Nova Scotia online casino games are live via the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.
Beyond a range of online slots and table games, Nova Scotians can also legally enjoy sports betting, bingo, lottery and instant win games through the online portal.
Big jackpot prizes and instant games are available via the Atlantic Lottery, which is shared with neighbouring provinces.
This page covers all aspects of gambling in Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia gaming news
Is gambling legal in Nova Scotia?
Yes. All the popular formats are legal, with casinos, poker, sports betting, horse racing bets, bingo, and lottery games all legal. You will also find VLTs in this province.
Nova Scotia online gambling is legal too. Residents can play via the Atlantic Lottery Corporation portal. The ALC portal has casino games, instant games, bingo options, and Proline sports betting.
According to Nova Scotia gambling laws, you must be at least 19 years old to gamble legally in the province.
The Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Authority has regulated gambling in the province since 1995. An independent government body, the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation, runs the two commercial casinos in Halifax and Sydney.
Nova Scotia’s legal gambling options
- Casinos: There are two major casinos in the province with Casino Nova Scotia locations in both Halifax and Sydney. Both include hundreds of slots and a small number of table games. You will also find a small number of slots and VLTs at bingo halls and the racetrack. The big casinos include dining and entertainment options.
- Sports betting: Sports bets are handled through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and use the Proline portal. Single-game sports betting is available, though the list of sports you can bet on is limited.
- Sweepstakes casinos: A number of sweepstakes casinos are legal in Nova Scotia. These are free-to-play casinos where no purchase is necessary. However, some brands give you free premium chips to enter real money contests simply for registering. All of them give you extra chips when you send a written request by mail.
- Horse racing/simulcast betting: Nova Scotia has a three racetracks — Truro Raceway, Inverness Raceway and Northside Downs in Sydney. All three feature live harness racing and OTB facilities where you can bet via simulcast. This gives racing fans access to the pari-mutuel pools from around Canada, the US, and beyond.
- NS Lottery Games: As part of the ALC, Nova Scotia offers a mix of national and regional draws. You can buy tickets from retail outlets or online. There are instant win games, scratch cards, and iBingo options via the lottery website. Money raised goes to good causes in the region.
- Poker rooms: There is one live poker room in NS. It is located in the commercial casino in Halifax. The scope is limited to only a few tables, though cash game action can be enjoyed daily.
- Bingo halls/charity gambling: Bingo halls that raise money for charities and religious causes are found around the province. They have regular bingo games, entertainment, and a smaller selection of slots / VLTs to enjoy.
- Online gambling: Nova Scotia has an official gambling portal. This is shared with the neighbouring provinces via the Atlantic Lottery Corporation website. You can play casino games, including many slots with big jackpots and table games via this site.
Retail casinos in Nova Scotia
The province features two retail casinos operated by the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation. They are the Nova Scotia Casinos in Halifax and Sydney. The Halifax casino is the biggest. Though, it is a mid-sized gambling hall when measured against casinos in Québec, Ontario, and other provinces with larger populations.
Casino Nova Scotia Halifax
- Address: 1983 Upper Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 3Y5, Canada
- Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 4 a.m.; Friday through Sunday open 24 hours
With some 600 slot terminals and 28 casino tables, the Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax is the biggest casino in the Atlantic provinces. Gambling options include a dedicated high-limit gambling area plus a separate poker room with eight tables. Slots include classics from all the major providers, many with progressive jackpots. These are combined with a smaller selection of the newest titles.
Tables are limited to the most popular format. You will find blackjack games, roulette, and the ‘let it ride’ casino poker variant.
You will also find dining and entertainment options, including a buffet, restaurant, and event centre. Live bands and shows are hosted here. While there is no official on-site hotel, a covered walkway connects this casino to the Marriott next door.
A player’s club loyalty scheme is shared between this casino and the one in Sydney. This rewards regular players with bonus play, discounts, and access to draws and promotions.
Casino Nova Scotia Sydney
- Address: 525 George St, Sydney, NS B1P 1K5, Canada
- Opening Hours: 11 a.m. – 3 a.m.
This midsized casino has 300 slots, electronic games, and a few table games. Though the Sydney casino once had a small poker room, it is now closed.
There is a single dining/bar option – the Celtic Junction Bar and Grille – which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. You can also enjoy the music hall of fame exhibition at this venue. Separate event and meeting facilities are available for corporate and private events.
