On April 20, 2026, Ontario Liberal MPP Lee Fairclough tabled the Stop Harmful Gambling Advertising Act (Bill 107) in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, a legislative move that would ban licensed online gambling operators and their marketing partners from advertising to Ontario residents via broadcast media, social media, or paid sponsorships. The bill cleared its first introductory vote and has been ordered for second reading with debate scheduled for mid-May.
Key Provisions: Advertising Ban and Stiff Penalties
Bill 107 would amend Ontario's Gaming Control Act, 1992 to prohibit approximately 50 licensed sportsbook and iGaming operators—and firms marketing on their behalf—from promoting their platforms. Individuals convicted of breaching the advertising prohibition would face fines of up to C$100,000, while corporate violators could be liable for up to C$1 million. A second conviction triggers mandatory revocation of a supplier's registration, designed to prevent operators from treating financial penalties as a cost of doing business.
Fairclough framed the bill as a direct reversal of Premier Doug Ford's 2022 decision to open Ontario to private iGaming operators. “Online gambling is becoming a public health crisis,” she said, citing a 144% increase in calls to ConnexOntario—the province's mental health and addictions helpline—since the regulated iGaming market launched in April 2022, a figure derived from a March 2026 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. She argued that gambling platforms could be “supercharging” addiction through the ubiquity of promotional content, drawing explicit parallels with tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis advertising restrictions in Canada.
Industry Opposition: A Boon for Illegal Operators
The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) issued a statement on April 22 opposing Bill 107, arguing that Ontario's existing framework already constitutes “some of the most rigorous marketing regulations in North America.” Licensed operators are already barred from advertising promotional bonuses outside their own websites, apps, and direct customer channels, and are prohibited from marketing to high-risk cohorts, minors, or self-excluded players. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario strengthened these rules further in 2024 by restricting the use of athletes and celebrities in ads.
The CGA argued the bill would “essentially allow illegal operators to flood social media with posts, making it impossible for Ontarians to identify licensed providers while weakening the authority of the AGCO.” This argument mirrors global trends: research published in April 2026 by the UK's Betting and Gaming Council forecasted that unlicensed operator ad spend will exceed that of regulated firms for the first time by 2028, driven by regulatory tightening on licensed operators.
Market Context and Political Realities
Ontario's regulated market has grown substantially since launch. Figures from iGaming Ontario's 2024-25 annual report show C$82.7 billion in wagers, C$2.9 billion in gaming revenue, 50 operators, and more than 2.6 million active player accounts.
Despite the bill's low likelihood of passage—the Progressive Conservatives hold 80 seats in the Ontario Assembly, the Liberals just 14—it moves in parallel with federal Bill S-211 (the National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising Act), which has passed the Senate and awaits further House of Commons consideration under Prime Minister Mark Carney's newly secured Liberal majority.
Meanwhile, Alberta is set to become the second Canadian province to launch a competitive iGaming market in July 2026, adding another dimension to the regulatory landscape.
Bill 107 may not become law, but it signals a growing legislative backlash against the normalization of online gambling advertising and addiction, potentially influencing future federal and provincial policies.