Canada, like America, has had a somewhat more conservative attitude when it comes to gambling. In the last five years, however, the gambling industry has grown tremendously. The legalisation of sports betting on single events in 2021 has proven popular and created great potential for the igaming industry, opening up new markets for operators who had been previously excluded by the strict attitude towards gambling.
The state of gambling laws in Canada
Depending on where you go in Canada, gambling may or not be legal, as it’s governed by provincial authorities rather than federal ones. Quebec is one of the more liberal provinces when it comes to gambling, whereas Newfoundland and Labrador adopts a harsher line by permitting no casinos and no online casinos, although there is a legal sports operator but the betting limits are severe.
Some activities in provinces are either severely restricted — for instance, there are very restrictive betting limits — or completely banned, so Canadians have to tread carefully when laying their money down. They could easily fall foul of the law if they’re not familiar with the regulations. Hopefully, fewer will do so as Canada begins to adopt a warmer attitude towards gambling and more people opt to play casino games online at one of the latest casinos.
Currently, provinces, so long as they have a licence from the provincial Lieutenant governor, can operate lottery schemes involving racing betting, single sports events, fights and athletic events. As a result, any betting entity can apply for a licence in their province and provide betting and gambling services. Sports betting on horse racing is the only service the Canadian government isn’t allowing.
Alberta is another province in which gambling is popular. Citizens have relative freedom because the province has land-based 25 casinos. Sports betting is also allowed, but players have less freedom, however, because they can only place parlay bets, which combine multiple wagers into a single bet.
The new law around sports betting has been a further step in the right direction for gambling fans. There is even more good news for them, too, as it looks as if the market is set for some upheaval which could benefit anyone who likes a wager. Big changes are afoot and it could set the scene for a new era in the world of Canadian gambling.
Launch of the Ontario gaming market in April
Fans of sports betting in Ontario will welcome the news that the regulated iGaming market is about to launch in the province on 4 April. The Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario is implementing an agreement with one of its subsidiaries. The subsidiary will then be able to offer games legally in the province as early as the launch date.
The commission must develop the legal framework for the planned open gaming market in the province and for issuing lisences to operators. The tax rate for operators is still to be agreed upon, but it’s expected it to be around 20%.
The launch of this regulated market is a big development and could pave the way for more operators in the province. This could be a hugely lucrative venture for anyone who begins to offer online gaming services in Ontario, since the province has around 15 million citizens. Several big-name operators are already known to have shown some interest in providing their services there.
How could this affect the gambling industry as a whole?
Although gambling hasn’t been completely illegal in Canada, the latest regulation and the legalisation of sports betting in the country, depending on the province, opens up new markets for operators to which they previously didn’t have access. New opportunities for this type of entertainment will emerge. It’s likely that Canada will see more online casinos open up.
The restrictions have really hindered the growth of the Canadian gambling industry, but as provincial governments begin to smile kindlier on iGaming, the growth of the industry is set to take off. If one government allows igaming, it’s likely more will follow, and online gaming will become more and more popular. Other provincial governments will be looking on to see whether the changes in Ontario are successful.
Regulation will also help to protect players who may have previously participated in illegal gambling activities. It’s believed that illegal bookmaking operations are attracting much more money in bets than legal ones, so the legalisation and regulation of new markets could squeeze out illegal operators and make the industry safer overall.
That doesn’t mean citizens who haven’t been betting on sites regulated by a provincial government have necessarily been breaking the law when placing their bets. In Canada, there exists something of a grey area around online gambling, so some punters, rather than bet with illegal operators, have been betting on the sites of offshore ones as there doesn’t appear to be any laws prohibiting gambling at an online casino. The laws seem to be more around prohibiting operators of online casinos doing so without a licence.
The new regulations around online gaming in Ontario are a promising sign, from the perspective of gambling fans, that Canada is developing a more relaxed attitude towards gambling. Fans in other provinces will be hoping their governments do the same. At the same time, the powers that be in these provinces are likely to be watching Ontario and seeing, if the change is successful, they could make it work where they are.