Legal sports betting in Nova Scotia
You can bet on single-event sports online in Nova Scotia via the Proline on the ALC lottery website. It is the province’s only legal sports betting option.
Selections can be wins, totals (under/over) or prop bets. There are a lot of prop bets to pick from, depending on the sport. Other betting options include futures (season-long), daily fantasy sports, and stadium bets.
Nova Scotia poker room
The lone poker room in NS is at the Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax. This has eight tables and operates until 4 a.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays. There are usually multiple NL Hold’em cash games ($1/$2 blinds are the smallest), plus the occasional PLO game. The biggest tournament takes place on the 3rd Sunday of each month. This features a $230 buy-in.
Home games are legal in Nova Scotia. The usual rules are that the host cannot make money from the games or charge entry fees/rake.
Racetracks and off-track betting in Nova Scotia
Truro racetrack, Inverness Raceway and Northside Downs provide regular live harness racing in this province. You can also enjoy simulcast betting at these three racetracks. This allows bets on races from Canada and the US via pari-mutuel pools. There are also separate OTB offices in Sydney, Bedford, and elsewhere.
Nova Scotia lottery
Nova Scotia has joined the other Atlantic provinces as part of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. The ALC provides draws, plus online games. There is a mix of national and local draws available in Nova Scotia. You can play for the biggest jackpots or try instant games. When you play lottery or casino games via ALC.ca, you will know that money raised will support causes in NS and the other Atlantic provinces.
Here are the biggest lottery draws in Nova Scotia:
- Lotto Max: This is the biggest national draw. It takes place each Tuesday and Friday. The winner will need to match seven main numbers and one bonus number. This jackpot starts at $10 million and can go as high as $80 million.
- Lotto 6/49: This game also has a life-changing jackpot. Each ticket is eligible for two multimillion dollar prize draws: the Classic jackpot, which is fixed at $5 million, and either the Gold Ball Jackpot (which starts at $10 million and can go as high as $68 million) or a $1 million prize.
- Daily Grand: You could win $1,000 per day for the rest of your life with this lottery draw. It takes place every Monday and Thursday, using the standard 6 numbers from 49 formats. A side game called ‘TAG’ is only available in Atlantic Canada. This costs $1 extra and gives you additional winning chances.
- Hit or Miss: This draw takes place every day. It gives you two chances to win. First, you can win up to $25,000 instantly. The same tickets are then entered into the nightly drawing. This awards a huge $250,000 top prize.
- Salsa Bingo: This is a hybrid bingo and lottery draw game. It takes place daily, with a jackpot that starts at $10,000 and grows until it is won. You can buy the additional ‘TAG’ ticket via the ALC site for extra winning chances.
Funds raised by the NS lottery are distributed by the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation. Large sums were raised, with more than $264 million in net revenue in Nova Scotia alone in the latest tax year. Three funds split the money. These support sports, culture, and community initiatives. Examples of good causes helped include the construction of schools, road repairs, and healthcare grants.
Bingo and charity gambling in Nova Scotia
There is a licensing process for bingo, raffle, and break-open games for charities and religious organizations in NS. There are two tiers, one for prizes of less than $2,500 (yearly under $30,000) and a separate tier for bigger prizes. One-off fundraiser raffles and lotteries can be licensed with prizes under $4,000.
Bingo halls and entertainment complexes can be found throughout the province. Some of them include a few VLTs or slots.
Online gambling in Nova Scotia
The ALC.ca gambling portal provides multiple ways to gamble online. Here are the main options:
- Casino Games: Real money slots and casino table games are available via the ALC portal. They include huge progressive jackpots – for example, the MegaJackpots pool, which covers IGT slots.
- Sports Betting: Proline single-event betting is available. There are also daily fantasy sports games and futures betting options.
- Lottery Draws: You can purchase tickets for the major draws with options to buy tickets weeks in advance. Second chance games and instant lottery games can also be enjoyed online.
- Online Bingo: The Atlantic Lottery portal can access instant bingo-style games.
Wrapping up: Gambling in Nova Scotia
While there are only two commercial casinos in Nova Scotia, residents enjoy the freedom to gamble in many different ways. The biggest casino is in Halifax, owned and operated by the provincial government via the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation. There is a smaller site in Sydney.
NS is part of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. As well as administering the lottery, this crown corporation runs an online gambling portal. You can enjoy casino games, slots, and more – as well as buy lottery tickets online. Add to this sports betting, poker games, horse racing bets, and bingo – and you will find that NS residents have a full range of gambling options.