By Canadian Press

Horse-racing industry demands protections as MPs mull opening up single-game betting

Mar 9, 2021 | 1:46 PM

OTTAWA — Representatives of Canada’s horse-racing industry are calling for special protections as legislators weigh a private member’s bill to allow one-game sports betting, which is currently illegal in all sports except theirs.

The bill before the House of Commons justice committee would amend Criminal Code provisions that prohibit gambling on single games of football, hockey and other sports.

Las Vegas-style betting on single-game sports would eat into the $10-billion black market by legally opening the books to gamblers eager to bet on individual games rather than just Proline-style betting, where they wager on fixed odds around two or more games.

Bill C-218, proposed by Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, has garnered tentative support from a horse-racing industry that remains wary of casinos encroaching on their turf.

Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group, suggests operators that offer fixed-odds wagers on single races should potentially contribute to the cost of racetrack maintenance and horse breeding.

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Willian Ford, who heads a group that represents more than 40 racetracks across the country, is asking Ottawa to legalize historical horse racing, which would allow gamblers to wager on past races while preventing them from identifying the race before locking in the bet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2021.

The Canadian Press