Legal & Regulated Canadian Casinos
Online casino gambling in Canada is slightly different to other nations, as there are quite a few options that are both regulated and unregulated by local provincial authorities.
However, despite the majority of local governments launching online casinos and sportsbetting through their respective lotteries, unregulated online casinos are still legally permitted to operate freely in most provinces in Canada. This means that when it comes to online casino gaming, the 19.3 million Canadians who like to gamble really are spoiled for choice.
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Canada online casino regulators
Online casino gaming is regulated by each provincial government so regulators differ depending on a player’s location in Canada. As gaming is widespread across the nation, each local government has an appointed department of gaming or a gaming commission.
Any online casino company that is based in Canada must be licensed by its local provincial gaming authority.
| State | Online Casino Live | Gambling Regulator | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | Yes | Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis | 50 Corriveau Avenue, St. Albert, AB T8N 3T5 |
| British Columbia | Yes | The Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch | 1517 Water St, Kelowna, BC V1Y 1J8 |
| Manitoba | Yes | Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba | 1055 Milt Stegall Drive, Winnipeg, MB R3G 0Z6 |
| New Brunswick | Yes | New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation | Chancery Place, Floor: 3 P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB, E3B 5H1 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Yes | Atlantic Lottery Corporation* | 922 Main Street Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 8W6 |
| Nova Scotia | Yes | Alcohol, Gaming, Fuel and Tobacco Division of Service Nova Scotia | 300 Horseshoe Lake Drive, Bayers Lake Business Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Prince Edward Island | Yes | Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission | 33 Riverside Drive Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 7N8 |
| Ontario | Yes | Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario | Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario 90 Sheppard Avenue East Suite 200-300 Toronto, Ontario M2N 0A4 |
| Quebec | Yes | Loto-Québec | 500 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest Montréal, QC H3A 3G6 |
| Saskatchewan | No | The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority** | 2500 Victoria Avenue, Regina, SK, S4P 3M3 |
*No government gaming department, lottery reports to Finance dept.
**Regulation of online gambling transferred to the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) in 2022.
Online casino laws in Canada
In 1985, the Canadian government passed legislation that granted all provincial governments complete control over their individual gambling industries. Since then, casino gaming has flourished throughout many regions with tribal casinos dotted around the nation.
With regards to online casino gambling, there are no specific laws that prohibit online gambling so it is, in effect, completely legal by Canadian law. Some provincial governments have opted to launch their own online casinos. In the majority of these provinces, only the government-run online casinos are regulated.
Currently all provinces in Canada offer some form of online casino gaming through their respective provincial lotteries with the exception of Saskatchewan which hopes to launch its online casino some time in 2022.
| Province | Online Casino Operators |
|---|---|
| Alberta | PlayAlberta |
| British Columbia | PlayNow |
| Manitoba | PlayNow* |
| New Brunswick | Atlantic Lottery Corporation |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Atlantic Lottery Corporation |
| Nova Scotia | Atlantic Lottery Corporation |
| Prince Edward Island | Atlantic Lottery Corporation |
| Ontario | OLG |
| Quebec | Loto Quebec |
| Saskatchewan | TBC (launching late 2022) |
*Manitoba entered into an agreement that allows residents of the province to use British Columbia’s PlayNow online casino app and website.
Despite the launch of provincial online casinos, unlicensed international gambling companies are technically still allowed to operate in most provinces.
There are currently no plans to address the matter of unlicensed online casinos at federal government level. However, as local governments are free to regulate their own iGaming markets, they no longer require federal intervention to ban unlicensed gambling companies from operating in their market. This is precisely the path the Ontario took when it launched its regulated iGaming market.
Ontario
Following the passing of C-218 and the subsequent legalization of single event sports betting in Canada in 2021, the Ontario provincial government set about creating a regulated iGaming market. This would see both online sportsbooks and online casinos regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
The AGCO established iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary to the Commission that would help provide oversight for the industry.
In the build up to the launch date of April 4th 2022, the AGCO announced that all unregulated online casino operators must withdraw their products and services from the Ontario market and apply for approval to operate in the province.
At the time of launch, there were 13 operators approved by the AGCO while iGaming Ontario expected this to rise to over 30 following the launch.
Alberta
Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan share a lottery commission—the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). Unlike other lotteries, the WCLC does not offer any online casino gaming options. As a result, each province is free to launch its own online casino separate from lottery gaming.
At present, the only regulated online casino option available in Alberta is the government-owned and lottery-run PlayAlberta. This online casino is run by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC). According to the province’s legal code, anyone who is 18 years of age or older can gamble online.
