Canada: Senate passes bill to legalise single-event sports betting

The Senate has approved the bill to legalise betting on single events. It now needs the signature of the chief justice of the Supreme Court before being implemented by each Canadian province.

Canada.- The Senate has passed a bill that will legalise betting on individual sporting events in Canada, something that is currently illegal except for on horseracing.

The House of Commons passed the bill to the Senate in April. The vote in favour has sent gambling shares higher as the bill should help companies win back customers from offshore websites and US casinos.

After the bill receives royal ascent from the chief justice of the Supreme Court in coming days, it will be up to each of Canada’s provinces and territories to decide how to implement legal betting on sports events.

Some provinces have already said that they will move quickly to get rules in place.

Sports wagering in Canada: the current prohibition to bet on single events

The current legislation, which prohibits single-event betting, has been criticised by lawmakers for being “ancient” and for pushing players to offshore sportsbooks.

It allows Canadians to bet on sports via provincial/territorial lottery companies, including online in some cases, but only via parlay bets, in which the ticket must include at least two games.