Examples to take from border states
The biggest thing that could be of interest to Canadian sports bettors is the presence, or lack thereof, of features that are made legal in border states. The reason this matters is the fact that some of those features may be ones that bettors want to use in Canada. While many sports betting sites in Canada offer all of the features that one could want, you never know what innovations could arise from the United States, making each border state one worth paying attention to.
Conversely, any restrictions put on sports betting in border states are worth paying attention to as well. These restrictions are good reminders of the occasions where bureaucracy can get in the way of a good thing. For example, New York is preparing to legalize sports betting, but is only doing so at four physical locations across the entire state. That makes it highly unlikely that most bettors will be able to access the four casinos necessary to bet, making online betting an attractive option to most the way it is in Canada.
Should US look for guidance?
It may sound like a strange question given that so many US states are on the path toward legalization, but it is entirely possible that the US should be looking to Canada for sports betting guidance instead of the other way around. While in-person single-game sports betting isn’t yet legalized across Canada, Canada makes it possible for bettors to access plenty of elite online sportsbooks that US players don’t have access too. And while state-by-state legalization is nice, some players may just prefer to have more online sports betting options.
Most states are considering adding an online betting component as they legalize sports betting. An example of this lies on the US/Canada border, as Montana legalized sports betting both in-person and on mobile devices. Given the efficiency and popularity of online sports betting in Canada, it could be worth the US taking a look to its northern neighbors to see what has worked for them and how they can bring a similar online betting experience to the States.
No matter what happens in the US, though, Canadian sports bettors can look forward to continued access to online sports betting. Given the convenience of betting online as opposed to wagering in person, there is no doubt that Canada is getting a good deal there thanks to the presence of sites like these.