Canada’s push for single-game sports betting took a hit on Tuesday after the ruling Liberal party announced it would oppose the measure.

On Tuesday, Canada’s House of Commons held the second (of three) readings of Bill C-221, aka the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, which would amend a single section of Canada’s criminal code to allow provinces and territories to decide whether to permit single-game sports wagers within their borders.

C-221 received a passionate introduction by its sponsor, New Democratic Party MP Brian Masse (pictured), whose voice was a little hoarse – which, in typical Canadian fashion, he blamed on having spent the previous day yelling at the youth hockey team he coaches – but whose oratory made sure his fellow MPs understood the opportunity at hand.

Masse repeated many of his earlier arguments in support of his private member’s bill, in particular the fact that single-game wagering is already taking place. Masse’s own research found that a Google search of ‘Canadian sports betting sites’ turns up around 530k hits.