Esports Entertainment Group praises Canadian bill to legalize single-event sports betting

Esports Entertainment Group, an esports entertainment and online gambling operator, has issued a statement commented on proposed Canadian Federal Government legislation to legalize single-event sports wagering in Canada (Bill C-13 "An Act to amend the Criminal Code").

"Esports Entertainment Group is excited to work within the proposed new regulatory framework to bring our SportNation and VIE Esports brands to Canadian residents," commented Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group. "Our VIE platform is the only esports vertical focused wagering platform with Tier 1 licenses and a track record of working within a transparent and comprehensive compliance environment. We look forward to adding Canada to the list of jurisdictions where our platform is available for Esports fans to engage."

The bill would amend paragraph 207(4)(b) of the Criminal Code to allow provinces to issue licenses for companies to accept wagers on all sporting events except horse racing. The legislation would maintain the federal government’s role concerning pari-mutuel systems of betting with respect to horse racing. It is currently illegal to bet on single games under Canadian law.

In provinces and territories that choose to offer single-event sport betting, Canadians would have a chance to engage in this activity in a regulated environment, either online or in physical facilities.

"Having personally worked with Canadian Parliament member Dennis Mills in 1998 on one of the earliest legislative efforts regarding legalization through Private Members Bill C353, the current substantive progress is extremely exciting and we commend the federal government for their efforts to legalize single-event wagering. There is strong cross-party support and clear demand to modernize sports betting laws in Canada, and we are well-positioned to capitalize on this new frontier should the amendment pass," Johnson added.

According to Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti, who introduced the bill last month, Canadians spend $10 billion (US$7.7 billion) per year on single-event betting through illegal bookies and a further $4 billion on international betting websites.

"Canada’s gaming industry has been severely impacted by COVID-19 so having access to this new product will assist in the industry’s recovery," said Paul Burns, CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association. "Our expectation is that it will now move expediently through the process to completion."