Canadians are big fans of gambling and they enjoy placing a bet on hockey almost as much as watching the game. Unfortunately, the legislation isn’t crystal clear and many restrictions affect local players. In the absence of a legal framework to regulate sports betting, punters need to seek the services of international bookmakers such as OlyBet. These are happy to provide their services to residents of Canada, while the latter don’t suffer any consequences for placing a bet.
A long and twisted road to regulation
Sports betting fans from Canada are hoping that in a not-so-distant future the lawmakers will regulate sports betting and they can bet online with sites listed on this page like their US counterparts. Some attempts were made many years ago, but that happened before Internet games became popular. A significant percentage of those who bet on sports prefer online bookmakers, so they need to gamble in accord with the law. The good news is that Canadians are not prohibited from playing and don’t suffer any repercussions if they are caught gambling online.
International bookmakers are happy to supply them with sports betting options and many offer their services in both English and French. By meeting Canadian punters halfway, sportsbooks hope to tap into the immense potential of this vibrant market. An insignificant minority of the major international bookies prevent players from Canada from signing up. They don’t restrict bonuses either, so punters from this country enjoy the same advantages and their international counterparts.
Horse betting is legal in Canada
Not all forms of online gambling were deemed illegal and horse racing is a shining example. You can bet on these events at land-based locations and over the Internet without breaking any law. Many bookies that accept players from Canada focus on horse racing events and provide them with a broad selection of races. This has emerged as one of the most popular sports, although hockey remains the favorite pastime for Canadians. One of the things that make this country special is the fact that accumulators are allowed, while single and double bets are not legal. It’s a peculiar thing that should change in the future.
In the absence of a clear set of rules, Canadians are hard-pressed to find reliable bookmakers. While they don’t suffer the rigors of the law if they gamble online, there are always in danger of being tricked. Since they don’t have recourse if things go bad, there’s a lot of pressure on punters to find a trustworthy bookie. Research is particularly important and prospective players are expected to spend a lot of time reading reviews written by the critics and fellow players.
There are many voices in the Canadian Parliament saying that legalizing sports betting is the right thing to do. For the time being, there are no specific actions taken to create the legal framework. This leaves Canadian punters in a gray area where they need to fend for themselves and be extra careful.