ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of sports-betting regulations in Canada, and analyses the coherence of the framework. Sports-betting regulations in Canada reflect the nature and complexity of this country's government – which people might call a dualistic federalism. All provincial governments interpret the term 'lottery' very loosely to include the sports-betting activities that operate within their borders – since, as indicated earlier, there are no national sports-betting lotteries in Canada. Both Lottery Corporations offer regional online sports-betting lotteries, based mainly on pools. Many sports-betting websites are hosted in other countries, where they are legal; and so Canada has no authority over either the foreign websites, or the Canadians who gamble there. If sports-betting services were legal in Canada, that money could fund our own public revenues. Canadians can legally bet on horse racing at any licensed race tracks, and privately in small groups as long as the bets are not part of any formal scheme.
