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The long-awaited legalization of single-event sports betting took another big step forward in Ottawa on Thursday when the federal justice committee unanimously approved proposed legislation that would end its criminalization.
Approval at the committee level — following some minor committee amendments — means the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act will next return to the House of Commons for final approval likely in mid-April, according to local MP Brian Masse (NDP — Windsor-West) who has been fighting for nearly a decade on the issue.
“It’s a big relief,” he said of the committee’s approval. “Today shows there continues to be broad support for this which is great. We can feel good about this part, now it goes back to the chamber for a vote soon.”
Bill C-218 would see the Criminal Code changed to allow for single-event sports betting across the country.
The issue has been especially important to border cities such as Windsor which have casinos and need to remain competitive with their U.S. counterparts which increasingly have legalized sports betting, including recently in Michigan and Detroit.
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The only current option for Canadians to bet on single sporting events is through illegal means such as offshore online companies or with bookmakers.
Single-event sports betting moves big step closer to reality
Government will finally introduce single-game sports betting Thursday
Legalization would allow Caesars Windsor to introduce sports betting with anticipation of adding jobs.
“I’m just anxious to take this money out of organized crime and instead put Canadians to work,” Masse said. “We can’t get back a lost decade, but we need to get going on this. If we can’t approve this (as a government), I don’t know what we can get done.”
Masse guessed if the sports betting legislation clears final House approval in April it could possibly be put in front of the Senate in Ottawa for final approval sometime in June.
dbattagello@postmedia.com
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