Canadian Single-game Betting Bill Gets Flayed
Conservative MP Michael Chong is one of the most vociferous critics of Bill C-290, which will make single-game betting legal if the Canadian Senate passes it. At present, Canadian provinces that do not criminalize sports punting require punters to place bets on several outcomes on one ticket, a form of betting commonly known as parlay betting.
Speaking to CBC Sports, Chong remarked, "It undermines the integrity of professional and amateur sport in Canada. There's a reason why none of the four major sports leagues have moved a franchise to Nevada. That jurisdiction has legalized single-event sports betting."
Bill C-290 has already been approved in the House of Commons and now it only needs to be approved by the Senate. If it is voted into law, provincial governments will be left free to decide if they want to legalize single-game punting in their respective territories.
Opposition to Bill C-290
Besides MP Chong, the MLB and the NBA are against the bill. Bill Daly, deputy commissioner for NHL, will place his point of view before the Senate next week, and the NFL has already criticized the bill. The leagues feel that the bill will have an adverse effect on the integrity of the sports events.
Paul Beetson, president of Toronto Blue Jays, said: "Losing bettors and fans ? may in turn become suspicious of every strikeout or error, and the game's integrity would be open to question - play by play, day after day." He also voiced concerns that if fans starting regarding baseball as just a gambling game, its integrity will be damaged.
What Proponents to Bill C-290 Say
Those who support the bill say that its critics are blowing things out of proportion. They say that the legalization of single-game betting will improve the economic situation of major casino cities such as Niagara Falls, Windsor, and Ontario, generate jobs, and prevent punters from betting at illegal betting sites or offshore betting sites.
Riseley Gaming Inc. CEO Jim Warren said that security measures can be employed to prevent punters from fixing matches. He said that online gambling is now so transparent that it cannot be abused in any way.
Explaining it further, he says, "You are going to have to physically go into a casino. You will be on a security camera. Any transaction over $10,000 is logged inside the casinos."
