TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the defeat on September 23, 2016 of Bill C-221, The Safe & Regulated Sports Wagering Act, the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) is applauding a study commissioned by the American Gaming Association titled "The Key to Sports Integrity in the United States: Legalized, Regulated Sports Betting".
Released last week during the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, the study examines the substantial extent to which Americans gamble on sports; the dangers posed to the integrity of sports by the current prohibition on sports betting; and what regulations and legislations need to be put in place in order to smother the black market.
"This is a fantastic study, as it validates that legalized and regulated sports betting is necessary to preserve and protect the integrity of sport," said Bill Rutsey, CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association. "The CGA has been advocating for the same in Canada, and we continue to push for legislation and regulation that would take our current sports betting system out of the hands of illegal operators, who have no interest in transparency, accountability, or consumer protection."
The conditions in the US mirror those in Canada. As the study reports:
- Americans want to bet on sports and prohibition has largely failed as the restrictions are ignored. Despite being illegal, betting on sports is a common and generally accepted activity for Americans.
- Left unchecked, black market gambling in the United States has thrived. By way of example, an illegal sports bookmaker who was prosecuted in New Jersey in the late 1990s had an annual volume of $200 million, higher than the largest legal bookmaker in Las Vegas.
- Illegal gambling threatens the integrity of sports. Legalized and regulated sports betting brings with it transparency and oversight, both for sports book operators and customers.
The study concludes that "in order to bring the United States up to international standards, choke-off black market gambling and preserve and protect the integrity of sports, America should implement a sound and robust regulatory framework to legalize sports betting, drawing on the experience of mature gaming markets, such as Great Britain."
"The irony is that by ignoring the need to deal with this issue and pass legislation, government is allowing the market to be manipulated", added Mr. Rutsey. "Unfortunately there is little awareness that this laisser-faire attitude is in fact the biggest threat against protecting the integrity of sport."
About the Canadian Gaming Association
The fundamental goal of the Canadian Gaming Association is to create balance in the public dialogue about gaming in Canada.
Our members are among the largest most established gaming operators, suppliers and gaming equipment manufacturers in Canada.
Our mandate is to create a better understanding of the gaming industry through education and advocacy.
Visit our website at www.canadiangaming.ca and find more about the CGA.