A bold new chapter in sports betting is coming to Ontario—Canada’s most populous province. On April 4. sports fans will be able to wager on single-game sporting events for the first time. Furthermore, the monopoly in multiple-game parlay style betting held by Proline—owned by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation—will give way to competition from several major sportsbooks—some with parent companies that are publicly traded.
The genesis of single game sports betting in Ontario began in August 2021, when the federal government legalized single game wagering in Canada. Bill C-218 passed into law as the Safe & Regulated Sports Act and granted provinces and territories the power to regulate sports wagering as they saw fit. Plagued by massive budget deficits that are among the highest in the nation, sports betting measured eventually garnered provincial approval. It is expected single game sports betting will add a much-needed revenue infusion for the province, which has seen a substantial decline in casino gaming revenue during the COVD pandemic.
