Lynnae is a journalist covering the intersection of technology, culture, and gambling. She has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor, with bylines at SlashGear and MakeUseOf. On the iGaming side,...
Read Full BioAn Ontario doctor has taken to the airwaves to express her concern about the use of professional athletes in gambling advertising.
Dr. Shannon Charlebois recently appeared on the Closer Look Podcast, where she argued that these advertisements had served to normalize gambling, especially among young people, and called for tighter regulations on when they could be broadcast.
The physician coauthored an op-ed published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal on September 8, outlining the pervasiveness of sports betting ads, their risks to young people, and calling for stronger national restrictions.
In the editorial, the authors state: “The legalization of online gambling (iGaming) in Ontario in 2022 turned any smartphone into a betting platform, compounding existing epidemics of technology and social media use addiction.”
‘It’s Simply Ridiculous’
Dr. Charlebois didn’t hold back while discussing her thoughts on gambling ads featuring athletes and their impact on young audiences, saying: “It’s simply ridiculous we’re allowing this. We don’t allow cigarette commercials. And we don’t allow cocaine commercials, which also ruin lives.”
She said that gambling ads featuring sports stars send the wrong message to children and vulnerable people. When talking about the role athletes play in gambling promotions, the physician explained that young fans often see them as heroes, “And with that, whether they ask it or not, comes some personal responsibility.”
The physician believes that no sports betting ads should air before 9 p.m. because there’s a good chance minors will see them. She used the UK’s whistle-to-whistle ban as an example of the type of measures Canada could implement to protect youth from exposure to gambling ads.
However, the UK’s ban is voluntary, and research published in the National Library of Medicine indicates pre-match ads actually increased slightly. That means young viewers who tune in before kickoff are still seeing gambling ads.
What Dr. Charlebois ultimately wants is federal legislation, including the passage of Bill S-211, which would establish a national framework for regulating sports betting ads and set rules for broadcasters and advertisers to limit youth exposure.
Growing Pressure to Restrict Gambling Advertising
Canada isn’t the only country where gambling ads featuring sports stars have come under scrutiny. In 2021, Spain passed a Royal Decree that banned celebrities from appearing in gambling ads. However, this prohibition didn’t last long. In 2024, the country’s Supreme Court reversed those restrictions, allowing operators to resume using public figures in their ads.
In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority has blocked ads that strongly appeal to minors and has also banned campaigns featuring sports personalities on this basis. Australia has also tightened its rules, with some jurisdictions barring gambling ads during live play and restricting promotions around betting odds at specific times.
