Jim Lawson likes where Woodbine Enjoyment is positioned on Canada’s changing single-game sports betting landscape.
On Tuesday, the Senate approved Bill C-218, a private member’s bill introduced last year by Conservative Saskatchewan MP Kevin Waugh, which amends the delinquent code’s provisions on gambling in individual sports – currently illegal, except for horse racing. It is now awaiting Royal approval to become Law.
Once that happens, Lawson believes Woodbine would be a natural choice to get involved. He not only has the experience of sports betting at a single event (in horse racing), he rents part of his facilities for the operation of Casinos.
“This is good news for us for a number of reasons,” said Lawson, the Organization’s chief executive. “We have a long-standing relationship with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), experience in action money laundering and responsible gambling, and we have the necessary infrastructure to advance the operations that will be essential to this activity.”
Bill C-218 also provides protection for the horse racing industry in Canada by prohibiting fixed-odds betting on races.
Currently in Canada it is lawful to bet on Parlays as several bets are interconnected, that usually all of them must be correct for someone to win the bet. The successful passage of Bill C-218 would make provinces and territories responsible for regulating and licensing websites, Casinos and other businesses that allow single-game betting.
Provincial governments have insisted that single-event betting be lawful, with estimates from offshore sites, U.S. casinos and illegal bookmakers pulling billion annually from this country. The feeling is that the passage of Bill C-218 would allow governments to generate billions in revenue to support health care, education, addiction research and other priorities.
“Betting companies that, because of their nature and history, want to offer horse racing as part of their sports betting menu should come to Woodbine Enjoyment,” Lawson said. “We hold the license for sports betting on horse racing in Ontario and Bill C-218 does not allow fixed-odds betting on horse racing, so you have to do it by Pari-Mutuel and you have to do it by us.”
And Lawson said Woodbine also has the ability to offer sports betting.
“People like to bet on sports betting,” he said. “They like to visit and socialize, they like to go to a sports bar and no one in this province is better equipped than Woodbine Enjoyment.
“A company, if it works with us, will have its brand all over the province and they have 50 sportsbooks ready for use. We have the Technology, we have the cash management, we have regulatory approvals for the sites as Betting sites (pari-Mutuel) and in general we have the most sought-after sites.”
Lawson added that Woodbine will also have the opportunity to turn its advanced Dark Horse app and Technology into a sports betting app.
Lawson is not the only sports director to welcome the advent of the legalization of single-game sports betting.
“Single-game sports betting is a game changer for the CFL and other professional sports,” said Wade Miller, president of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “This gives us the opportunity to really change our sales in the CFL.
“There is still a lot to be done with each province, but this is certainly a step in the right direction.”
Miller offered two legalized possibilities – sports betting CFL clubs could benefit.
“It should bring in more Sponsorship and marketing revenue for the Clubs,” he said. “It should also attract more eyeballs and attention to CFL.”
Last month, a TSN report suggested that CFL teams could receive an influx of million to million due to legalized sports betting.
“This is not the windfall some describe,” said Lawson, a former chairman of the CFL Board of Governors. “They (Pro-Sport Franchises) will earn sponsorship and exclusive Dollars in terms of advertising. . . then you have the opportunity to rent kiosks, display other ads in the stadium and, finally, increase the income from retransmissions of matches by increasing the number of spectators.”
Lawson said Woodbine Enjoyment was in a different Position from Sports Franchises and leagues because it would be involved in direct operations.
“Together with a partner, we plan to operate digitally, manage sports books and cash, and given our current status as the only lawful digital sports betting operator for individual events across Canada, we are ready to play an important role in this emerging sector,” he said.
“This is not something that sports teams will directly interfere with, because in most matters it is illegal to do so in accordance with their constitution and they are not able to obtain regulatory status.”