Ontario MPP Pushes Bill 107 to Restrict Gambling Adverts

A provincial lawmaker in Ontario has brought forward new legislation that would block advertising from online gambling companies, arguing that the province needs tighter rules around how these services promote themselves.

The proposed law, Bill 107, sets out to stop online gambling operators from marketing their platforms within Ontario. It also outlines financial penalties for those who break the rules, including fines that could reach up to one million dollars and the possibility of losing their licence to operate in the province.

The bill arrives several years after Ontario opened its regulated online gambling market in 2022, which allowed private companies to run digital betting platforms under provincial oversight.

The MPP behind the bill says advertising has become a central concern, especially given how visible it has become in everyday digital spaces and how often it reaches younger audiences.

Support for the proposal is closely linked to recent figures showing a sharp rise in gambling-related help requests since the province expanded its online gambling system.

ConnexOntario, a service that provides support for mental health, addiction, and gambling-related issues, has recorded a major increase in gambling-related calls since the launch of the regulated iGaming market. Overall, those calls have increased by 254 per cent.

Younger groups appear to be affected at even higher rates. Among teenage boys, gambling-related calls have risen by 144 per cent. For people aged 15 to 24, the increase has reached 337.8 per cent.

Research cited in discussions around the bill also highlights harm linked to online gambling activity. One study found that 23.5 per cent of online gamblers aged 18 to 29 reported experiencing some form of gambling-related harm in 2024, including financial strain and psychological effects.

The MPP behind the bill argues that advertising plays a role in these patterns and has raised concerns about how often gambling promotions appear in spaces used by younger audiences.

Speaking about the reasoning behind the proposal, the lawmaker said:

“We couldn’t trust companies to police themselves around cigarettes or around cannabis. So, we have laws in place that banned advertising on those things, those highly addictive things. And this online gambling is moving in the exact same direction as those other important public health issues,” she told Now Toronto on Tuesday.

The MPP also pointed to feedback from residents, saying the issue has come up frequently in conversations with families who feel the ads are hard to avoid.

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The legislation was formally introduced in the provincial legislature and is expected to be debated in the coming weeks, with a vote planned for mid-May. The outcome will determine whether the proposal moves forward into the next stage of the lawmaking process.

In the meantime, the bill’s sponsor is working to build wider awareness and support. Plans include outreach efforts across Ontario aimed at explaining the intent of the legislation and encouraging public engagement.

A petition is also expected to be launched, giving residents a chance to show whether they back the proposed restrictions on gambling advertising.

The MPP has called on colleagues from different political parties to consider supporting the measure when it comes up for debate, saying the issue cuts across party lines and affects communities across the province.

As Ontario continues to adjust to its regulated online gambling market, the discussion around advertising limits adds another layer to an ongoing debate about how far regulation should go in addressing gambling-related harm, especially among younger people.

Source:

‘It’s a public health crisis,’ MPP calls on Ford’s government to ban gambling ads in Ontario, nowtoronto.com, April 21, 2026.