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Sports Wagering Bill Heads to Royal Assent in Canada

The Senate of Canada passed Sports Betting Legislation (Bill C-218) at Third Reading debate on Tuesday. The Bill will now proceed to Royal Assent, the final milestone to legalize single event sports wagering in Canada.

“This is a significant day for what is now an emerging sector in Canada that will regulate sports betting, generate new revenues and create new jobs,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “Congratulations to the Federal Government for taking this important step forward and creating a substantial opportunity for the Canadian economy.”

Bill C-218, which was introduced by MP Kevin Waugh, includes protection for the horse racing industry and the more than 50,000 jobs it supports throughout Canada by prohibiting fixed odds wagering on the sport. The amendment to the Bill was a result of a collaborative effort by the horse racing industry across the country.

“We look forward to continuing discussions with provincial authorities and prospective partners that could provide this new sector with an opportunity to leverage our experience in offering legal single event sports wagering in Canada,” Lawson said. “At the same time, participating in sports betting would provide an opportunity to create new a revenue stream for our industry and expose horse racing to new fans in an evolving sports marketplace.

“Recognizing that this new sector will create more options for the Canadian sports bettor, participating in offering sports betting is critically important for the sustainability of the horse racing industry and the tens of thousands of jobs it supports throughout the country.”

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New Mexico Bill Proposes Lottery-Run Addition Of Sports Wagering, Table Games To Existing Racinos

Newly proposed legislation in the New Mexico house would upgrade the state's five racinos to include sports wagering and full-service table games like craps, poker, and blackjack, reports the Las Cruces Sun News. Under the proposal, the state lottery would be responsible for managing and operating the casinos, which in turn supports the struggling New Mexico Lottery College Fund.

“I truly believe this is a win-win for the state as a whole,” bill sponsor Rep. Ray Lara, D-Chamberino told the Las Cruces Sun News. “This is going to benefit our young people. This is going to bring jobs. This is going to bring additional revenue to our communities and to our state.”

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham offered up a bill last year which intended to make up for shortages in the Lottery College Fund from the General Fund, but the bill fell short and is being reworked for the 2021 session. Lara said his bill is not in competition with the Governor's, but instead is intended to strengthen it.

State lottery CEO David Barden told the Santa Fe New Mexican that the lottery was not consulted on the bill prior to its announcement.

New Mexico Senator Steve Neville, R-Farmington, one of the bill's five co-sponsors, said he was asked to support the bill by SunRay Park, his hometown racetrack. Neville explained that tying the gaming expansion to the state lottery, and thus the college fund, is a political move to make the bill more palatable to both the public and other lawmakers.

“We've got tracks that are suffering and are not going to be around if we don't do something,” Neville told the Santa Fe New Mexican. “(The tracks) can't get the support themselves. They wanted to open up gaming in general, and the bill evolved out of that.”

Read more at the Las Cruces Sun News and the Santa Fe New Mexican.

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Kentucky Governor Reiterates Calls To Support Sports Wagering, Historical Horse Racing

During Thursday's State of the Commonwealth and Budget address from the governor's mansion, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reiterated his support for both sports wagering and historical horse racing.

“Speaking of laws that unduly restrict us from growth and innovation,” Gov. Beshear said, “it is time to legalize medical marijuana, pass sports betting, and save historic horse racing.”

While Gov. Beshear's remarks on the subject were brief this Thursday, he has long been a supporter of both historical horse racing and sports wagering. The former has come under fire, however, due to a Kentucky Supreme Court decision last September which declared at least one version of historical horse racing terminal to not constitute pari-mutuel wagering, and thus to be illegal.

In response to the state's Supreme Court ruling, Churchill Downs has halted major construction projects at both it's Louisville, Ky. flagship track and at the recently-purchased Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

In mid-December, during a virtual legislative preview conference, Gov. Beshear urged lawmakers to legalize historical horse racing in support of Kentucky jobs and the over $21 million it contributes to the state's budget.

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New York: Cuomo Bets On Mobile Sports Wagering To Help ‘Rebuild From The COVID-19 Crisis’

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is finally supporting online sports wagering in his state, reports the New York Daily News. Sports wagering is legal in several brick-and-mortar locations around New York, but looking at a multi-billion dollar budget deficit after the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged his state, the revenue potential of legalizing online sports wagering looks too good to pass up.

“New York has the potential to be the largest sports wagering market in the United States, and by legalizing online sports betting we aim to keep millions of dollars in tax revenue here at home, which will only strengthen our ability to rebuild from the COVID-19 crisis,” Cuomo said in a statement.

Nearby New Jersey handled a total of $931.6 million in sports wagers in November of 2020, outpacing Nevada and breaking a previous one-month record.

However, rather than tie the sports wagering companies to existing casino licenses, Cuomo hopes to change up the revenue model by allowing the state lottery to be in charge, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

“We want to do sports betting the way the state runs the lottery where the state gets the revenues,” Cuomo said in a briefing at the state capital. “Many states have done sports betting but they basically allow casinos to run their own gambling operations. That makes a lot of money for casinos but it makes minimal money for the state.

“And I'm not here to make casinos a lot of money. I'm here to raise funds for the state. So we have a different model for sports betting.”

Read more at the New York Daily News and the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

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