Stop Harmful Gambling Advertising
Online gambling is becoming a public health crisis in Ontario, the only province in the country that has privatized online gambling
I had the privilege of co-sponsoring MPP Lee Fairclough’s Bill 107, Stop Harmful Gambling Advertising Act, 2026. On May 13, 2026 I spoke during second reading debate and this is what I said:
I believe that online gambling is a ticking time bomb in our society.
Online gambling today reminds me of 15 years ago, when I was an MP, we were told that opioid addiction was going to become a much bigger problem. We’ve seen how that’s turned out.
Let’s not repeat that disaster.
How big is online gaming in Ontario?
TSX Venture Exchange companies raised $10 billion in 2025. This is the future of Ontario’s economy.
iGaming Ontario (just online gambling in Ontario) had wagers in just one month, March 2026, of $10 billion, the same size as a whole year of capital raised on the TSX Venture Exchange. That comparison is amazing, given that the ability to raise risk capital is a significant drag on Ontario’s early-stage ventures.
Online gambling is becoming a public health crisis, with real harms and real costs: addiction, worsening mental health, financial distress, and family breakdowns.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction said that increased advertising is normalizing gambling. The Canadian Psychological Association has warned that gambling marketing contributes to addiction and should be restricted. Adolescent boys and young men are those most affected.
ConnexOntario offers free, confidential information on services for those facing issues with gambling. Since the Ford Conservative government privatized online gambling in 2022, calls to ConnexOntario have increased by 144 per cent, with most gambling-related contacts linked to online platforms.
There’s a difference between a fun bet and a destructive addiction. Advertising for online betting isn’t needed to have fun, and it doesn’t protect the well-being of Ontarians. I call on all MPPs to support this initiative of MPP Lee Fairclough.
Well said, Ted. This is unfortunately yet another cheap trick to enhance political popularity that will come back to bite us all in the butt with increased costs to our society.