Practical perspectives for contemporary legal challenges.
Less than a month has passed since the launch of the regulated iGaming market in Ontario, and the Ontario regulator has already handed down its first pair of penalties. On Tuesday, May 3, 2022, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario announced its first two monetary penalties to iGaming Operators – both stemming from alleged …
Continue reading “Operators, Start Your Engines; But Beware of Sanctions”
Since single-event sports betting officially came into law in Canada with the passage of Bill C-218 on August 27th, 2021, Canadians and industry participants alike have been patiently waiting to see what shape the regulatory landscape will take. On September 9th, 2021, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) released its final sport and event …
Continue reading “Goodbye Parlays, Hello Single Event Betting: Ontario Roles”
Overview The Canadian Criminal Code (the “Code”) [1] sets out the parameters of legal gaming in Canada pursuant to section 91 (27) of the Constitution Act, 1867,[2] which gives the federal government jurisdiction over criminal penalties and sanctions such as those applicable to gambling. The Code prohibits gambling except where permitted by explicit statutory exemptions, one of which provides …
The Canadian Criminal Code (the “Code”) sets forth the parameters of legal gaming in Canada. The Code generally prohibits sports-based wagering except where such wagering is conducted and managed by the provincial governments; however, section 207(4)(b) of the Code prohibits even those governments from offering wagering on the outcome of a single sporting event or …
Continue reading “Canada Continues Push for Singles-Game Sports Betting”
On June 10th, 2020, the Canadian Gaming Association (the “CGA”) released the draft Standards for Cashless Systems (the “Standards”) for industry comment. Cashless wagering systems allow players to participate in wagering activities without physical cash by using approved and securely protected authentication methods. The idea is that a sophisticated digital trail of cashless transactions will allow for increased …
Continue reading “Canadian Gaming Association’s Standards for Cashless Wagering”
On July 10, 2019, the Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (the “Amending Regulations”) were formally released in the Canada Gazette. The formal release follows the June 2018 release of draft Amending Regulations. The Amending Regulations affect several regulated entities, including casinos. As such, casino …
Continue reading “The Effect of Canada’s Revised Anti-Money Laundering Rules on Casino Operators”
In July 2018, the Superior Court of Québec held that the Québec government’s controversial attempt to force Internet service providers (“ISP”s) to block certain iGaming sites is unconstitutional. By way of background, on May 17, 2016, the Québec government passed Bill 74, which contained Internet-censoring provisions that were unprecedented in Canada. Bill 74 included a …
Continue reading “Québec’s Superior Court Rules that Bill 74 is Unconstitutional”
by: Michael D. Lipton, Q.C., and Kevin J. Weber The current division of jurisdiction over gaming in Canada came about as a result of a Federal-Provincial Agreement that was entered into in 1985, intended to address differences that had arisen between those governments since the introduction of a liberalized regime for gaming and betting in 1967. …
NEW ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA CASINOS by Michael D. Lipton, Q.C., and Kevin J. Weber On December 5, 2017, following an internal government review of the casino sector after allegations of transnational money laundering and illicit cash transactions in gaming facilities in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia (“B.C.”), the provincial government of B.C. recommended …
Continue reading “New Anti-Money Laundering Recommendations for British Columbia Casinos”