Canada readies for new sports betting bill

New Democrat Brian Masse will re-introduce single line sports betting legislation when government resumes 

Single line sports betting is back on the agenda in Canada after a number of lawmakers said they will revive previous efforts to pass legislation into law. [private]

New Democrat Brian Masse said his party would bring a private members bill forward again after previous legislation, C 290, failed to gain traction in previous years.

Masse recently told CBC News that much of the work had already been done on the bill, but said his party was willing to collaborate with others in order to get the bill across the line.

“What we want to do is have the bill pass, so we want to make sure everyone is comfortable,” Masse said.

The timing for the bill to be introduced will remain unclear until the Liberal government has its Cabinet sworn in and the House of Commons is recalled.

But Masse said it would be a “priority” for him as soon as government resumes.

C 290 was passed by Canada’s House of Commons more than two years ago but stalled before the Senate where many believed it had been rushed through the Commons without sufficient scrutiny.

At present, operators in Canada are only permitted to offer ‘parlay’ bets consisting of a minimum of three selections as a method of minimizing the potential for match-fixing.