There are several international online gambling companies that operate in the province, however, these online casinos are unlicensed. The AGLC considers these unregulated casinos to be illegal but has yet to pass specific legislation banning their presence in the province. There are currently no plans to establish a regulated iGaming market that will allow private companies to launch within Alberta.
British Columbia
British Columbia online gambling is regulated by the the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch of the British Columbia government. However, daily oversight of the industry is handled by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC). According to provincial gambling laws, anyone who is 19 years of age or older can legally gamble online.
The BCLC is also the only entity to run a regulated online casino within the province. This casino is called PlayNow and also offers sports betting.
There are no immediate plans to open a regulated iGaming market in the province that will allow private gambling companies to enter the market.
Manitoba
As mentioned earlier, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan share a lottery commission—the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). This lottery does not offer casino gaming and so the Manitoban government has an unusual agreement with British Columbia. The agreement allows the Manitoba government to offer BC’s PlayNow online casino app and website to residents of the province.
No bills or proposals that would allow private gambling companies to enter the Manitoba iGaming market are planned for the immediate future.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland has no land-based casinos and, as such, there is no gaming commission with the local government.
The province shares a lottery with Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island—The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC). This is the only regulated online casino option available in the province and the ALC handles all regulatory matters with respect to the online gambling industry. It then reports to the Newfoundland Department of Finance.
Newfoundland lawmakers have been reluctant to allow land-based casinos set up in the province and it’s unlikely that any iGaming bills will be discussed.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia’s gambling activities are regulated by the Alcohol, Gaming, Fuel and Tobacco Division of Service Nova Scotia. The province shares a lottery with Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. This lottery—The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC)—runs an online casino and app in the province.
Similar to many other provinces on this list, Nova Scotia considers all unlicensed casinos operating in the state to be illegal but has yet to pass legislation to ban these websites and apps. As far as we can tell, there have been no indications that the provincial government will look to establish a regulated iGaming market with licensed private companies operating online casinos.
New Brunswick
The New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC) provides regulatory oversight of the New Brunswick online gambling industry. However, at present this is limited to the online casino run by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) that the province shares with Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
While there are other unlicensed online casinos that currently operate in the province, the ALC is considered the only 100% legal online casino in New Brunswick. This doesn’t look set to change any time soon as there have been no legislative moves to pass iGaming laws that would allow private gambling companies to operate in the province.
Prince Edward Island
The Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission provides regulatory oversight to the Prince Edward Island online gambling industry. At present, the industry is limited to one online casino operator—the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC). Prince Edward Island shares the ALC lottery and its online casino with Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
Prince Edward Island lawmakers have given no indication that they are willing to pass legislation that would allow privately-owned online casinos to launch within the province. While some unlicensed casinos currently allow gamblers from the province to use their products and services, the Prince Edward Island government considers them to be illegal.
Quebec
Quebec’s online gambling activities are all handled by Loto Quebec. This is the provincial and government-owned lottery which also provides regulatory oversight on all online gambling. As the second most populous province in Canada, it’s believed that the Quebec government is paying close attention to the Ontario iGaming launch and may consider a similar approach in the not too distant future.
That said, there have been no clear indications as yet, on what type of approach the government will take if it does decide to allow privately-owned casinos to operate in the province.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is the only province in Canada that does not have a legal, government-owned online casino. Yes, there is a provincial lottery, but unlike others on this list, it does not have any casino gaming options.
Instead, the Saskatchewan government has opted to do things a little differently. In September of 2021, the government signed an agreement with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). The deal saw Saskatchewan form a tribal partnership that would allow the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) to manage all online gambling in the province with the exception of the provincial lottery.
As a result of the deal, a new government-owned online casino will launch at some point in 2022. All proceeds from the online casino will be split 50/50 between the province and the FSIN.
How to spot a licensed Canadian online casino
For many years, international gambling companies, often referred to as offshore companies, have targeted the Canadian market, but these companies are often unregulated. This means that players have no legal protections when playing at these unlicensed online casinos.
So, for added peace of mind, it’s a good idea for Canadians to only play at an online casino that is licensed to operate in their home province. This license should have been issued by the local gaming authority or government department that deals with gambling. Details of this license must appear on the online casino’s home page of its website or app. This is usually found in the footer (bottom section) of the page.
It is also possible to contact the local gaming authority or visit its website for a full list of online casino operators that are licensed to operate in the province. These can include both government-run online casinos and those run by internationally-based companies that are fully licensed by the province.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.
