Canada considers new single-game sports betting legislation

Canadian politicians have new sports betting legislation to consider, but it remains to be seen whether this latest effort will have any more success than its long-suffering predecessor.

On Wednesday, Brian Masse (pictured), member of parliament for Windsor West, introduced legislation in the House of Commons aimed at legalizing single-game sports wagering.

The bill,, which Masse has dubbed the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, would delete a single section of Canada’s Criminal Code that would allow provinces and territories to authorize wagering on “any race or fight, or on a single sports event or athletic contest.” At present, the provincial lottery monopolies are restricted to multi-game parlay wagering.

Masse issued a statement suggesting that there may be a role for private firms to join the sports betting party. Masse described the current single-game sports betting environment as “nearly completely unregulated” but claimed that “firms operating in the so-called grey market sports are asking to be regulated.”