Anti Online Gaming bill would cost sports team plenty

[Ian_go]

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....more