Sports betting has gradually begun to establish itself in the mainstream culture. In place of antiquated policies that have stayed in place for way too long, many states in the U.S. have begun to implement contemporary gambling laws. Let’s find can you bet on sports in Canada?
This predicament had us thinking about the people in the north.
A rich history of sports betting
Since before the European settlers went on an expedition across the Atlantic towards a new world, betting on sport has a tradition in Canada.
The natives in Canada, over 600 years ago, were placing bets on events such as archery competitions and canoe racing. In the wait of action, many bookies who were the first to invade North America were standing on the sidelines.
These events did not only sharpened the skills of competitors but also entertained the locals.
The pioneers of these sports had to put their lives on the line back then for survival unlike now when pro athletes live in luxurious mansions with a ton of money in their bank account.
After the Europeans colonized “The Great White North”, many believe that the first Canadian regulations on gambling came in 1774.
Hence, for hundreds of years, Canadians could gamble and bet on sports with legitimacy. Since the introduction of the Canadian Criminal Code, all of that changed in 1892.
Gambling begins to re-integrate itself
Canada saw bingo enter back into their world during the early 20th century. However, only as a charitable endeavor. For the ones familiar with the operational mechanics of bingo halls, there are many benefits to the charities involved as well.
For those who are lucky enough to win, bingo halls can also be extremely lucrative.
1985 was a big year for Canadian sports bettors
The Canadian government, in 1985, again made amendments to the Canadian Criminal Code.
There are massive similarities between sports betting laws and their development between the United States as well as its neighbor to the north.
There were different methods to turn these changes and bet on independent games. The sportsbooks only added the option of placing 2 different bets on each team of a specific contest. This process made the opportunity for sports bettors within the legitimate laws to place over/under wagers.
Sports betting in Canada today
This is a murky pool to dive in across Canada. Under these circumstances – Can You Bet on Sports in Canada?
Just like several sports in the U.S., Canadian sports betting laws are generally outdated and are in a dire need of amendments.
The sports betting climate of the country has been completely changed due to online betting. It is still quite illegal for any company to perform any actions or business as a sportsbook or an online casino. However, there is no specific mention of Canadians betting in online gambling being illegal in the laws.
Hence, it is not quite illegal for Canada’s residents to invest in online sports betting. Offshore sportsbooks have noticed the Canadian market and have invested in it.
Every year, Sports Bettors spend billions in Canada with these offshore sportsbooks. The pinnacle of this situation is that the Canadian government is not getting any revenue from this.
There is a massive influx of cash to the local and federal governments through the legal forms of betting in Canada. The insane amount of dollars invested in sports betting online can single-handedly impact infrastructure and social programs. This is only true if those dollars were not being transferred to companies overseas operating remotely.
The government officials have certainly taken notice and there aren’t many politicians who don’t think this is a good idea of millions of dollars in tax being sent to other countries.
However, all this money generated from legal gambling to the tax can change the shape of a country.
Over the next 2-5 years, the sports betting scene in Canada should improve and reform legally. Opening the gates for punters to enjoy the addition of sportsbooks as well as bet online is one of the ways to go with it.
The Canadians would take a large cut of the situation and utilize that money for social programs.
What are Canadians betting on?
It is quite known that you cannot walk into a sportsbook in Canada and bet on just one game. We also know that billions of dollars are being invested in sports offshore annually by Canadians.
The most important question that these facts raise is what are the Canadians betting on?
The answer to it is that they are betting on the same sport as that of the U.S. gamblers. However, in terms of popularity both of them are miles apart. Let’s breakdown the sports that the Canadians are betting on the most:
1- Football
There is also no chance you did not expect the NFL to not make it big in the market of online sports betting in Canada. This league is along with the most popular leagues in the world. Every Sunday there is plenty of action which means that those who bet on sports can watch an entire day viewing their picks.
Even though the CFL might struggle in the eyes of the U.S. viewers, the NFL betting is quite big when it comes to Canadians. Every week die-hard fans will place multiple bets on the league.
2- Hockey
Hockey is a religion in Canada. The majority of the Canadians are fed to the field, stick, and puck at an early age. There have been people who were practicing skates before they could even walk!
We might never know how much truth lies in there but we can figure out the passion that Canadians have for Hockey from that statement.
There is an 82 game regular season plus playoffs provided by the NHL. This imbibes to there being at least one game every night from October to April. After that, the real action starts when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.
One of the most entertaining sports viewing experiences is Playoff hockey.
3- Basketball
The man who invented the game of basketball, James Naismith, was legally a Canadian. There is a huge fan following of basketball in Canada and recently that craze has only intensified.
4- Baseball
With the arrival of summer in Canada, baseball replaces hockey as the sport du jour.
In the 1990s, the Toronto Blue Jays experienced a massive spike in the sport’s popularity. Due to some recent matches, baseball betting has been solidified as one of the top sports for Canadian bettors.
Synopsis
Before the start of this article, the question was – can you bet on sports in Canada?
The body of this article consolidates the answer to it as yes. Due to the legalities of the sports betting scene in Canada, the waters are muddied. Betting on sports is free but not on just one game unless you are using an offshore sportsbook. So friend, did you get the answer – can you bet on sports in Canada?
