The bill, which seeks to amend the criminal code to allow single-game sports betting, has been kept in protracted limbo in the Canadian Senate following its unanimous approval and passage from the House of Commons in 2012.
Under Canada’s Criminal Code, the lottery monopolies are limited to offering parlay sports wagers. NDP Member of Parliament Joe Comartin, whose Windsor constituency includes a Caesars casino that would love to add a proper sportsbook, introduced a private members bill that would have abolished this restriction.
Had it survived the Senate’s inattention, the provinces would have been able to offer a product that could compete with the many internationally licensed online sportsbooks that currently serve Canadian punters’ needs.