A senator’s push to curtail the unchecked promotion of sports betting is working its way through the legislative process, with the aim of establishing a national framework for regulating these services.

In broad strokes, the legislation would require Ottawa to set limits on advertising — including possible measures to curb how much of it reaches Canadians — and also national standards for preventing problem gambling. But with an election on the horizon, it still has a long way to go before reaching the finish line.

“It’s a long haul,” said Senator Marty Deacon, who introduced Bill S-269, which recently passed second reading in the Senate — its text unchanged from first reading.

Canada legalized single-event sports betting in 2021. That effort gave provinces the green light to develop private markets for these services, but so far, only Ontario has taken that step.

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