Odds aren't good for sports betting in Sask. casinos

[clevfan]

Odds aren't good for sports betting in Sask. casinos

James Wood
Saskatchewan News Network


Wednesday, July 23, 2008


REGINA -- Betting on sports in casinos would have to jump many, many hurdles before it would be allowed, the provincial minister responsible for gaming regulations said Wednesday.

Earlier this week, federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson mused that he could be willing to see changes to the Criminal Code that would allow betting on individual sporting events at casinos.

Saskatchewan has five First Nations-run casinos, with a sixth on the way, and two government-operated casinos.

Dan D'Autremont, the minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, said the issue of sports betting comes "completely out of the blue" for the province.

But he noted that the Saskatchewan Party government has made promises that would have to be kept before there was any gaming expansion.

"For any changes in gaming that we might be looking at, we need to do a socio-economic impact first," he said in an interview Wednesday.

D'Autremont echoed Nicholson, adding there would also have to be unanimous agreement by the provinces.

Betting on individual sports also presents unique issues, said the minister.

"While it certainly has an addicting element, it also seem to have a concern about a criminal element involved in it as well with the fixing of sports games," said D'Autremont.

Dr. Garry Smith with the Alberta Gaming Research Institute at the University of Alberta said that sports betting is not as addictive as the VLTs and slot machines that are prevalent in Saskatchewan because of the lack of "instant action".

But its primarily appeal is to younger males, who are also the most likely to be problem gamblers.

Smith noted that in legal sports betting in Nevada, the casinos percentage of the take is only five percent, a figure that would likely be seen as too low for government or First Nations casino.

But he expects casinos across the country would be interested if sports betting is legalized.

"Any new game spells new customers probably, at least for a while. They're always looking for novelty and new things to attract people. And there is interest in sports betting, a lot of people do it online," said Smith, who added there could be issues about whether betting on local teams such as the in the Canadian Football League or junior hockey would be allowed.

David Jones, problem gambling community development co-ordinator with the Canadian Mental Health Association in Regina, said that if sports betting is ultimately allowed in casinos it must be done in conjunction with increased support services.

"If it were introduced, it would be an opportunity it seems to me for the government to set in a higher-visibility, problem-gambling prevention program that would link in with the sports, that would link in with the youth element," he said.