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The online gaming sector in Canada has undergone a renaissance in recent years with an influx of talented developers, designers and investors helping to deliver a product which is safer, more enjoyable and incredibly rewarding. So popular has online gaming become that it is now one of the premier entertainment options amongst those ages 23-35 with those that fall within this bracket playing between two and six times a week.
Online Gambling Industry Numbers Revealed
Gambling in Canada is an industry with a turnover exceeding CA$14.5 billion a year according to the official statistics. The country houses 70+ casino houses, 100k+ slot machines and about 25k+ temporary casino and bingo-type establishments.
In Ontario, there is one slot machine per 350 citizens, while the growth rate equals 15% per year approximately. On average, each Canadian over 19 years (not counting tourists) spends from CA$600 to CA$900 on gambling annually. Gambling, roughly speaking, regulated by the state like a franchise where license is acquired through the Commission on alcohol and gambling; provincial governments determine the type of games allowed in their territory. For example, Ontario and British Columbia allow casinos, horse racing and slot machines, while video lottery terminals and similar gaming machines are prohibited.
The cost of building and equipping a permanent casino is estimated at 40-50 million Canadian dollars approximately. Establishing a temporary casino (including ships and hotel rooms) is cheaper (40 – 60%). The price of a legal Canadian casino operating in full accordance with the provincial regulation starts from CA$80 million.
Online Casinos Of Canada: The Regulation Point Of Reference
Conducting gambling business in Canada is illegal until it is not legally regulated in accordance with the statements indicated in the country’s Criminal Code as well as sanctioned by the authorities of all the Canadian provinces. The legislating responsibilities have been delegated to provinces, considered to be the main stakeholders when it comes to casino or poker room legalization. The full powers have been granted to local powers in 1985, and since then the sphere of influence remains untouched (therefore, only the provinces are eligible to authorize a gambling establishment).
The Criminal Code contains two sections that represent core appropriations that regulate the country’s gambling industry. Despite the fact that all the provinces take part in the national lottery program, the provincial or regional authorities are entitled to permit or prohibit the activity. Therefore, the senior officials of Alberta may ban the particular game of chance on the territory of the province, while the same activity can function in Ontario at the same time.
Online Slots Regulation In Alberta
The responsibility for supervising and regulating gambling businesses in Alberta lies on the local gaming and liquor commission (also known as AGLC). In its turn, the organization is comprised of two departments: the Corporation and the Board. The Corporation represents the functional mechanism of the system, while the Board carries the governmental policy into effect through the triggers under its control. The organization elaborates the strategic directions and policies as well as delivers the implementation in conjunction with the largest financial institutions of Canada. AGLC is empowered to ensure the compliance of local gambling businesses with the fundamental principles indicated in Criminal Code as well as the documents adopted by the organization itself.
In fact, the organization holds the power to license, regulate and monitor games of chance activities located in Alberta. The province occupies the second position in the list of the major Canadian gambling provinces, ceding the leadership role to Ontario. The organization is characterized by a relatively loyal (by the standards of Canada) attitude towards gambling activities and/or enterprises, looking forward to conduct their business in Alberta. Therefore, AGLC adopted a far-famed charitable license model that helps dozens of organizations to raise funds for a particular project.
Online Casino Canada: Responsible Gambling
The year of 2004 heralded the era of new attitude towards gambling organization and virtually all the stakeholders involved in gambling activities. A large cohort of non-profit establishments, gambling providers and regulators united their efforts towards transparent and responsible gambling in Canada within the framework of CPRG, or the Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling.
Initially, the organization aimed at gathering comprehensive info on a broad variety of gambling aspects across Canada, and the result of the effort was the release of the gambling digest, now published annually. The digest includes statistical data on the state of affairs in each Canadian province: from overall revenues and quantitative characteristics on gambling businesses to revenue distribution and highly specialized data.
The digest itself represents a nicely crafted document with dozens of tables, charts and trends that characterize the development of the industry. The Gambling Digest is released publically, and available for download on the official CPRG website.
Casino Online And Brick & Mortar Establishments in Kahnawake
Kahnawake is a Mohawk Indian Reservation in Canada. Due to the special status granted to Indian lands, many of them legally allowed to host gambling, which provided a good supplement to the local budget. Kahnawake Gaming Commission, responsible for the regulation in this area, was established in 1996, and within as little as 3 years it began to issue licenses for this type of business on the Internet. Being the pioneer of gaming industry niche, the jurisdiction has become one of the most well-known among phenomena of the kind.
