In recent years Canada has undergone major changes towards legalizing online gambling. In the past, online gambling was unregulated in the territory of Canada, so residents ventured to offshore sites. Here, they could freely play casino games and place bets on sports events. But this meant that a massive amount of money went across the border to offshore sites. As online casinos started facing legislation around the world, Canada was quick to follow. They legalized online gambling and allowed for legal online casinos to enter the market. This meant if you wanted to play roulette online Canada could deliver. The process and the conduct of business of online casinos in the territory of Canada are closely monitored by iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Sports Gambling In Canada
The biggest change for the legal sports gambling scene came in 2021 when the Canadian Senate passed the C-218 Bill. This bill is the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, which is an amendment to the Criminal Code which was in power until then. The bill removes the current ban on “any race or fight, or on a single sports event or athletic contest.” The bill was passed to make betting on single events legal in the territory of Canada. Before that, only parlay bets were legal under the Criminal Code.
But the passing of the bill and making it into law doesn’t mean that single-bet sports betting becomes legal on the entire territory of Canada. This means that every province in the country is free to implement it and manage sports betting on their territory. But luckily for punters, all of the provinces were happy to implement the new changes. The leader was Ontario, which was already a leader in the iGaming field. British Columbia and Alberta vowed to implement the bill once it became a law, and the Atlantic Provinces also accepted the changes with open arms. The Atlantic Provinces constitute the following areas:
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
This means that once the changes are made, Canadians will be able to place single-event bets on every sports category online bookmakers have to offer. The goal is to keep Canadian players betting and legal Canadian bookmakers protected under the guidance of legal regulatory bodies. The end goal is to protect Canadian residents from rogue offshore casinos and help those who show signs of problematic gambling.
Bookmakers target the Canadian market.
Once the word was out that sports betting was becoming legal in Canada, the biggest bookmakers in the industry were quick to make an entry. Of course, this meant obtaining a valid operating license and abiding by all of the rules on the market. The competition to get a piece of the pie has a great effect on players. Some advantages Canadians can enjoy are:
- Attractive bonus promotions
- Favorable odds on sporting events
- Fast payouts
- Popular Canadian payment methods
When a new market like Canada opens up, every bookmaker tries to offer the best possible package for new players. This way, the players can benefit the most and take advantage of everything the bookmaker has to offer.
Future of Sports Gambling in Canada
Things are looking great at the moment for the sports betting scene in Canada. All of the provinces now allow for single-event betting and are welcoming bookmakers to the scene. However, there is some pushback from residents, mostly due to the number of bookmaker ads across the country. This issue will need to be addressed in the future, and there will surely be some additional legislation to handle it. Other than that, the market is sure to grow steadily as more bookmakers enter the scene. In the end, the players are the ones that will benefit the most. They will get to play at legal Canadian casinos and get the best possible service for their money.
