S-211 – the National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising Act – creates a framework to control sports gambling ads in the country.
The Minister responsible for creating this framework is the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The framework will need to:
- Identify measures to regulate sports betting ads, with a focus on restricting it, limiting the number of ads, their scope, or location as well as banning celebrities and athletes in promoting sports gambling.
- Identify measures to promote research and intergovernmental information sharing related to preventing and diagnosing minors involved in harmful gambling, and to support measures to help people impacted by it.
- Set out national standards for preventing and diagnosing harmful gambling and addiction and for support measures for people affected.
There’s a pretty decent list of people the Minister will need to consult when creating this framework. First up is the Minister of Industry, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Employment and Social Development, the Minister of Indigenous Services, whichever Minister is responsible for mental health, and any other Minister relevant to this. They’ll also need to consult representatives from the provincial governments, including those in charge of consumer affairs, health, mental health, and addictions. Next up are the relevant stakeholders, service providers and representatives from medial and research communities, and organizations within the advertising and gambling industries that have relevant experience and expertise on harmful gambling. Indigenous communities will need to be consulted, as well as provincial gaming regulators, and anyone else the Minister decides is relevant.
The Minister will have 1 year to create this framework as well as the regulations involved, and an outline of how to implement the framework. After 5 years a review of the framework’s implementation will be done.
The CRTC will also be expected to review their regulations and policies around reducing harm from sports betting ads, and will need to submit their findings annually.
Progress of S-211
S-211 has gone through the Senate and is now waiting for its Second Reading in the House.
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