Masse Raises Call For Liberal Betting Laws

Canadian punters have been given renewed hope that single-game sports betting could be legalized. This hope first arose in 2012, when bill C-290 legalizing single-game sports betting throughout Canada, was approved by the House of Commons. However, the hope was dashed when the Senate failed to ratify it before the federal election that fall and the bill died.

This time the hope has come through an unusual route. Canada has a parliamentary lottery that determines the order in which private members can propose bills. Brian Masse, a New Democratic Party member representing Ontario, has drawn the seventh place on the list. He has promised to reintroduce bill C-290.

The objective of the bill was to amend the criminal code across the country, which currently makes provincial lottery monopolies responsible for sports betting. Under the law, the only type of sports betting that is currently legal in Canada is "parlay" betting. In this form of sports betting, the bettors are compulsorily required to wager on more than one game at a time. This is not very popular because bettors must win on all the counts in order to get paid. The lottery companies have indicated that this restriction affects their appeal with the gambling community, which in any event can access the more liberal sports betting options through off shore online gambling sites.

If Masse’s effort succeeds then the passage of the bill into law will essentially pave the way for single-game sports betting. The current legal restrictions would be lifted and punters will have more flexibility in their choices. Masse has said that this change will not only benefit his own local area, but all Canada. It is believed that such a step would boost the economy of the provinces and help in job creation.

However, there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. Converting the bill into law is bound to be a difficult process. Private bills are rarely passed into law in Canada for two reasons. The Canadian parliament only allows 30 private bills on the agenda at any given time. Because of the parliamentary lottery, this hurdle will be overcome for Masse’s sports betting bill. The second reason is more pertinent. The government usually gives step motherly treatment to private bills. Whatever the eventual outcome is, the intentions of Brian Masse need to be vociferously appreciated by all Canadians who favour more liberal sports betting and online gambling laws.

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