Gambling laws can be some of the trickiest for both service providers and consumers to navigate. Many of the existing gamling laws centre around where service providers can operate and who they are allowed to serve. Now, an upcoming ruling from Toronto could empower Canadian casino owners to advertise to users even outside of their provinces.
Details About the Case
This court case was initiated via an order-in-council from Premier Doug Ford’s government which wants to grant Canadian casinos the right to serve players outside of their province and even the country. Currently, they are only allowed to advertise to and serve Canadians but this ruling could change all of that.
The advent of the internet has meant that customers are accessing services from sites outside of where they live. eSports, fantasy gaming, and others are a billion-dollar business but casinos are missing out if they can only serve those in their immediate environment. The way Premier Ford’s government has put it, these laws do not reflect the current state of gambling in Canada, which has seen many changes over the years.
Take the rise of crypto gambling. Digital assets have become very popular in the last few years and more people are gambling with them. As Michael Graw explains, many Canadian crypto casinos have emerged to meet this need and the financial implications have been major. But existing laws in Canada are fairly compatible with crypto use and thus, there has been less friction.
This new ruling, if it passes in the fall, will mean that both fiat and crypto gambling will be promoted to a wider audience.
Pros and Cons
As the issues have been taken to court, those within and outside of the industry are split about them. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, for example, has noted that a majority of players in the province use regulated sites. If these sites are opened to those outside of Ontario, the tax revenue coming in would be impressive. Those who enjoy online gambling games are known to turn to sites outside of their state or country to get their needs met so the precedent of revenue generation already exists.
Canada’s gambling scene can also attain more prominence in the global gambling scene. It has operated from a very isolationist standpoint for years, with players even missing out on international competitions and casinos having a narrow market.
There is also the issue of safety. Opening up these regulated sites means that consumers will turn to safe and regulated platforms to enjoy their games while also having their information protected. The commission, naturally, wants to make sure that all gambling is being done in a responsible way and some feel that this law is a step in that direction.
On the other hand, some worry that opening up this market to non-Canadians will lead to more illegal gambling. They also point out the complexities of adhering to international regulations while trying to serve customers.