Canada Online Gambling

Provinces individually set the legal age for gambling. If you want to gamble in live casinos or poker rooms, you must be 19 years old. In Quebec, Alberta and Manitoba, you must be at least 18. Additionally, some provinces set the age to buy lottery tickets at 18 or older, despite restricting other forms of gambling at 19 or older.

Yes, online gambling is legal in Canada, and provincial lottery corporations are in control. OLG.ca and Proline+ (Ontario), PlayNow.com (BC and Manitoba), PlayAlberta.ca (Alberta), EspaceJeux.com and Mise-o-jeu+ (Quebec) and ALC.ca (Atlantic Canada) are among the provincially run online casino and sports betting sites. Plus, SaskGaming is launching an online casino and sports betting site with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority. In big news, a significant expansion of Ontario’s online gambling came into play on April 4 with the introduction of private online casinos and sportsbook operators.

No, not unless you’re a professional gambler. The definition covers pro poker players and sports bettors, treating their profits as business income. Otherwise, gambling winnings are tax-free for everyone, including lottery wins, slot jackpots, and sports bets.

The federal government left the regulation of privately run online casinos and online sportsbooks up to each province. So far, only Ontario has opened its market to private operators, although Alberta recently announced it would welcome two outside sportsbooks later this year. Whether other provinces will see the potential for increased tax revenue from a competitive online gambling market and follow suit remains a question.

You bet it does. Brick-and-mortar casinos in Canada range from luxury casino resorts in Montreal, Niagara Falls and Vancouver to small First Nations casinos set in natural surroundings. The luxury resorts can rival even Las Vegas casinos in size, gambling options and amenities.

Yes. Canada removed its ban on single-game wagering in 2021. Each provincial lottery corporation has since added full-scale sports betting to the previously parlay-only sports products. Additionally, Ontario opened its market to privately run online sportsbooks on April 4, welcoming operators like FanDuel, BetMGM, and PointsBet sportsbooks to the mix.

Online gambling is legal all across the country, as long as you are gambling with a regulated site. In most of the country, that means only playing on online gambling sites owned by provincial lotteries. However, on April 4, Ontario became the first province to open its market to private online casinos and sportsbooks. Additionally, Alberta will partially open its market later this year. Whether other regions decide to join the online party is unknown.

Provincial lottery sites offer various online casino games, from online slots based on in-person favourites to online table games and live dealer versions of favourite casino games like blackjack and roulette. You may also find popular video poker, keno games and instant lottery options.

Here’s our simple six-step guide to gambling online safely in Canada:

1. Find the provincial lottery and gambling corporation or other provincial gambling authority copyright mark, seal of approval or legal info on the online casino or sportsbook website you’re looking to use to make sure it is legitimate.
2. Download and install the online casino or sportsbook app, or just stick with the website.
3. Sign up for an account with a valid email address, phone number and SIN information through the site’s or app’s secure registration portal.
4. Enter any necessary bonus codes to be eligible for the bonus that particular online casino or sportsbook is offering to new users.
5. Make a deposit using Interac, PayPal, online banking or whatever available deposit method is best for you through the secure banking portal.
6. Browse through the available games or sports bets until you find something you like. Then click on it to play the game or place a bet.

There is a mix of federal and provincial laws that pertain to gambling in Canada. Canada’s Criminal Code has sections covering sports betting and online gambling. However, the forms that both those take — plus live casinos, poker rooms, lotteries and charitable gaming — are all up to individual provinces. The bottom line is that Canadian law allows you to gamble in Canada, but only with legal or provincially run establishments. It’s against the law to run a casino or gambling establishment without approval anywhere in Canada, or enter an unlicensed casino or gambling establishment, otherwise known as an illegal gambling house.

Ultimately, everything including live and online casinos, sportsbooks and poker rooms, bingo halls, lotteries and charitable gambling operations fall under the purview of the provinces. Provinces have departments that oversee gambling and have established Crown Corporations to operate casinos and online gambling websites. Some provinces allow private operators for casinos — using their Crown Corporations to oversee gambling activities. Plus, First Nation casinos operate throughout Canada, as well. Finally, Ontario opened its online gambling market to privately run online casinos and sportsbooks, many of which are launched legally on April 4.

Here’s a quick look at each province’s online gambling operation:

• Quebec: launched in 2010 and now includes slots, table games and poker. Single-game sports betting is also available via its Mise-o-jeu+ online sportsbook.
• Ontario: has had nearly unlimited legal opinions since the province opened the market to private operators in April. In addition to OLG’s full-service online casino with slots, table games and online sportsbook via PROLINE+, players can access over 30 sites with more on the way.
• Atlantic Canada: has an online casino in New Brunswick and an online sportsbook in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. That means no online gambling in Nova Scotia just yet.
• British Columbia and Manitoba: launched in 2004 and is now a full-service online casino with slots, table games, poker and an online sportsbook.
• Alberta: just launched an online casino in 2020, and added sports betting in 2021. Slots, casino games, single-game sports betting and instant lottery games are all there.
• Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority recently announced it would be launching BCLC’s PlayNow product in the province in November.

Video lottery terminals, known as VLTs, are video gambling consoles that offer slot and keno-style games. You can find VLTs in every Canadian province except British Columbia. Many offer multiple games in a single cabinet and employ a random number generator to determine the outcome of each. The games offer a fixed percentage return that is mandated by regulators and can’t be adjusted for individual consoles. Many feature popular slot titles and provincial jackpot games.