Sportsbetting to Save the Land Based Casino in Canada

Canadian bureaucracy is not favor of the idea of Internet gambling, but it appears that they have a different point of view toward land sports betting. According to The Toronto Star, the Canadian federal government, along with Ontario provincial officials is considering the introduction of Las Vegas-style sports betting in land casinos.
Because the land casino business in Niagara Falls and Windsor is not going so well, there is a need for amendments to the law in order to allow land casinos to offer sports betting, and gambling companies have requested at federal and provincial level for this to be allowed.

According to the newspaper, Ontario casinos already have sports book network in place with TV screens, scoreboards and seating, but betting is limited to the government operated Pro-Line.

The new approach would permit gamblers to wager the outcome of individual football, baseball, hockey, basketball, soccer and other games.

The request was forwarded to Justice Minister Rob Nicholson by the former Ontario provincial minister, David Caplan last year. Nicholson, whose constituency in Niagara Falls, has been open to Caplan's request, leading to "quiet cooperation between the department.”

Ontario casinos could get a major advantage over American competitors if the proposals will go through. Sports book betting is only permitted in Las Vegas in the U.S., mostly because professional sports leagues are against the idea that cities have football, baseball, basketball and hockey teams.

According to the newspaper, NDP MP Joe Comartin said that he has approached Nicholson several times, last month the latest in order to show his support. He said that because it is not allowed in Michigan or New York, sports betting would give the casinos in Windsor and Niagara Falls "a major competitive advantage."
"What it would do is generate traffic into the casino for that particular type of betting and then you also pick up additional business," he said.

With land based gambling revenues estimated to drop to $1.77 billion this year – down from $2.02 billion in 2005-06.

Jim Warren, a former senior official at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission said sports betting in Canada will bring tourists. "In order to attract Americans to the border casinos in Windsor and Niagara Falls, you have to provide them with exciting entertainment opportunities and no one loves sports more than Americans," said Warren.

Casino News: Sportsbetting to Save the Land Based Casino in Canada

Sportsbetting to Save the Land Based Casino in Canada