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Ontario MP bets on Vegas-style sports gambling4 July 2008ONTARIO -- As reported by the Windsor Star: "Betting on individual sports games may become legal in Canadian casinos, if Joe Comartin has his way. "The Windsor-Tecumseh MP estimates it could generate as much as $3 billion in gross wagering a year. "…Las Vegas-style sports gambling is only an idea at this point and a bill has yet to be introduced. It would require an amendment to the federal Criminal Code, which prohibits betting on individual games. "Ontario casinos already have sportsbook infrastructure, thanks to TV screens and scoreboards. But betting is limited to the government-run lottery Pro-Line, where bettors select the outcomes of three or more sport contests -- known as a 'parlay' ticket. "The proposal would allow betting on individual hockey, baseball, football, basketball, soccer and other games, at casinos and race tracks. "Comartin said that, in part to help border cities hurt by a strong loonie and a tight border, he and others are lobbying the federal government to make the legal change, as it did to allow dice games in casinos. "…In the U.S., sportsbook betting is currently only allowed in Nevada. In Vegas, bettors wager on everything from golf to tennis. "Professional sports leagues oppose sportsbook betting in cities with professional teams, which is one of the reasons why Vegas does not have a pro sports franchise. "Though Toronto has professional sports teams, it does not have a casino. Niagara Falls, Orillia and Windsor all have casinos, but no pro sports teams…" |