A bill to legalize single-event sports betting in Canada has secured Royal Assent and will pass into law once the country’s House of Commons has been advised.
Bill C-218, also known as the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, was reintroduced into the Canadian parliament in November last year, after several previous unsuccessful attempts to allow betting on single sports events in the country.
The bill sought to repeal paragraph 207(4)(b) of Canada’s Criminal Code, under which consumers are only permitted to wager on at least three games or more, meaning that a bet on a single match or event is deemed illegal.
Canada’s Senate passed the bill last week by a vote of 57-20, after the House of Commons also voted through the bill following a third reading in April.
Now the bill has received Royal Assent and will soon pass into law, Canadians will be able to legally place bets on single games or events for the first time.
The campaign to allow this type of betting stretches back a number of years and has gained support from a number of leading operators in the country, including provincial lottery operator the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) and media business theScore.
After the bill was voted through by the Senate last week, theScore and real-money esports betting platform Luckbox, which is owned by Real Luck Group, spoke out to welcome the decision.
Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, who sponsored the bill, also reacted positively to the news of its passing in the Senate, calling it a victory for Canadian sport, sport fans and businesses.
“This bill is a win for Canadian taxpayers, workers, and sports fans,” Waugh said. “Canada’s Conservatives will continue to put forward common-sense bills that create economic opportunities and help Canadians.”