Bill C13 vote on Feb 19, 2021....SCR = $$$$$$Feb 17, 2021 An update from the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) earlier this month noted a few key events coming soon that will shape the future of single-game sports betting in Canada.
This week sees the Canadian parliament doing double duty. According to the CGA, there are parliamentary events surrounding two bills that would enable single-game sports betting in Canada.
The private member bill option in Canada
The first event was the second reading vote on MP Kevin Waugh’s bill, which passed by a 303-15 vote Wednesday. The second reading and debate of the bill were held February 5.
The favorable vote sent the bill forward to what is likely a final round of hearings before the Justice Committee.
According to the House of Commons website, private members’ bills come in two varieties:
- Public bills that deal with public policy issues under the purview of the federal government (e.g. criminal laws relating to sports gambling)
- Private bills that deal with interests related to specific individuals or corporations
Public bills, like Waugh’s Bill C-218, must be introduced into Parliament via a designated procedure. Private members’ bills traditionally face a much greater number of obstacles to become law.
In the 100 years between May 4, 1910, and September 7, 2008, Canada passed a mere 229 private members’ bills. However, private members’ bills tend to fare significantly better when the party in power has a minority government, as is the case with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government today.
The ‘competing’ sports betting bill
While private members’ bills rarely do well in terms of becoming law, the proponents of Bill C-218 should not be too nervous. There is a government bill, C-13, which ends in the same result: single-game Canada sports betting would no longer be prohibited by the Criminal Code of Canada.
The Government’s bill is lagging the private member’s bill ever so slightly, but according to the CGA, C-13 is slated for a second reading and debate on February 19, 2021.