The Canadian gaming sector entered a new regulatory phase in January 2026 with the activation of a national advertising code developed to raise standards for how gambling-related content is presented to the public. The framework applies to advertising for gambling, betting, and online gaming across media formats and is administered by Ad Standards. The document supplements existing provincial regulatory structures and integrates rules for digital campaigns, social media, and influencer participation.

Structure and Purpose of the New Code

The Canadian Gaming Association produced the code in collaboration with industry representatives. It introduces requirements focused on integrity, transparency, and social responsibility in advertising. The code applies to advertising directed at Canadian audiences across digital, social, television, print, and outdoor media. According to Ad Standards, compliance with the code will provide clarity and accountability in operators’ advertising. It is mandatory for CGA members and other legal participants in the Canadian market.

CGA President and CEO Paul Burns stated that the document reinforces the industry’s existing commitments to responsible advertising. He noted that the code offers a clear understanding of what is acceptable and what is not, including examples of unacceptable content. The CGA incorporated guidelines on the use of influencers and recommended that gambling operators avoid targeting users under 21 on social media. Burns added that the code will be reviewed and updated as regulations evolve.

Within the code, requirements span definitions, truthful representation of gaming products, depictions of gambling behavior, and restrictions on inducements. The document establishes a benchmark for acceptable advertising and reflects a voluntary commitment by members of the gaming industry to uphold standards that meet or exceed existing law. It also outlines that consumer and competitor complaints may be adjudicated by Ad Standards under both the code and the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards.

Advertising Rules and Influencer Obligations

Influencer activity has been scrutinized in Canada for a decade. In 2016, Ad Standards issued Interpretation Guide No. 5 to prevent misleading influencer content, requiring disclosure of material connections between brands and influencers. That disclosure must be clear, prominent, and placed next to the advertising message. The CGA Code, through clause 7, sets requirements for authenticity in reviews, recommendations, and opinion content produced by influencers. It applies to all formats in which such content appears.

The guidance was updated in 2025 to address distinctions such as gifted products versus event invitations, proper use of paid partnership tools, disclosure in partnership programs, labeling of content for children, and identification of AI-generated or virtual influencer content. Affiliates and influencers are explicitly within scope under the code. The framework also addresses responsible gaming statements, including mandatory inclusion of “play responsibly” language in advertising. The code states that inducements, bonuses, credits, rewards, and similar promotional offers may not be communicated publicly except under limited circumstances such as direct marketing to verified players who have provided active consent.

Regulatory Context and the Alberta Market

Ontario launched its regulated iGaming market on 4 April 2022 through the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. The new advertising code does not replace that regulatory structure but supplements it. Ad Standards began accepting reports of advertising violations on 1 January 2026. Administration of advertising activities for operators and suppliers has been assigned to Ad Standards.

The activation of the rules coincided with the opening of Canada’s second gambling jurisdiction. On 14 January 2026, Alberta officially began registering private operators for participation in the open gambling and sports betting market. The registration phase marks an expansion opportunity for private operators at a time of rising interest in iGaming in Canada. Registration is processed through the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission and requires a commercial agreement with the provincial iGaming corporation.

The code’s scope, as defined, applies to all advertising of gambling, gaming, or betting communicated to Canadians across media. It specifies that affiliates and influencers qualify as advertisers and outlines definitions for key terms including verified player, advertising, and gaming. The code also clarifies that it supplements Canadian federal and provincial obligations and that operators are responsible for establishing compliance criteria and internal controls to meet its standards.

Canada’s updated advertising environment positions responsible messaging as a central industry expectation. By pairing national advertising guidance with expanded market activity in Alberta, the regulatory architecture introduces new oversight mechanisms that apply to a broad range of media channels, intermediaries, and promotional formats throughout the country.

Source:

Code for Responsible Gaming Advertising, Canadian Gaming Association, Updated December 18, 2025/In Effect January 2026. [pdf]