Justin Trudeau announced on January 6, 2025, that he would resign as Prime Minister of Canada. His decision could impact all of Canadian society, including the online gambling industry. Let’s take a look at how Justin Trudeau’s resignation could reshape the future of casino sites in Canada.
Online Gambling in Canada: Trudeau’s Position
Online gambling was never a major part of Justin Trudeau’s or the Liberal Party’s national platform. In fact, they were some of the biggest opponents of legal online gambling in Canada.
Despite this stance, the industry grew by leaps and bounds in the nine-and-a-half years that Trudeau was prime minister. Parliament legalized online sports betting in 2021 by passing Bill C-218 to amend the Canadian Criminal Code, ushering in a new era of legal online gambling in Canada.
Ontario casinos now rake in billions of dollars in gaming revenue every year from private-sector operators. Other provinces have also expanded their online casino and sports betting offerings to bring in record iGaming revenues through government-run entities.
Immediate Impact on Gambling Legislation
Trudeau’s decision to resign immediately sent shockwaves through Canada’s online gambling industry. The change of government means that any bill that has not already received Royal Assent (formally approved) will essentially die. A number of proposed laws fall into this category, including Ontario Sen. Marty Deacon’s national sports betting advertising bill (S-269).
If passed, Bill S-269 would create a “national framework on advertising for sports betting.” In the wake of Trudeau’s resignation, Parliament will probably never get the chance to vote on Bill S-269—at least not in its current form.
Winners and Losers of Trudeau’s Exit
Federal oversight
Bill S-269 falling through the cracks amid the chaos of Trudeau’s resignation and the change of government highlights the issues the federal government has had in regulating online gambling since 2021.
Provincial autonomy
When Parliament amended the criminal code, they left it up to the provinces to regulate online gambling. Some, like Ontario, have been proactive by creating casino licensing regimes to regulate private-sector online casinos and sportsbooks. Other provinces haven’t done anything yet.
Some local governments, like First Nations tribes, have actually fought against both provincial and federal regulation of online gambling. For example, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission unsuccessfully sued Ontario, arguing that iGaming Ontario’s regulatory framework was illegal under federal law.
Addressing the issue of provincial authority versus federal oversight is just one of the many issues the new government will have to address.
What Does the Future Hold for Online Gambling in Canada?
Regarding the new government, let’s discuss the major contenders to lead it and their positions on online gambling.
The Conservative Party is the clear favourite to lead Canada in a post-Trudeau era, according to the betting odds, with the CPC and Pierre Poilievre priced at -400 odds to come out on top in the next election. That’s equivalent to an 80% chance in terms of implied probability.
The Liberal Party are big outsiders at +275 odds. Part of the reason the LPC is so far behind is that we don’t know who will lead them yet. Former banker Mark Carney and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland are the two main candidates, but neither will likely be Canada’s next PM.
If the odds are correct and Pierre Poilievre takes over in March, we expect the online gambling industry to grow even more. The Conservatives have long been the most pro-gambling party in Canada, so they will probably take steps to expand the industry in 2025 and beyond.
