Atlantic Lottery is now offering wagering on the United States presidential election through the popular sports betting system Pro-Line.
The lottery corporation is allowing people to bet on who will win the Republican nomination, Democratic nomination, and ultimately who will take the White House.
Christine Manore of Atlantic Lottery says it’s a responsible option for what’s already available on international websites.
“It's important to note though that we're not really looking at this as a major revenue generator,” said Manore. “It's really an opportunity to diversify the product, and just to get people looking at Pro-Line.”
It’s the first time Atlantic Lottery has offered betting on a political race, but not the first time it's been done in Canada. Similar contests have been played in British Columbia.
But anti-gambling advocate Terry Fulmer says the new game is a problem.
“It's just that they're increasingly developing a footprint to have more control, to have more influence in that revenue stream,” she said.
Others in Halifax agree.
“It's going a step too far, I think,” said one resident. “Sporting events are fine, but betting on who's going to be the next president of the United States?”
Atlantic Lottery says it's steering clear of Canadian politics.
“Our focus really is not on attracting problem gamblers – it's really on offering a regulated and safe product,” said Manore.
The lottery corporation says it hopes more people will play as the election gets closer.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell.