The Canadian KGC consists of three organizations assigned by Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. They are mandated to deal with all the regulation issues of online gambling, including licensing. A system of rules and standards that guides the commission is based on the experience of Australian colleagues. The basic principles of KGC are aimed at reduced to fair business conduction, transparency, data security and timely payouts.
The Commission has developed the requirements, ensuring high reliability and excluding the possibility of fraud in online gambling business. When considering an application the agency examines the following aspects:
- the formal grounds for issuing the license
- the reliability and integrity of software
- the capital adequacy for timely payouts
How Online Roulettes Appeared In Ontario
With an eye on the successful experience of Quebec, Ontario government raised the question of further legalization of online gambling in the province. Taking drastic measures was dictated by Toronto budget deficit of CA$24.7 billion.
Dalton McGuinty, the former Prime Minister of the province, proposed to fill the gap by raising taxes on the sale of alcohol. However, armed with a calculator and enlisted with the support of like-minded people, the Prime Minister gave the green light to local online gambling resources.
The neighboring Quebec earned about CA$50 million annually from online gambling enterprises, Ontario, the largest Canadian province, could count on even larger revenue.
‘Legalization of gambling sites will benefit the entire province. Ontario residents annually spend up to CA$1.9 billion on gambling online, though the funds go to other regions and offshore sites’, Paul Godfrey, head of the Committee on gambling in Ontario, commented on the situation.
Jeff Derevensky, the head of the International Centre that strives to limit gambling activities in Canada, indicated the young population was not ready for such global changes. However, the head of the center saw no particular obstacles to legalization: he offered to introduce a special course in local schools to protect the younger generation from the dangers of Internet gambling.
Best Online Casino Platforms Bring Up The Champions
The anthem of Canada sounded in Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas again and again as the six weeks poker season ended with a triumph of Canadian players, who managed to win 10 bracelets. In addition, Daniel Negreanu, a resident of Toronto, was so good in Australian and US competitions that earned the WSOP 2013 ‘Player of the year’ title.
When in late June Kristen Bicknell from Ontario won the women’s tournament, it a new achievement has been recorded: the bracelets have been awarded to ten players from Canada, which is a huge progress after three bracelets received in 2012. The previous record of the country was six bracelets won in 2010.
As usual, the majority of players represented at the WSOP were the U.S residents: 57,040 out of a total number of 79,471. Thus, 71.8 % of American players was more then enough to secure the leadership, as Canadian representation equaled as little as 5.2% (4,118 poker players). No surprise that the U.S. won a better part of WSOP bracelet in 2013 (41), almost two-thirds of the total number of awards and is slightly less than its percentage of participation. At the same time, ten Canadian bracelets represent 16.1% of awards, which is three times higher than the percentage of participation of the country.
Daniel Negreanu Bonus Casino Rockstar According To GPI Rank
In his address on Twitter, the Canadian resident, Daniel Negreanu, ranked the best poker player of the decade, wished his fans all the best and gave a little advice: ‘I hope that you will fulfill your dreams. Dream – declare – execute. The formula really works!’
In the life of 39 -year-old Canadian pro this formula really works as clockwork, especially recollecting about his goals for 2013. Negreanu planned to enter the tournaments and win at least CA$1.5 million, grab his fifth WSOP bracelet in career and a find himself in the Top 10 race Player of the year Bluff.
It’s unbelievable, but Negreanu not only achieved his goals, but also exceed them dramatically (and yes, he managed to be ranked the player of the year by Bluff Magazine).
The famous player won his bracelet in April, when he triumphed at the WSOP Asia-Pacific (APAC) Main Event and earned CA$ 1,087,160. In October, he was able also to duplicate the result, winning the competition of a high roller at the WSOP Europe, and get over CA$979,955. Along with other payments, during the year Negreanu one of the best players of Canadaso far collected winnings of CA$3,208,630 and the amount of his winnings throughout the career increased to CA$19,549,209.
Mobile Casino
Enhanced capabilities of information technology and personal gadgets are continually fuelling innovations in the e-commerce sector. New opportunities drive radical changes in all areas of businesses, and gambling is no exception. Natural infiltration of these changes into the online segment redistributes power and influence in the global gaming sector and foments the inevitable clash between ‘conservatives’ and ‘reformers’.
