Canada Could Pass Sports Betting Legislation On Monday

• The Senate of Canada will vote on sports betting on Monday.
• Bill C-218 is expected to be approved by a majority vote.
• Sports wagering in the country will be seen on a province-to-province level for both retail and mobile sportsbooks should this legislation pass.

OTTAWA – Canada should have made a decision this week on their regulated sports betting legislation but they have decided to put it off until Monday. The Senate of Canada needs to put Bill C-218, also known as the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act to a vote. They have been going back and forth on the bill but ultimately it is believed that it will find passage.

Bill C-218 would make sports betting a regulated industry in Canada on a province-to-province basis. Essentially it will amend the Criminal Code of the country to allow for gaming on sporting events. This is the PASPA movement of the United States, Canadian style.

What’s Going On In Canada?

On Monday, the Senate is expected to vote for passage on Bill C-218. While there was some pushback during this past weeks’ discussions, the majority believe that a regulated sports gaming market in Canada would be beneficial more than it would cause harm.

Canadians wager on sports through various outlets from mobile sportsbooks to other countries and none of that money stays in the country. Lawmakers would like provinces to choose whether or not to open up markets in their areas to create a transparent and consumer-safe industry that would be helpful for both the country and the people engaging in sports wagering.

Mobile and retail sports betting will be allowed to open under this bill. Millions of dollars are expected to be seen in annual revenue from the industry should Bill C-218 pass.

What Happens Next Week

If the Senate of Canada approves Bill C-218 on Monday it will then go to the Governor-General for Royal Assent before becoming law.

Regulated sports betting industries within Canada are expected to be seen come 2022 if all goes according to plan.

Provinces and sports betting operators are already preparing for a launch and the bill hasn’t even been signed yet. That’s how favored the market and the measure is being seen by insiders, calling this vote a formality to get sportsbooks up and running for Canadian sports bettors.

News tags: Bill C-218 | Canada | Governor-General for Royal Assent | PASPA | Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act | Senate of Canada