# The advertising code that treats affiliates as advertisers, in force from January 2026

> The CGA Code for Responsible Gaming Advertising applies from January 2026 and names affiliates as advertisers. What it says on wording, age and audience.

Source: https://reviewstandings.com/cga-code-edition-in-force-january-2026/
Updated: 2026-11-13

The CGA Code for Responsible Gaming Advertising applies from January 2026 and names affiliates as advertisers. It restricts the word "free" where a player risks their own money, and it sets age and audience limits. It is a self-regulatory code, not a statute. We could not find the previous edition with a date, so our comparison stays open.

## What the code says, as we read it

**CGA Code points relevant to this site · CGA Code PDF via Ad Standards · checked 2026-11-13**

| Topic | What the code says | Previous edition |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliates | Named as advertisers | Not confirmed |
| The word "free" | Not to be used where the player risks their own money | Not confirmed |
| Models and actors | Not younger than 25 | Not confirmed |
| Audience | At least 80% adult audience for broadcast; social targeting excludes under 21 | Not confirmed |
| Athletes | Active and former athletes not used, except in responsible-gambling advertising | Not confirmed |

**Takeaway:** the table shows the 2026 wording only; the previous edition is "Not confirmed" until we have its text and date.

## What this changes in our wording

- We do not use "free" where money is at risk.
- Buttons read "See terms at [operator]" or "Sign up at [operator]". We do not use "Bet now".
- No athletes, celebrities, cartoon characters or team logos appear on the site.
- Links to operators carry the label "Advertisement", and the disclosure sits before the first link.

Why these limits exist for advertisers is explained in [Ontario's athlete rule](https://reviewstandings.com/agco-standard-2-03-athlete-rule-2024-02-28/). Our own disclosure is on the [advertising disclosure page](https://reviewstandings.com/advertising-disclosure/).

**Takeaway:** we apply the code to ourselves, because it names affiliates, and we say so openly.

## What we could not confirm

- The date of the previous edition and its text.
- Which date marks the current edition: 2025-12-18 in our source log, 2025-10-24 in the PDF file name.
- How Ad Standards would apply the code to a comparison site such as this one. We have not asked a regulator.

## How we checked

1. We read the CGA Code PDF published through Ad Standards.
2. We noted each point that affects affiliates and wrote it in the table.
3. We left a cell as "Not confirmed" wherever the text did not settle it.

## Sources

- [CGA Code for Responsible Gaming Advertising (PDF, Ad Standards)](https://adstandards.ca/wp-content/uploads/CGA-Code-for-Responsible-Gaming-Advertising-2025-10-24.pdf)
- [Ad Standards, Canadian Code of Advertising Standards](https://adstandards.ca/code/the-code-online/)

## What changed

- 2026-11-13: first version.

## Age and help

19+ in Ontario and British Columbia; 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec. Gambling involves risk. Play responsibly. Need help? See [help lines by province](https://reviewstandings.com/responsible-gambling/). Not an official site of any operator or regulator.

## FAQ

**Is the CGA Code a law?**

No. It is a self-regulatory code published through Ad Standards. Laws such as the Competition Act apply separately, and provincial rules such as AGCO's standards apply to operators in Ontario.

**Does the code cover affiliates?**

Yes. The code treats affiliates as advertisers, so a site that earns a commission from an operator is within its reach.

**What does the code say about the word 'free'?**

It restricts the word where a player risks their own money. We apply that to our own text and use the word on this site only when no money is at stake.

**Which edition is in force?**

Our source log records an edition dated 2025-12-18, in force from January 2026. The PDF we read carries 2025-10-24 in its file name, so we could not confirm which date is the edition date.