Saskatchewan eyes 2022 launch as Canadian gambling expansion gathers pace
Province concludes tribal agreement to develop new online gaming and sports betting site under 50/50 rev share deal
Saskatchewan has revealed that it expects to launch regulated online gambling by 2022.
The announcement follows an agreement between provincial authorities and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) to develop the province’s first regulated igaming site.
Under the terms of the arrangement, revenue generated by the site will be split 50/50 between FSIN and provincial authorities.
FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said: “Many hours, days, weeks, months and years have gone into making this a reality and it makes it all worthwhile.
“This will bring in new revenue opportunities that will benefit our 74 First Nations communities,” he added.
The site will operate online casino and sports betting and will be managed by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA), which operates as a local representative of FSIN.
To facilitate its development, SIGA has signed a letter of intent with the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation (SaskGaming) targeting a 2022 launch.
SIGA chairman Chief Reginald Bellerose said the agreement was an important day for the province’s tribes.
“The additional revenue opportunities from online gaming and sports betting will only increase SIGA’s ability as a non-profit to positively impact employment, economic growth, positive community relations and financial self-reliance of First Nations in the province,” Bellerose added.
Saskatchewan is Canada’s seventh largest province in terms of area and has a population of 1.1 million.
It boasts an extensive land-based gambling market, including more than 3,000 slot machines, 900 lottery terminals, 4,000 VLTs, and eight casinos.