Bill 107 Original (PDF)
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Bill amends the Gaming Control Act, 1992 to prohibit a person who operates an electronic gaming site, or any person acting on such a person’s behalf, from advertising or otherwise promoting the site or anything that is offered or made available on the site, subject to certain exceptions. The amendments include providing that a person who fails to comply with the prohibition is guilty of an offence under the Act and, if convicted, is liable to a fine. A person’s registration as a supplier is revoked upon their second or subsequent conviction.
Bill 107 2026
An Act to amend the Gaming Control Act, 1992
Preamble
Addiction to online gambling is an emerging public health crisis in Ontario – the only province that has privatized online gambling in the country. ConnexOntario, Ontario’s mental health and addictions helpline, experienced a 144 per cent increase in calls following the privatization of online gambling in Ontario in April 2022, with significant increases in gambling-related calls from adolescent boys and men aged 15 to 24.
Online gaming is the most common type of gambling mentioned by callers to ConnexOntario, with 76 per cent of gambling-related contacts linked to online gambling between April 2022 and September 2025.
Mental health and addictions experts in Ontario have called for stronger restrictions on gambling advertising to address rising gambling addiction.
Gambling can be an addictive activity comparable to consuming alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, for which there are advertising restrictions. One in three Canadian adults aged 18 to 29 reported gambling online, and one in four young adults who gamble report experiencing a high level of gambling-related harms. Those struggling with gambling addiction are also more at risk of suicidal ideation.
The proliferation of gambling advertising normalizes gambling and corrupts the integrity and culture of sports. Banning the advertising of electronic gambling sites is therefore in the public interest to protect public health.
Therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
1 The Gaming Control Act, 1992 is amended by adding the following section:
Definition
3 (1) In this section,
“electronic gaming site” has the same meaning as in the iGaming Ontario Act, 2024.
Prohibition re advertising
(2) A person who operates an electronic gaming site, or any person acting on such a person’s behalf, shall not advertise or otherwise promote the electronic gaming site or anything that is offered or made available on the site.
Exception
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to,
(a) the sale or distribution of imported publication or the retransmission of radio or television broadcasts that originate outside Ontario if the purpose of the distribution or retransmission is not promoting an electronic gambling site;
(b) a literary, dramatic, musical, cinematographic, scientific, educational or artistic work, production or performance that uses or depicts electronic gambling or an electronic gambling site-related brand element, whatever the mode or form of its expression, if no consideration is given by a manufacturer or retailer, directly or indirectly, for that use or depiction in the work, production or performance; or
(c) a report, commentary or opinion in respect of an electronic gambling site if no consideration is given by a manufacturer or retailer, directly or indirectly, for the reference to the electronic gambling site in that report, commentary or opinion.
2 (1) Subsection 46 (2) of the Act is amended by striking out “or (7), 3.6 (6)” and substituting “or (7), 3 (2), 3.6 (6)”.
(2) Subsection 46 (5) of the Act is amended by striking out “section 2 or 18” and substituting “section 2, 3 or 18”.
(3) Section 46 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsections:
Penalty, offence re advertising
(5.2) A person who is convicted of an offence with respect to section 3 is liable to a fine of not more than $100,000 in the case of an individual or not more than $1,000,000 in the case of a corporation.
Revocation on second or subsequent conviction
(5.3) If a person is convicted of an offence with respect to section 3 a second or subsequent time, the Registrar shall make an order to revoke their registration, and section 13 does not apply in such circumstances.
Commencement
3 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
4 The short title of this Act is the Stop Harmful Gambling Advertising Act, 2026.