The Canadian Senate’s Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee has referred sports betting bill C-218 back to the Senate following two days of debate and testimonies. The Senate will now sit for a final reading of the bill before voting on approval.
If the Senate decides that further amendments are needed, the bill would need to return to the House of Commons for another vote before returning to the Senate once again. The House of Commons originally passed the bill earlier this year on April 22nd and any new amendments may require further debate. However, supporters of the bill hope that this is not the case as the bill will need to receive Royal Assent before lawmakers break for the summer on June 23rd.
If enacted, Bill C-218 will amend Canada’s Criminal Code to allow for the legalization of single-event sports betting.
Single-Event Sports Betting Closer to Becoming a Reality as Senate Committee Advances Bill C-218The bill was originally introduced by Saskatoon-Grasswood Conservative MP Kevin Waugh in 2020 who at the time said:
Single-Event Sports Betting Closer to Becoming a Reality as Senate Committee Advances Bill C-218At the moment, Canadian gamblers can use international sportsbooks for single-event betting with the Canadian Gaming Association estimating that as much as $4B is spent annually on non-Canadian sports betting websites.