Canadian Gaming Association Repeats Single Betting Call
The Canadian Gaming Association issued a statement this week, following the raid of Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit personnel on a private Super Bowl party in York.
The CGA wanted to reiterate its support for the passing of Bill C290 which has the potential to allow single event sports wagering opportunities for Canadians, saying that the Super Bowl gambling raid highlighted this need.
"What we have now learned is that this party was just one part of a sophisticated organized crime operation taking millions of dollars in sports wagers, the proceeds of which are used to fund other illegal operations of organized crime," noted the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Gaming Association, Bill Rutsey in the press release.
$14 Billion Spent Gambling
According to statistics put out by the CGA, Canadians spend around $14 billion each year betting on sports - $10 billion at what the association considers "illegal book making operations in Canada" and another $4 billion at offshore online sports betting sites.
Bill C290 was first introduced to Canadian legislators in November 2011 and sailed through the House of Commons in March 2012. The bill is supported by eight provincial governments in the country, mainly because it will provide Canadians with the opportunity to enjoy regulated sports betting options run by licensed bookmakers.
The Federal Minister of Justice has received letters from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario asking that the criminal code be amended to allow single event sports wagering.
Quebec, New Brunswick and PEI have all indicated their willingness to support the bill.
The bill essentially calls for an amendment of Canada's criminal code to allow single event wagering if individual provinces so wish.
This week, a third ready debate on the bill will be held.
Outdated Canadian Gambling Laws
In its press release, the Canadian Gaming Association pointed out that Canadian sports betting laws were created before the introduction of the internet, and were therefore outdated.
"We are now at the stage where we can talk about lost opportunities for communities across the country - such as economic development, employment and most of all, protection of players," said the CEO.
He said that Canada's current sports betting laws date back to the 1960s "when the world was a very different place."
"It should be a no brainer to amend the legislation to allow Canadians to place a bet without having to combine it with additional outcomes or seek out nefarious means," said Rutsey about single game sports betting in Canada.
