Canada is on the verge of a gambling revolution as the legal establishments are tasked with the passing of Bill C-218 which will finally greenlight the introduction of single-event wagering in the country. Gaming operators have united on the matter as they believe that the change will finally stop the country’s betting enthusiasts from pouring their money into unregulated websites when wagering on a single event.
The bill that will amend the criminal code to allow single-event betting was introduced to the legislature by Member of Parliament Kevin Waugh a while back. The proposal for gaming expansion has accumulated plenty of support across the country and most recently it has positively passed a Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights voting.
CA$14 Billion Per Annum
According to reports from the Canadian Gaming Association over CA$14 billion per year is placed as bets by Canadian gamblers on offshore betting platforms and illegal gambling. President and CEO of the association Paul Burns has most recently spoken on the matter of legalizing single-event wagers and the effect it could have on the country’s gambling scene.
Most of the time many gamblers do not realize that they are wagering on an offshore platform, but it could lead to serious problems. Mr. Burns stated that the association regularly receives calls from gamblers who seek help in order to resolve their dispute or problem with an offshore website. In his opinion, online gambling has grown exponentially over the last decade and it is time for offshore companies to pay taxes.
Mr. Burns is optimistic that Ontario will turn out to be a great hotspot for gambling if Bill C-218 is approved. In his words, the province is a jurisdiction with enormous potential due to its population of 14.5 million people. Additionally, prominent casino operators as Ontario Lottery Gaming, DraftKings, FanDuel, theScore, and PointsBets are among the candidates to have a huge impact on the province’s gambling industry.
The proposed change will provide an even larger betting pool of betting opportunities as fans already fond of wagering on NFL, NBA, MLB, CHL, MLS, and many more sporting events. According to Mr. Burns, hockey will attract a huge crowd since it enjoys major popularity in the country and there are matches every other day. In conclusion, he believes that the proposed change will prevent many people from betting on offshore websites and bring a brand-new set of players to the regulated online and land-based casinos.
Change of Heart
The National Hockey League has also voiced its official support for the change of Canadian gaming law as the industry is looking to introduce single-game wagers. Representatives of the league have taken part in a recent meeting where industry officials have discussed extensively the positive and negative effects of the change. The NHL recognizes that the bill must be approved if the gaming scene is to move forward.
Recently Passed
Just recently the single-events wagering introduction or as legally knowns as Bill C-218 has been reviewed by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. The bill was passed by the committee but it had endured an amendment, as the committee has taken into consideration the horse racing industry’s request to apply protective measures for the field as live harness operators were alarmed that it might lead to unintentional harm to its wellbeing.
Source: McAllister, Steve “Gaming operators here want share of $14 billion spent by Canadians annually on offshore betting websites, illegal gambling operations”, Welland Tribune, April 8, 2021
