario’s gambling regulator, The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has fined online operator theScore $105,000 after the operator failed to adhere to the regulator’s responsible gambling and player protection standards.
The AGCO cites multiple breaches of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, which lay out protocols operators must follow. Following an investigation, the AGCO found that theScore had allowed a bettor to wager up to $2.5 million during an eight-month period. At the same time, the player had lost around $230,000, with $100,000 being lost in the first month alone.
According to the AGCO, the bettor had frequently asked for bonuses, continued to place bets after losses, and showed “signs of distress” towards theScore’s VIP service. Per the investigation, the AGCO stressed that these were all clear signs for theScore to step in and implement responsible gambling measures.
theScore has the right to appeal the decision to the License Appeal Tribunal, an independent body separate from the AGCO.
Ziv (Steve) Chen
CEO at Major League Content
Ziv has been working in the iGaming industry for more than two decades, serving in senior roles in software developers like Playtech and Microgaming. He then followed his lifelong passion of writing and became a fulltime journalist, covering casinos, sports betting, legislation and other gambling topics and news with a specialty in North America.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-steve-chen-94b01b5/
