Recent changes to the sports betting laws in Canada have paved the way for single-game wagers. Under the old law, the only form of legal betting was on sports parlays. Part of the sweeping legislation turned the regulatory process over to each individual province in the county.
Certain provinces were able to quickly add single-game betting as of Aug. 27 when it became legal. This change hinged on the betting system it had in place. The province of Saskatchewan is hoping to join that list by March of next year.
In a recent announcement, an amended gaming agreement has been reached. The agreement is between the provincial government and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). The FSIN represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan.
This sets the stage for a new online mobile betting app that would offer single-game wagers. Through the FSIN, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) can operate seven casinos in the province. The new agreement adds the ability to operate an online gaming site.
This new online gaming site would offer both sports betting and casino games. There are still quite a few logistics to be worked out. However, there is optimism that this new gaming site will go live in the first quarter of 2022.
Under the new deal, there will be a 50-50 revenue share between the FSIN and the province. The Chair Chief of SIGA is Reginald Bellerose. He added the following comments in a recent press release:
“The additional revenue opportunities from online gaming and sports betting will only increase SIGA’s ability as a non-profit to positively impact employment, economic growth, positive community relations and financial self-reliance of First Nations in the province.”
Currently, legal sports betting in Saskatchewan is available through Sports Select as part of the Western Canada Lottery Corp. (WCLC). The only sports bets allowed are multi-team parlays placed in person at an authorized lottery outlet.
Online betting through a mobile app is not an option at this time. With the recent change in law, the WCLC is working on offering a single-game betting option. However, it remains behind the times as opposed to current betting options in other Canadian provinces.
The Ontario Lottery has been able to quickly adapt to the changes. The Gaming Corp’s PROLINE+ is now available for single-game wagers.
- Easily convert odds with this tool.
- Open a betting account with a BetMGM bonus code.
- Use an Ocean Casino promo code to play casino games for real money.
Talks between the government-owned Saskatchewan Gaming Corp. and SIGA have been ongoing prior to the change in Canadian law. As early as June of this year, there was an agreement on the terms for a province-wide online gaming app.
The actual deal was recently finalized. The formal agreement between these two parties sets a six-month time frame for launch. SIGA will have exclusivity in the province for five years as part of the terms.
SIGA also has a signed letter of intent in place to partner with SaskGaming as the online gaming operator. The next step is to solicit proposals for the development of a casino and sports betting mobile app.
SaskGaming’s intent is to deliver a safe, regulated, and secure platform that adheres to all existing responsible gaming standards.
