NHL Partnership Opens the Door for Single Event Sports Betting
It’s no secret to say that Canadians love sports. And hockey, in particular, holds a special place in the hearts of all Canadian sports fans. And it’s also no secret that Canadians have been placing bets on sporting events for years, under the table of course. In fact, according to the CEO of The Canadian Gambling Association, Paul Burns, Canadian sports fans spend approximately 14 Billion dollars a year on illegal bets.
The recent announcement that the National Hockey League has forged a partnership with MGM Resorts International is a sign that times are changing. Players across the USA will now be able to engage with their favourite sport in a whole new way. Fans will now be able to place bets on sporting events happening around the country, either directly at the arenas or via an online sportsbook. The CGA is hoping that this will open the door for Canada’s lawmakers to embrace the changing mentality towards sports betting.
In order for Canadian fans to enjoy the immersive experience that comes with placing a bet on the outcome of a game, a simple amendment is needed to the laws that currently restrict single event betting. By repealing a certain paragraph within the Criminal Code, namely paragraph 207(4)(b), single-event sports betting will no longer be prohibited.
The CGA Speaks Out
Paul Burns is a major advocate for bringing Canada’s gambling laws in line with that of the USA in regards to sports betting. As the spokesman for The Canadian Gambling Association, he has made it clear that the CGA would welcome a similar partnership to that which the NHL now has with MGM Resorts International. The NHL is a prestigious and professional sports league, making them the perfect partners to help promote licensed and regulated sports wagers.
The CGA is an NGO that works to help bring the gambling industry into a legal framework that protects players and encourages best practices in both online and land-based gambling outlets. It is their belief that bringing sports betting out of the dark and seedy corners of the criminal world would not only protect sports fans from fraudulent bookmakers, it would also be a boon for the economy.
Whether or not this will happen any time soon is anyone’s guess, but the CGA believes it really is only a matter of time. The USA has forged on ahead, but Canada is only a few steps behind. Canadians could be enjoying a whole new sporting experience in the very near future.
