Exploring Canada’s Love for Sports Betting

The betting scene in Canada is a lot more expansive and diverse than America or many European countries. Canada has a deep interest in many American sports, such as the NFL, basketball, motorsports, and baseball. Yet it also has great interest in many sports that have a bigger presence in Europe, such as soccer, or tennis. But the national sport, ice hockey, is what Canada is undoubtedly best at.

In terms of betting, Canadian punters are not short of options to stake money on their betting predictions. Parlay betting has been legal since 1985, but straight bets, or single bets, were not legal until 2021. And since then, the appetite for betting in Canada has taken to new heights, and it is still growing every passing year.

History of Canada’s Sports Betting Legislation

For decades, the only kind of betting that was legal in Canada was parlay betting through provincial lottery systems. Your betting tickets would have had 2, but preferably 3 or more picks, and all had to come through for you to win your wager. With no single bets to pick from, it also meant that the odds were not provided on single events or games. So you had to go on the preset odds determined by the operator. In many cases, the applied juice was a lot higher than the juice, or vig, that sportsbooks provide today.

But that all changed in 2021, with the passing of Federal Bill C-218. This didn’t just make it possible for bettors to place single event wagers. No, it was a revolutionary step that made the odds more transparent and gave bettors more flexibility when building parlays or round robin wagers are concerned. The Criminal Code of Canada was amended, and, at a federal level, single event sports betting was legalized across the Great White North.

Canadian Gambling Provincial Regulators

All 10 Canadian provinces have the autonomy to govern and regulate gambling as they see fit. Each province has its own regulatory agency, and legislation pertaining to which books can operate in the province. Ontario is the most progressive, as it has an open market model. The Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario can issue licenses to operators based abroad, thus giving them permission to operate in Ontario legally. None of the other provinces have open models like Ontario’s. So far, that is. AsAlberta, Manitoba and British Columbia have also shown interest in adopting a similar model to Ontario.

Below are the gambling regulators of each Canadian province.

• Ontario – Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)
• British Columbia – British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC)
• Alberta – Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC)
• Quebec – Loto-Québec
• Manitoba – Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation (MBLL)
• Saskatchewan – Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA)
• Yukon – Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC)
• Newfoundland and Labrador – Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC)
• Nova Scotia – ALC
• Prince Edward Island – ALC

Points to Note About Canadian Gambling Legislation

The ACGO is the authority in Ontario, and iGaming Ontario is a subsidiary agency that manages the operators and executes the gambling legislation. The gambling model was revolutionary when it was launched, back in 2022. But it has legitimised the black market and also enhanced the quality of the sports betting scene in Ontario.

As of today, the other provinces in Canada only have 1 state run provincial sportsbook each, or none at all (in Yukon). Though there are licensed overseas operators that service players in those regions, they are not formally accepted by the local authorities.

PlayAlberta is the only sportsbook in Alberta today, but the lawmakers are in the process of opening their gambling market to foreign operators. Like Ontario.

In BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the provincial sportsbooks are run by PlayNow. Launched in 2004, this was initially just the BCLC’s lottery provider, but expanded into sports betting and then extended its services to Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Similarly, the Atlantic Territories of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island all have the Atlantic Lotteries Corporation providing the state-run sportsbook.

In Quebec, the scene is dominated by Loto-Quebec, the provincial authority that also runs the provincial casinos and lotteries. Though funnily enough, there is a First Nations gambling regulator that is based in the Mohawk territory of Kahnawake, Quebec. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is one of the largest international gambling regulators, but it is not officially sanctioned by the Quebecois gambling authority.

Last, but not least, Yukon doesn’t have a regulated online sportsbook. It does have a site called SportSelect where you can generate QR codes, which you can use at retail sportsbooks. But there are no official mobile sports betting platforms.

Canada’s Favorite Sports

The interest in sports betting is extremely diverse in Canada, and even new emerging sports have found popularity in Canada. There are eSports regional competitions in Montreal and Alberta that punters can bet on. And with each passing year, more UFC and other MMA promotions are coming to Canada, prompting interest in MMA fighting props.

Hockey is arguably Canada’s favorite sport to bet on. The Canadian national team is one of the fiercest in the world. And Canadian hockey fans also support NHL teams such as the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, and Winnipeg Jets.

Football, both the CFL and NFL leagues have strong followings across the country too. NFL Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays see a spike in activity, and local fans are always there to support CFL teams. The NBA and MLB are also well covered, with most Canadians supporting local teams, the Toronto Raptors (NBA) or the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB).

Soccer betting is growing in popularity in Canada, and while the nation doesn’t have historic soccer roots, the scene is evolving at a tremendous pace. The national team qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a historic milestone in Canada’s soccer scene. With players such as Alphonso Davies, and Jonathan David, the future of Canadian soccer looks bright.

Canada as a Gambling Tourism Destination

Sports betting is still in its infancy in the US, and there are still many states that have yet to file in the notion to legalise sports betting. Where it is legal, there are a few points to note. The US doesn’t have the same huge array of sportsbooks as Canada. The formally regulated sites can only operate in states if they have legally partnered with a local sports organisation.

So they have fewer locally licensed sportsbooks. But the other big kicker is that US bettors are taxed, whereas in Canada you don’t have to pay tax on your gambling winnings. Unless, that is, you cite sports betting as your primary income.

So, bettors in Michigan, New York, Vermont, Maine, and the other Northeastern states have been noted to travel to Ontario for gambling tourism. In Detroit, they can head over to Windsor to place their sports bets. New Yorkers in Buffalo or Rochester can drive across the border to Ontario. They can even stay a night at an Ontarian casino resort, of which there are plenty.

Its diverse gambling scene, lenient tax laws, and ease of access make Canada a prime destination for traveling gamblers. These visitors and tourists also contribute to the scene, thus prompting more bets and offers from sportsbooks operating in Canada.

Does Canada Have a Betting Problem?

It doesn’t, at least if there is problem gambling, the figures and statistics are nowhere near as concerning as many European countries or American states. All of the provincial gambling authorities in Canada have helplines and education programs to help gamblers learn about the dangers of gambling.

In Ontario, the responsible gambling initiatives and player safety measures are made to an extremely high standard. Opening the gambling market not only brought in greater revenue for the province. It also legitimised the gambling scene that existed in Ontario before. Only then, it was unregulated.

Of course, there are concerns from gambling watchdogs that some players may be at more of a risk than others. In a 2022 poll, it was found that only 1.6% of gamblers in Canada were at a moderate to severe risk of gambling addiction. The emphasis then shifted on making the gambling education more accessible to lower income households and indigenous people, who were deemed to be more vulnerable to addiction.

Gambling Education and Responsible Practices

Fortunately, Canada has many helplines and education programs to help people learn about gambling responsibly. They also try to curb the casino and sportsbook marketing programs to avoid targeting underage players and making misleading content.

Also, licensed Canadian sportsbooks must provide you with responsible gambling tools. These include time outs, reality checks, deposit limits, and self exclusion. You are encouraged to make bankrolls and plan ahead with your gambling. By following these steps and using the tools, you can gain better control over your spending. And then gambling can be a form of entertainment, and not a crutch that you use to get dopamine hits or use to make quick money.