The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis authority recently voiced its support for the reintroduction of single-game sports betting across the province.
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) authority is putting its weight behind the proposal to legalise single-game sports betting in the province. As it stands, Canadians are required to place bets on at least three games whenever they opt for a single bet. Many analysts are adamant that this type of setup is hurting the industry since many punters turn to unregulated offshore casinos, which allow them to select single-game bets.
The ban on single-game sports betting was implemented some time ago by the federal authorities to limit the possibility of match-fixing. However, most punters believe that the relaxation of this rule would greatly benefit the industry.
AGLC’s View
Last November, the Canadian House of Commons received a bill that proposes the amendment of paragraph 207(4)(b) of the Criminal Code, with the intent of decriminalising single-game bets. Following the bill’s introduction, many betting regulators, including the AGLC, have come in support of the bill.
The AGLC CEO, Kandice Machado, publicly supported the ban’s lifting as a first step towards boosting the gambling industry, which has taken a knock due to the ongoing pandemic. Machado added that the legalisation would provide Albertan bettors with exciting new betting options like points spread, shots registered, and game outcomes. Single sports betting would also provide players with more successful wager odds.
Niaz Nejad, the chief of compliance at the AGLC, pointed out that single-game betting would bring more legal betting possibilities to the table, redirecting those punters who currently frequent illicit betting channels towards the regulated ones. According to Nejad, over CA$3 billion is gambled through offshore websites, which provide little player protection or guidelines.
British Columbia Supports the Cause
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation is another regulator that has stood firmly behind the legalisation of single-game bets. The Crown agency estimates that such legalisation would pull over CA$125 million towards the province’s online and in-house casinos. The regulator is confident that the additional revenue generated could be useful if distributed across local organisations and communities in need of funding.
