With the sports betting legislation receiving assent in 2021, there’s nothing to prevent the launch of single market sports betting in Canada.
Bill C-218 sought to repeal paragraph 207(4)(b) of Canada’s Criminal Code, and update Canadian laws on single-event sports betting. After receiving support from all four of the main parties, the bill was presented to the Senate, receiving approval on June 22nd.
With royal assent granted just one week later, it’s been all systems go for sports betting in Canada. There’s no quick or easy way to launch a safe and responsible betting system, so it’s taken some months to put together a structure that is entertaining yet doesn’t compromise player security.
From the start, Ontario has been hotly tipped as the first place to take full advantage of the new rules. According to many campaigners, it’s anticipated that online sports betting will launch on April 4th 2022, which isn’t a minute too soon.
A Challenging Process to Navigate
Now that the legislation has been given the green light by the Senate, it seems to be an obvious decision to have made.
In many other places in the world, such as Europe, single-event sports betting is commonplace and is part and parcel of a safe and regulated gambling industry.
This has been the argument that many campaigners have been putting forward, including leading betting firm bwin. As an established operator in the global market, bwin has the experience to know just how well single-event sports betting can work, and what it takes to ensure that a properly structured and regulated market is set up from the start.
Despite the precedents set elsewhere, Canadian lawmakers were originally reluctant to consider the change. Bill C-218 failed twice before eventually being given approval on its third pass through the Senate.
Widespread Support
The support from various industries helped to gather momentum behind the movement to legalise single-event sports betting.
As well as leading betting firms, pro sports organisations were also arguing for the change. The NHL (National Hockey League), MLB (Major League Baseball), NBA (National Basketball Association), CFL (Canadian Football League) and MLS (Major League Soccer) issued a joint statement to the Canadian government requesting for serious consideration be given to the bill.
The collective statement was read out in the House of Commons, on the first pass through of the bill. Their argument included the fact that with illegal betting already being an issue for Canada, it would be better to provide a more protective and safer framework that could be properly monitored.
Autonomy for Each State
The government is allowing each state to decide how they want to roll out the new rules, but Ontario has been quick to sign up. The Gaming Commission of Ontario has already put in a substantial amount of work pairing with sports betting providers to create what they believe will be a more attractive and comprehensive iGaming market for the future.
As the full force of the C-218 legislation comes into being around the country, players will have improved access to betting firms such as bwin, and greater ability to bet on the sporting events that they love.
