Although Canadians have had access to legal sports betting since 1985, the introduction of single-game betting promises to catapult the industry to new heights in the land of the maple leaf.
Prior to August 27, 2021, the only legal forms of sports betting in the United States were parlay bets (consisting of two or more separate bets combined into one) and pari-mutuel gambling. Furthermore, you may only place these wagers through your own provincial lottery. It is claimed that as a result of this circumstance, Canadians now spend $14 billion a year on offshore gambling websites in search of more favorable online possibilities.
The Year That Single-Game Sports Betting Became Legal
The fundamental motivation behind the authorization of single-game wagering in Canada has been the loss of sports betting revenue. After seeing legal sports betting take off in the United States south of the border, many former opponents have come around, including some professional sports leagues.
Most Canadian provinces won’t make a decision on how to govern sports betting Canada laws until 2022. To date, no province has demonstrated any openness to having third-party operators in their jurisdictions. It’s possible that British Columbia will open the market to commercial sportsbooks in the future, but gamblers shouldn’t hold their breath.
Bettors in Canada may now enjoy greater freedom from the complexities of parlay wagers. Each state or province now has a responsibility to make legal sports betting enticing enough that residents won’t turn to illegal services.
When Did Gambling On A Single Game Begin?
August 27th in 2021, marked the beginning of the implementation of Canada’s statute allowing for single-game sports betting. The project was unveiled by Justice Minister David Lametti on August 12, 2021, in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Interestingly, when it comes to betting on a single game, few Canadians are in the know. Only 19.2% of Canadians know they may wager on a single event, according to a poll commissioned by Deloitte Canada and conducted in the fall of 2021.
Although single-game betting is available in every province through lottery-run platforms, the introduction of retail sportsbooks is expected to be more gradual. It’s possible that a number of states may opt to continue with their current systems rather than making significant changes to their sports betting options.
Regions Of Canada Where Wagering On A Single Sporting Event Is Permitted
At the outset, single-game online sports betting was available in seven Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. Single-event betting at retail shops was authorized in Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon in November 2021. Alberta swiftly followed suit. As the twelfth and last Canadian province to legalize single-game wagering, Nova Scotia set a precedent for progressive gambling reform. Single-event bets were officially introduced by the Atlantic Lottery Corp. on February 11, 2022.
It is up to the individual provinces to decide when and how to legalize sports betting under Bill C-218. Each province is responsible for establishing its own sports betting framework, including who may legally operate sports books, which sports are legal for gambling, and what kinds of wagers are accepted.
This, as was previously indicated, varies considerably from one province to the next. As an example, the sports betting market in Ontario has already attracted major participants thanks to the province’s appetite for competition. But smaller jurisdictions may just provide lottery betting. Given this reality, illegal or “gray market” sportsbooks might continue to provide the bulk of the country’s sports gambling winnings for the foreseeable future.
Does Alberta’s law permit sports betting?
Alberta has legalized single-game sports betting. PlayAlberta.ca, an online gambling website licensed by Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis, launched on September 1, 2021, marking the beginning of provincially regulated online betting (AGLC). On November 1, 2021, retail single-game betting was introduced by WCLC; using Sport Select, residents of Alberta may now verify their in-person single-event wagers.
For the year 2022, AGLC is getting ready to open the doors to not one, but two new sportsbooks in Alberta. With the goal of finding two operators who can partner with the province’s casinos to offer retail and online wagering, the crown corporation began accepting proposals from third-party vendors on December 10, 2021.
PointsBet Canada has shown early interest in launching as one of the first private digital operators in the province, specifically for online and mobile sports betting.
Sports bettors in Alberta now have access to a variety of legal gambling alternatives, including both online and physical bookmakers. Sport Select, a product of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), is the retail alternative to Play Alberta, which is the exclusive online platform. You may place straight wagers, parlays, point spread wagers, and proposition wagers at Sport Select. In the month of November, 2021, futures betting was made available.
Betting must be done at a participating gas station or convenience shop because there are no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in the province. Any of Alberta’s more than two dozen casinos may have shops in the future. Albertans may find a wide variety of trustworthy offshore sportsbooks to pick from if they so want.