How US Supreme Court’s new betting decision may impact the Canadian gaming industry

The US Supreme Court’s decision on individual states formulating their regulatory framework for betting is making news. It may impact neighboring Canada, where single game betting is not allowed. The ruling may impact Canadian gaming operators who may lose businesses to the US outlets. However, the US Supreme Court move may stimulate similar judicial development in Canada.

It is not like Canada did not try to revamp sports betting regulations. Canadian Gaming Association president Paul Burns says the country needs to do catching up. He added the Canadian Parliament got some chances to modernize the gaming laws, but it did not do so. Provinces requested one simple amendment to the criminal code some years back for better regulatory oversight, but it did not listen to them.

He further added the operators are basically losing large revenue to the offshore operators and the public is also being deprived. The government also does not get any tax benefit from such gaming activities.

There is no denying the reality the Canadians love sports betting. Despite the country having a population of 36 million people, the expenditure on sports per year is approximately $10 billion. However, most of it is spent after offshore operators. Canadians cannot indulge in single-game betting, but government-regulated operations exist for betting. Burns added Canadians spend billions of dollars in illegal ways on single-game betting.

Unless the laws are changed, Canada will keep losing more business to the adjacent US states. The Canadian casinos will also lose the customers if the US states begin offering single-game betting in their brick and mortar casinos. However, the redeeming aspect is making changes in legal landscape for such sports betting are easier in Canada. The CGA is calling on legislators for making amendments to the Criminal Code.