Prominent market research company, eMarketer, estimates 4.5% increase in 2019 e-commerce global market and net value just under C$33 trillion. A continuous growth of 4.1% to 4.5% in sales each year will magnify the net market value to C$39.13 trillion by 2023.
According to recent publications by Statista, out of 4.388 Billion internet users globally in 2019, a staggering 3.986 billion were unique mobile internet users. Due to the ever-increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets, the concept of mobile commerce (m-commerce) has gained immense traction.
This trend has had a significant impact on the online gambling industry. Oddly enough, there doesn’t appear to be a universally accepted definition of what the ‘online gambling market is. Different companies refer to online gambling in various ways and this causes some confusion. H2 Gambling Capital and iGaming Business, for example, refer to it in terms of the entire online gaming market while First Gaming distinguishes it from the mobile segment. The European Lotteries Association and industry giant Scientific Games exclude online lotteries from their definitions. We can debate the meaning, but there is no arguing the fact that the industry is booming.
Research and Markets projects the worldwide gambling market will generate revenues exceeding C$690 billion by 2023. That represents a compound annual growth rate of about 10% between 2017 and 2023. Online casinos have a lot to do with this. Revenues in that sector are expected to reach over C$115 billion by 2024. Sports betting, horse racing, lotteries, poker, eSports, and other segments will only add to it. Don’t forget about those who provide the hardware and software.
North America remains the fastest-growing market as more and more American states continue to legalize online gambling. Asia and Europe are not far behind. The industry has also seen an increase in corporate mergers as market leaders try to claim a bigger slice of the market share while improving their bottom lines. Paddy Power Betfair and Ladbrokes Coral Group are two recent examples. Some companies are even developing their own software, which limits their reliance on third-party suppliers.
The runaway train that is online gambling continues to gain momentum as it barrels down the track. With expanding internet penetration, increased usage of mobile devices, and other innovations like cryptocurrency, it won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
Unless you’re from the Great White North, you might not consider it Canada to be a gambling mecca. But both land-based and online gambling are in full swing, sanctioned by provincial gambling laws in Canada.
The landscape features nearly 100 casinos, and 38,000 VLTs fill in the gaps. Punters can submit their parlays at lottery retailers or online, and bingo, charity gambling, and homegrown online gambling sites for sports and casino gaming are all on the approved list.
Like many countries, Canada’s gambling laws have some clear-cut provisions, as well as some gray areas left to interpretation. So, we’ll do our best to demystify the situation.
We’ll touch on some game-changing judicial decisions too. As Canadian gambling legislation is now in the provinces’ hands, you’ll soon see what each has to offer and the specific Canada gaming laws in play.
If you look at the history books relating to legal gambling expansion throughout Canada, they focus on 1892, 1969, and 1985. But we’re going to add 1976 to the list as well.
- 1892 – The Criminal Code outlaws gambling under the section “Offenses against religion, morals, and public conveniences”
- 1969 – The Criminal Code was initially altered to allow for lotteries that raised funds for worthwhile causes
- 1976 – Sports lotteries were introduced
- 1985 – The federal government turned control over to the provinces for gambling activities, including lotteries and lottery schemes, which cover computer, video devices, slot machines, and horse racing wagering over the phone
The Criminal Code was the be-all, end-all of Canadian gambling legislation for decades. The 1969 move to approve lotteries got the ball rolling in the other direction.
We include 1976 because sports lotteries have been a mainstay in the country since then. Although betting is exclusively parlay-based, players have plenty of access through provincial-governed programs that extend to retail locations and, now, online betting as well.
1985 took Canada’s gambling and online gambling laws to a new level. Although the first gambling venue, Diamond Tooth Gertie’s, popped up in Yukon Territory in 1971, the post-1985 era prompted the casino boom.
Winnipeg’s Crystal Casino was the first government-owned casino, opening its doors in 1991. It didn’t even have its own structure but instead occupied the Fort Garry Hotel’s seventh floor. Manitoba now has five other gambling venues, but the historic Crystal Casino’s reign was short. It closed in 1999.
Online Gambling Laws in Canada
Canada’s online gambling laws are both straightforward and confusing.
On the one hand, online gambling, whether sports betting or casino gaming, is legal as long as the provider is licensed within the country. But on the other hand, Canadians use plenty of offshore online sportsbooks and casinos.
