The Canadian Gaming Association, a national trade organisation representing gambling operators and suppliers, has recently adopted a new code for responsible gambling advertisements. Developed in 2025 as part of a broader initiative for promoting responsible gambling, the CGA Code reflects the industry’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of transparency, integrity and social responsibility in advertising.
Canada Introduces New Gambling Advertisement Guidelines: Quick Overview
- Starting in January 2026, the Canadian Gaming Association has introduced a new responsible advertising code. It applies to gambling promotions across all major advertising channels and is enforced through Ad Standards Canada.
- The CGA code sets guidelines for influencer marketing and disclosures. It recommends targeting users above 21 on social media and includes examples of content that should not be used.
- The code strengthens the existing regulations governing influencer marketing and covers topics including rules for content directed toward children, the correct way of using paid partnership tools on social platforms, and disclosure obligations in affiliate marketing.
National Advertising Rules Now Apply Across Canada
Canada’s gambling sector has started 2026 with a new national advertising framework and a second province preparing to open its online market. A Code for Responsible Gaming Advertising developed by the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) is now in force, with Ad Standards, the national advertising self-regulatory body, assigned to oversee compliance and handle complaints.
The Responsible Advertising Code for the Gaming Industry applies to all gambling, betting, and online gaming promotions aimed at Canadian audiences. It covers digital platforms, social media, television, print, and outdoor advertising. All members of the CGA and other licensed market participants must comply with the new guidelines.
Online gambling in Canada, especially in Ontario’s regulated market, has been gaining prominence for quite some time now. The sector has been booming, with players frequently visiting online casinos in Canada. iGaming Ontario’s market performance report from December 2025 clearly highlights this trend.
Ad Standards, the country’s national advertising self-regulatory body, has been put in charge of oversight. The organisation will handle complaints and assess whether ad campaigns are abiding by the code. From January 1, 2026, Ad Standards formally began accepting reports of potential breaches.
Stricter Standards for Influencers and Social Media Marketing
Influencer marketing has been strictly monitored in Canada for years, well before the launch of regulated online gambling. In 2016, Ad Standards issued Interpretation Guide No. 5, which requires influencers to disclose any material relationship with a brand, product, or service they promote.
Such disclosures must be clear, prominent, and placed next to the promotional content. The new CGA code builds on this framework. Clause 7 introduces specific requirements for the authenticity of reviews, recommendations, and personal opinions expressed in influencer content related to gambling.
These rules apply to all formats in which influencers publish gambling-related material. The CGA also recommends that operators avoid targeting users under the age of 21 on social media platforms. The document also contains practical examples of advertising content that should not be used.
Alberta Opens Registration for New Regulated iGaming Market
The advertising changes come on the heels of Alberta stepping toward launching a competitive online gambling market. On 14 January 2026, Alberta opened registration for private companies seeking to enter its forthcoming regulated online gambling and sports betting market.
Operators can apply only through the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) and must secure a commercial agreement with the province’s state-owned Alberta iGaming corporation. The move signals the transition from a monopoly model toward a competitive structure similar to Ontario’s.
It also positions Alberta as the second Canadian jurisdiction to establish a formal, open iGaming market. Canada’s first fully regulated provincial online gambling market launched in Ontario on April 4, 2022. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) oversees the sector under its Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
The CGA code does not replace Ontario’s standards but supplements them with national principles for advertising content and social responsibility across provinces. Together, stricter advertising oversight and new market entry plans signal a dynamic shift in how gambling will be regulated across Canada in the future.