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Canada to tighten gambling ad laws over World Cup concerns
Canada is looking to introduce tighter gambling ad laws during the FIFA World Cup 2026 period, as the country is co-hosting the event and officials are concerned about risks of increased betting activity.
Policymakers and advocacy groups have warned that the tournament could lead to a rise in online gambling participation, with promotions and advertisements exposing vulnerable groups to gambling. The biggest concerns have been raised for Ontario, which legalized iGaming in 2022, as authorities note that such global sports events are known for causing gambling spikes.
Ontario’s minister of tourism, culture, and gaming, Stan Cho, stressed:
“Any time there’s a big sporting event, you see the spike in just gambling in sheer numbers. Of course that means that problem gamblers are going to be more susceptible to the problem that they have.”
Studies have shown that Canadians see gambling ads regularly, with over a quarter of gamblers revealing that betting ads had influenced their decision.
Li Zhang, financial literacy leader at the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, added:
“Major global events like the FIFA World Cup only amplify the noise as gambling advertising and promotions surge. For those who haven’t yet dipped their feet in, my advice is simple: don’t start.”
At the same time, as the World Cup progresses, authorities have detected a rise in betting volume, tying the increase to social media and digital ads as well, which allow users to place easy and regular bets.
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