Sports Book. © Can Stock Photo / sbotasSports Book. © Can Stock Photo / sbotas
Windsor

No fast-tracking for sports betting bill

A motion to push a sports betting bill through Parliament has stalled in the House of Commons.

Bill C-13, which would amend the Criminal Code to allow single-game sports betting across Canada, did not receive unanimous consent on the House floor Thursday.

The motion was introduced by Windsor West MP Brian Masse, a longtime supporter of bringing sports betting to Canada. Masse was hoping the House would unanimously pass all three stages of debate in Parliament, but the support he was hoping for did not come through.

Masse said he's not too worried, yet. 

"This legislation is going to pass through the House of Commons with all parties supporting it, one way or another," said Masse in a media release. "We have debated it for years and have now fallen behind other countries that have already established single-wager sports betting. Let’s not delay it any further and make this law."

A similar bill is set for a second debate in February with support across the aisle. The private members' bill, C-218, was introduced by Conservative MP Kevin Waugh of Saskatoon-Grasswood. It was tabled in the House last month, after passing second reading, with support from Liberals like Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk.

The road to Parliament for sports betting legislation has been a long, bumpy one. Former Windsor-Tecumseh MP Joe Comartin first introduced a bill. It passed the House but died on the Order Paper in the Senate when an election was called. Masse reintroduced the legislation in 2011, but it didn't pass second reading.

With a minority government in place now in Ottawa, the threat of an election call remains in the air, hence Masse's desire to push through C-13.

"Passing this legislation will take money from the black market and organized crime and allow the proceeds to flow back into the government coffers for social programs like health care and education," said Masse. "If we can do this immediately, and get it to the provinces and territories, it might help post-Covid with the economic recovery by creating jobs and bringing in new business."

Windsor-area union leaders have supported the legislation, which would add at least 100 permanent jobs to Caesars Windsor.

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