Legal Canada sportsbetting is a step closer to becoming a reality after the Canadian Senate passed Bill C-218 which will allow Canadians to wager on single sporting events – following a second reading by the senate on Tuesday May 25th.
Bill C-218 seeks to amend the Candian Criminal Code – to allow bets on single sporting events like football, nba, and hockey games. At present Canadian laws permit only bets that combine a minimum of two events, with the exception of horse-racing.
Just a few days ago, the author of the bill (conservative MP Kevin Waugh) had estimated that the probabilty of the bill passing was effectively a coin toss or 50/50 shot – but in a surprising move the bill will now make its way to the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce.
In April, bill C-218 was passed by the House of Commons after a third reading and has been in limbo, waiting for senate approval since then.
Now that the bill has been referred to the committee, the legislation will be reviewed and if / when approved will receive Royal Assent before being written into Canadian law.
Based in London, Natasha is a former sports journalist with experience working for some of the biggest athletes & brands in the world of sports and iGaming.