A bill introduced at Queen's Park yesterday could cost the CFL — and especially the Argos — a lot of money.
Proposed by Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips, the Consumer Protection and Service Modification Act includes a clause that would outlaw advertising on Internet gambling sites, and on sites that link to them.
That ban would include the offshore gambling site Bowmans.com, and Partypoker.net, an instructional site with links to a gambling page. The Argos and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have a promotional deal with Bowman's, while Partypoker.net sponsors the CFL.
Argos president Keith Pelley says the provincial government would be better off legislating Internet gaming than outlawing it.
"My feeling is that Internet gambling is no different from playing Pro-Line or playing slots at the racetrack," he said. "If you eliminated Internet gambling sites, a lot of TV and radio stations and sports teams are going to suffer. The Argos would be one of them."
An Argos source said yesterday said Bowmans.com pays about $500,000 a year to advertise with the Argos, about four times the value of the team's deal with Pro-Line, which expired in 2003. Players wear the Bowman's logo on their jerseys, and Bowman's sponsors team functions, like a charity dinner at the Liberty Grand next week.
CFL spokesperson Perry Lefko wouldn't reveal how much the league makes from its deal with Partypoker.net. Last season, Bowman's sponsored the league and four of its teams, including Hamilton and Toronto, for a reported total of $750,000.
In 2004, the CFL connected with Bowman's and became the first pro sports league to broker a sponsorship deal with a gambling website.
But during Grey Cup week last year, the B.C. Lottery Corporation protested that Bowman's — which is based on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius — was an illegal gaming operation. The corporation persuaded the CFL to ban Bowman's from sponsoring any official Grey Cup events.
This season the league dropped Bowman's in favour of Partypoker.net.
Lefko said the CFL has no plans to alter its deal with Partypoker.net unless the bill becomes a law.
"The CFL is aware of the situation," Lefko said. "If it gets to the point where (Internet gambling advertising) is banned, the league will react accordingly."
The bill still must survive a second reading, a debate and third reading before the provincial legislature can pass it, and that will take at least two months, said ministry spokesperson Paul de Zara.
"We're hoping it passes before Christmas, but we can't presuppose the outcome," he said.
source : http://www.thestar.com
