A bill to legalize single-sport betting and give Canada’s border casinos an edge over their American counterparts has been introduced in the House of Commons.
Debate on MP Brian Masse’s “Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act” was set to begin last week, and he said, “We have been working with a number of different groups and MPs and senators to line this up.”
Masse says sports betting generates around C$10 billion per year, and that legalization is the best way to prevent criminal elements from dominating the market.
“It’s about redirecting money from organized crime to that of a regulated, safer, accountable process,” he said.
It’s a position that resonates loudly on the other side of the border, too, and the potential impacts from losing U.S. players to sports books in Canadian casinos could ratchet up pressure for similar reforms in several states.
Current U.S. law allows sports betting only in Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware, the four states where it already existed when Congress in 1992 approved a nationwide ban after no other states legalized it.
In Canada, the potential for provincially regulated sports betting could also change the game for many online operators. The current laws regarding offshore operators offering internet gambling to Canadian citizens are vague. Federal regulation could drive out some online operators
In Quebec, the government is attempting to pass a bill to force ISPs to block access to unlicensed gambling sites. The bill is touted as a consumer protection measure although it is aimed also at protecting the revenues of Loto-Quebec.
Masse’s bill enjoys strong supported in his home constituency of Windsor, which borders the state of Michigan and where state Senator Mike Kewell has submitted a bill to permit online gambling.
The Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce is another vocal supporter, as is Caesars Windsor.
“This would be a new gaming product and would allow Caesars Windsor to be first in the marketplace,” said the casino’s president, Matt Marchland. “And we know once people experience Caesars Windsor they will come back and that will help drive tourism, jobs and revenue for the region.”
