Bill C-218 (Single game betting legalization)

[CanadianSoccerFan]

The next few weeks could see single game sports betting finally legalized in Canada.  It has passed 2nd reading in the Senate and is currently in committee.  It just needs to pass a third reading before becoming law.  The catch is the Senate breaks for the summer after June 25 and an election is imminent. Any election call would require starting again from the beginning and take years.

The CFL commissioner has been speaking in favour at the Senate committees practically begging them to waive it through before June 25.  The underlying motive being a flood of sponsorship and ad revenue from gaming operators the league desperately needs. Best estimates are an extra $20M

https://3downnation.com/2021/05/19/legalization-of-single-game-sports-betting-could-be-worth-20-million-annually-for-cfl/

This brings us to the CPL. Obviously we all know about the CSL fixing scandals which all happened in spite of prohibition.  Legalization would clearly open up new avenues for CPL revenue generation.  However I hope we don't allow a free for all like the UK where the ads are relentless and dangerous.

 

Thoughts?

Edited June 3, 2021 by CanadianSoccerFan

[Cheeta]

What year is it?

We can't bet online on individual events that aren't horse racing?  

That's outrages!  I'm going to cable my Parliamentarian!  Post haste!

[Big_M]

flashbacks of csl..thats the first, and maybe only, thought

[Ruffian]

It won't really affect me. I can bet on any game on the internet with real money or made up money (cryptocurrency). Although, it would be nice if Canadians could make a cut being the bookie.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

2 hours ago, Ruffian said:

It won't really affect me. I can bet on any game on the internet with real money or made up money (cryptocurrency). Although, it would be nice if Canadians could make a cut being the bookie.

This is precisely why the current setup is so stupid.  It's essentially legal already but all the money goes to organized crime and illegal operations like the Kahnawake tribe who operate on a bluff that the government doesn't have the guts to shut them down.

[shorty]

Not trying to go off on a tangent, but my relatives are all from Kahnawake. I’m not personally in favour of some businesses that run there, but I am completely in favour of the right to self-determine. I have a hard time equating what the Kanienkehakeron do on their sovereign territory with the operations of other organizations like the Hells Angels or Asian gangs. The context is totally different. 

Like I said though—not trying to derail the conversation. Minus the reference to Kahnawake, I’m totally with you. It’s a perfect parallel to legalization of marijuana to my mind. You don’t have to smoke or even approve of smoking to see that it makes sense for so many reasons. 
 

 

 

[CanadianSoccerFan]

5 hours ago, shorty said:

 I have a hard time equating what the Kanienkehakeron do on their sovereign territory with the operations of other organizations like the Hells Angels or Asian gangs. The context is totally different. 
 

 

 

The only part of their gambling operation on sovereign territory is the computer servers.  Their wholly owned sportsbook makes it explicitly clear this is a national Canadian operation for Canadian bettors across the whole country.                

The more controversial part is the "licenses" they're handing out to shady operators like Bet99.  Every offshore sportsbook that wants to operate illegally in Canada is going to the Kahnawake commission to buy a "license".  The license amounts to an insurance policy against criminal prosecution.  No need to obey the laws when you can just pay a protection fee to a third party that has leverage on the government.  Sound familiar?

 

 

[m-g-williams]

 

[toontownman]

And so it begins. 

Should hopefully be a decent wedge of money for the CPL though. 

[narduch]

Do any of the Provincial Lottery corps even have CPL matches listed?

[CanadianSoccerFan]

The bill passed the final hurdle in the Senate and will now become law.  

Expect some betting operators sponsoring the CPL going forward.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

The CPL wasn't waiting around for the provincial licensing process.  They've gone ahead and taken the cash from an operator with no Canadian license.  I'm sure you've all seen the ads on OneSoccer. 

Pretty clear the authorities aren't going to care so why wait.