Ontario bans use of pro athletes to advertise, market online sports betting

Ontario announced Tuesday that the province will ban the use of athletes in advertising for online gambling, while also strengthening standards to restrict the use of celebrities who the government says might appeal to minors. 

But advocates, the Opposition NDP and a Canadian senator who has called for stricter regulations in the sector say that while the ban is welcome, it doesn't go far enough to protect those who are most vulnerable to gambling addictions. 

Advocates and academics have raised concerns about the inundation of sports betting advertising seen in the province since Ontario opened up to independent online gambling sites last year, and decried the impact those advertisements could have on the health of young people.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced Tuesday it updated the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming to prohibit the use of athletes and said new restrictions will come into effect Feb. 28, 2024.

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and current NHL stars Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews are among the athletes who have appeared in ads for gambling sites.

"Children and youth are heavily influenced by the athletes and celebrities they look up to," Tom Mungham, the AGCO's registrar and CEO, said in a statement. "We're therefore increasing measures to protect Ontario's youth by disallowing the use of these influential figures to promote online betting in Ontario."

In April, the AGCO held consultations on its proposal for the ban and received submissions from a host of stakeholders, including mental-health organizations, gambling experts, gaming operations and the public.

In its report Tuesday, the AGCO said its proposal "comes after significant criticism from advocates, experts and