Legislation ending Canada’s federal ban on single-event sports won Royal Assent on Wednesday.
Now an official act of the Canadian Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will have to set an effective date for the amendment on sports betting in Canada. Canada’s Senate passed Bill C-218 on June 22, while the House of Commons passed it in April.
“I am pleased to welcome the Royal Passage of Bill C-218, a law to amend the Penal (Sports Betting) Code, which will introduce the existing practice of single-event sports betting into a legal, regulated environment while strengthening our economy and supporting well-paying jobs for Canadians. ” , David Lametti, Canada’s minister of justice and Attorney General, said in a news release.
C-218 amends a line in the Canadian Penal Code to allow provinces and territories to authorize sports in undeniable games. Canadian provinces can already offer bets through their lotteries.
The amendment creates a scenario similar to that of U. S. sports following the repeal of PASPA, creating a province-by-province resolution on Array
Several proposed amendments failed in the legislative process. Lametti said appropriate discussions will now take place, that is, around the participation of Indigenous First Nations tribes.
“The Government of Canada is engaging lately with provinces and territories and Indigenous nations, communities and organizations that have expressed interest in discussing how gambling is regulated in Canada to better perceive and respond to calls for greater opportunities for Indigenous peoples to participate in the conduct and regulation of gambling in Canada. ” Said.
Several parties have been advocating for sports betting in Canada for more than a decade. The Canadian Gaming Association estimates that C$14 million is illegally wagered on the sporting year.
House of Commons MP Kevin Waugh introduced Bill C-218 in February 2020. The Canadian government proposed the legislation, Bill C-13, in November 2020, and found that the current federal government supported sports betting.
The government passed Bill C-218 as its official law in November, killing C-13 as it progressed. Private member spending faces a fierce battle, back on the agenda, but Bill C-218 has triumphed over several periods of hesitation to pass.
Most eyes of the sports betting industry were watching the evolution of sports betting in Canada. As soon as it passed in the Senate, the provincial government and sports betting operators issued statements of support.
Multiple provincial lottery sites can launch single-event sports as soon as Trudeau’s effective date, simply adding to their offerings.
Other provinces, such as Ontario, would likely take longer to launch an open market. Ontario, the fifth largest jurisdiction in the U. S. U. S. Or Canada, is making plans for a “competitive and regulated market,” which can also be introduced to the end. of the year, according to David Phillips, lead chief operating officer of the Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission.
TheScore, in Toronto, is eager to capture the market share in its home country. Australian company PointsBet has introduced PointsBet Canada.
DraftKings and BetMGM were among the operators that issued returns when the bill passed the Senate. DraftKings also expanded its partnership with the NFL to come with Canada, while BetMGM aligned itself with The Hockey News and Wayne Gretzky.
Pat Evans is a Las Vegas journalist who covers the sports business. In the past, Evans worked for Front Office Sports and the Grand Rapids Business Journal. It is the one of two books: Grand Rapids Beer and Nevada Beer.