Sports-betting takes shape

Plus: The latest on back-to-school, the surgery backlog and wildfires

Good Thursday morning. This is Queen’s Park Observer.

ABOVE THE FOLD

After Ottawa decriminalized single-event sports wagering last month, it’s now up to the provinces to do the heavy lifting and establish a regulatory framework for soon-to-be licensed operators.

And now that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has released the draft standards, Ontarians are one step closer to placing bets on single games, novelty events, and fantasy sports — as part of the expected launch of the competitive iGaming market in December. 

Here are the highlights from the 61-page consultation paper:

— Live in-game betting and eSports will be allowed. That’s “good news,” according to the Canadian Gaming Association. The industry-led group is also onside with not requiring operators offering sports betting to use official league data.

— Setting financial and time-based limits to mitigate the risk of harm. Players shall be provided with “an easy and obvious way” to set gaming limits, and relaxing the…