Trudeau’s Resignation Puts Federal Sports Betting Reforms on Hold

The recent resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and prorogation of Parliament until March 24 put a lot of uncertainty on Canadian government legislation, including the growth of federal sports betting laws.

Impact on Bill S-269

Bill S-269, introduced by Senator Marty Deacon, aimed to establish a system for national regulation of sports betting advertisements in Canada. The bill had passed the Senate in November and was expected to be put to First Reading by the House of Commons. Yet, with Parliament’s prorogation, all legislation that had to be made in motion was closed down, including Bill S-269. For the bill to proceed, it must be reintroduced in the next parliamentary session.

Consequences of Prorogation

By suspending parliament, the progress on Bill S-269 and other legislative priorities was delayed. In the House of Commons, the majority was supposed to return on January 27, but it will remain inactive until late February. This may leave more pressing political and economic concerns behind if Parliament returns. It may make the gambling bill a priority rather than having serious economic and political issues for it when parliament resumes again. Legislative policy might change greatly depending on how the election for Liberal Party leadership fares and whether there may be a Federal election in the first week of the elections.

Future Outlook

The fate of Canadian sports betting legislation as a federal law remains uncertain. Bill S-269 has been delayed because it has to go to Parliament once more. The political instability suggests that establishing a standard national system for sports betting advertisements may have long waiting times. The gaming industry and government agencies will have to stay up to date with political change in order to know what sports betting legislation will look like in Canada.