This most recent development follows a commitment in Ontario's 2020 Budget to continue to push the federal government to decriminalize single-event sports betting. This was also one of the core gaming-related components of Ontario's 2019 Budget. We will continue to monitor the progress of Bill C-13 through the House of Commons. Currently, companies licensed by Canadian provinces are only permitted to offer what is known as parlay-style sports bets: wagers that include more than one match. (Pro-Line, operated by the. All gambling forms are legally regulated with the 1992 Gaming Control Act. With the Act, a way was made open for the first ever land-based casino in the province of Ontario. So, sports betting is legal. And not only offline, but online too.

Ontario’s 2020-21 budget shows the cost that the pandemic has had for the government of that Canadian province and the decrease in revenue suffered by the state monopoly Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corp (OLG).

The previous fiscal year, the operator delivered C $ 2.3 billion (US $ 1.76 billion) to the provincial coffers, while the revenue projection for this year is only C $ 200 million.

In the spring, the coronavirus pandemic led to the closure of the Ontario land-based casinos owned by OLG. It was not until a few weeks ago that they reopened in a limited way with respect to their physical capacity and with the proper security measures.

The performance of PlayOLG, the state monopoly online gaming site, is not yet known. OLG has not yet released its annual report for 2019-20. The previous year, the site produced revenues in excess of C $ 92 million, which was 25% more than in 2017-18, albeit behind rivals in the provinces of Quebec and British Columbia and Quebec.

In Ontario’s current budget it was anticipated that PlayOLG would have bidding competitors licensed to private operators in that province as anticipated. However, conservatives spoke very little about the issue afterward.

The provincial government announced the presentation of “Legislation Commission to give Ontario Alcohol and Gaming (AGCO) authority to conduct and administer iGaming, in addition to having the role of regulator.” If this legislation is passed, the AGCO will “manage the relationship between the government and private iGaming operators.”

Is Sports Gambling Legal In Ontario Canada

There is still no possible date for this to happen. For now, the Conservatives hope to “continue with key stakeholders on the iGaming market design to reflect consumer preferences and foster an exciting gaming experience.”

Sports betting law

According to the budget guidelines Ontario “will commit with the federal government to promote the legalization of single event sports betting.”

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The approval of sports betting is a federal jurisdiction, unlike other forms of gambling. For now, the federal government only allows parlay betting where at least three events are involved.

On the federal sports betting bill (C-218), its main promoter, federal conservative Kevin Waugh, made the second reading before the House of Commons. Waugh said he had “spoken to and received support from the provincial cabinet ministers from coast to coast.”

Likewise, he pointed out that legalizing single-event bets was “a change in common sense” for the one he hopes with the support of other legislators. However, liberal cabinet member Adam Vaughan did not endorse it, but said Waugh’s speech was “interesting.”

Vaughan disagrees, arguing that single-event bets would “expand the economy.” He said casino operators in Canada wanted to gamble only “because they are losing on all other fronts.”

For Waugh, Vaughan’s comments were “despicable” and said that Vaughan was “comfortable with Canada losing 14 billion Canadian dollars to criminal activities in this country.” Plus the additional C $ 4 billion that would have gone to internationally licensed operators serving Canadian customers.

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Source: https://calvinayre.com/2020/11/06/business/ontario-online-gambling-competition-federal-sports-betting/