A recent joint statement – sent to a number important figureheads in the Canadian governments – included backing from Adam Silver (from the National Basketball Association – NBA), Gary Bettman (from the National Hockey League – NHL), Rob Mandred (from Major League Baseball – MLB), Don Garber (from Major League Soccer – MLS) and Randy Ambrosie (from the Canadian Football League – CFL.)
The letter is calling on the Canadian government to change the federal law which – currently – outlaws betting on single events in Canada. theScore are also adding momentum to the move, and while CEO John Levy has, in the past, been vocal about the government needing to change the current laws, they are now taking a more active approach to getting the message through to legislators.
The Move Would Benefit Consumers And The Governments
Levy, in a recent statement, said:
“We strongly support the league commissioners’ calls to promptly amend Canada’s outdated federal laws to provide a safe, regulated, and competitive sports betting environment for fans in this country.
Sports betting is a major part of the fan experience and already takes place in Canada through the unlicensed grey market with offshore operators. For the past two years, the United States has demonstrated the kind of tangible consumer and tax benefits related to regulated sports betting that could be similarly impactful in Canada.”
It’s promising to see the biggest names in sports come together to back the movement – and the additional messaging from CEOs like Levy is encouraging, as it continues to apply pressure upon legislators in Canada. It’s obvious that punters want to be able to place single-event bets, and it’s evident that the taxman would benefit too, as it’s likely a far greater number of bets would end up being placed if regulations were to be changed.
A Lost Opportunity?
There’s been significant media coverage in Canada regarding the current rules and regulations – which requires punters to place bets on a minimum of three selections. One of the nation’s biggest online news sites – the Toronto Sun – spoke out at the beginning of this year, believing that the Canadian government was missing out on a significant amount of revenue by failing to address the growing calls to allow single-event betting.
What’s worse, research has shown that many Canadians have been turning to unregulated online betting sites – and even organized crime – in order to place bets. This was seen on a large-scale during the Superbowl, where it’s estimated Canadians wagered billions of dollars – many of which were wagered illegally, costing the Canadian taxman greatly.
The US is frequently cited as a case-study, proving that single-event betting works, is beneficial to all parties involved and doesn’t affect the integrity of any of the events in question. Indeed, with all of the major sports leagues coming out in favour of single-event betting, it appears as though the only resistance is now coming from legislators themselves – so it’s hoped that growing pressure and the recent letter will convince them to start looking at changing the current laws.
See also: Sportsbook reviews 2020
