Canadian MP Pushes Legal Sports Betting
Joe Comartin, a New Democratic Party representative in Canada, has introduced new legislation that may see changes in the country's sports betting laws.
The Canadian Member of Parliament introduced the bill in the House of Commons which could see the legalization of single event sports betting in Canada if it passes.
The MP pushing for legal sports betting Comartin, who serves as a representative for the Windsor-Tecumseh constituency of Ontario, wants to see the Criminal Code amended on Canada's law books. His ultimate objective is to see Canadian gamblers allowed to wager legally on individual sporting events.
Comartin believes that many will support his efforts to repeal part of the Criminal Code, and he has already seen the backing from provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia. Both have publicly declared their support for the move.
Canadian Gaming Association Reacts to Proposal
The Canadian Gaming Association reacted to Joe Comartin's proposal and issued a statement this week regarding their support for the move.
The Chief Executive Officer for the Canadian Gaming Association, Bill Rutsey was quoted in the statement as saying: "The reality is that Canadians are wagering on sports predominantly through illegal means either with bookies or online."
"This bill will enable Canadian sports betting to occur in safe and regulated environments," he said.
The CGA's statement continued: "Sports wagering, estimated to be in excess of ten billion dollars annually, is arguable the single most popular form of gambling for Canadians. However, only $450 million of that is wagered through the current legally regulated provincial sports lottery products."
The CGA said that Canada has enjoyed legalized parlay-style sports wagering for many decades, however the current restriction that prohibits wagering on a single sporting event does not reflect the modern reality for Canadian sports bettors."
"With the passage of this bill, Canadians will have a legal and regulated product for wagering on the individual sporting events of their choice," read the statement.
The Canadian Gaming Association is a not for profit organization that aims to create balance in the public dialogue about gambling in Canada. The organization's mandate is to "create a better understanding of the gaming industry by bringing facts to the general public, elected officials, key decision makers and the media through education and advocacy."
Members of the CGA include top names in the Canadian gambling industry, including WMS Gaming, IGT Canada, Scientific Games and SIGA.