While it’s illegal to operate an online casino in Canada without a license, nothing is spelled out explicitly prohibiting Canadians from using non-licensed services. Many people do, without penalty. No one has been prosecuted for using an out-of-area gambling website.
There are licensed Canadian online gambling sites that operate within the country. Sports Interaction was one of the first and is still going strong. Although it’s categorized as a sportsbook, players can take advantage of casino games as well.
Additionally, Canada is a unique country with its online gambling presence. As the provinces control the gambling and online gambling, most have their own virtual service, like Quebec’s Loto-Quebec or Alberta’s Play Alberta.
Province-run gambling sites include casino gaming, instant lottery, and sports betting. Not all residents are enthused about these services.
The in-region sites tend to have just a small sample of games compared to competitive offshore online casinos. However, new betting opportunities are consistently added, and Loto-Quebec even has some millionaire-makers in its virtual slot banks.
Canadian punters tend to “virtually” leave the country to place bets because Canada’s gambling laws don’t account for straight bets. Since 1976 when sports lotteries emerged, betting has been restricted to parlays.
Aside from Sports Interaction, there are provincial-approved betting services across the country. The national program is called Sport Select, although it’s known by different names, depending on the location.
Sport Select usually operates in conjunction with lottery retailers, and some provinces have extended the service to mobile players. Hence, it falls under both gambling and online gambling legislation in Canada.
Canadians appreciate more than just online sports betting, though. As we mentioned, the majority of provinces host their own online gambling sites featuring casino games, like slots, table games, virtual scratch cards, and lottery-type gaming.
Province-run online betting sites are geofenced. Players can use their mobile devices to play from home or anywhere in the region but will lose connectivity when they cross into another jurisdiction.
Summary of Canada’s Online Gambling Laws
- Online casinos and sportsbooks licensed in Canada are legal.
- Sport Select is the national sports betting program, allowing for parlays in retailers and some provinces to provide online access.
- It’s illegal to operate an online casino in Canada without a license, but nothing is spelled out regarding players using outside online betting services.
- Most provinces have dedicated full-service gambling sites for residents but are geofenced, so Canadian punters in other areas can’t access the service – they have to stick to their local website.
Since 1985 when the Canadian government relegated gambling legislation to the individual provinces, there’s been continuous expansion. More than 80 casinos have surfaced and there are now nearly 40,000 VLT machines worth millions to the local economies.
The following are the nine provinces and one territory with casinos and subsequent oversight.
Alberta
- Gambling oversight: Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC)
- Commission established: 1996
- Alberta gambling legislation: The Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act
- AGLC website: https://aglc.ca/
- Legal gambling age in Alberta: 18
- Official online gambling site: Play Alberta
Alberta has 28 licensed casinos within the region. Vegas-style casinos are prevalent, totaling 24, and the other four stick to machine-based gambling.
When it comes to VLT gaming in bars and clubs, Alberta takes the nation’s second spot with 6,000 machines at more than 1,200 locations. Quebec is the only province with more, as it totals 12,000. Electronic gaming provides a half-billion dollars in annual revenue to the government.
The province participates in the WCLC, or Western Canada Lottery Corporation but doesn’t allow for online lottery sales. However, Alberta does have a provincial-run online casino, Play Alberta, with slots and lottery-type games. Players can deposit to their betting account with Visa or Mastercard.
- Gambling oversight: British Columbia Lottery Corp.
- British Columbia gambling legislation: Gaming Control Act
- BCLC website: https://www.playnow.com/
- Legal gambling age in British Columbia: 19
- Official online gambling site: Play Now
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation is a three-part service consisting of casino games, lottery, and e-gaming.
Play Now is the official online gambling service, which extends to lottery ticket sales and slots, and other virtual machine-type gaming. Unlike Alberta’s online casino that’s limited to Visa and Mastercard acceptance, Play Now offers a wide range of payment options, including PayPal, Web Cash, and Online Bill Payment.
Land-based gambling in British Columbia features 34 casino venues, but only 18 with traditional table games. There are also three bingo halls, but British Columbia has opted out of the VLT program, so machine gaming isn’t available at bars, taverns, and other liquor-licensed establishments.
- Gambling oversight: Liquor, Gaming, and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba
- Manitoba gambling legislation: The Liquor Gaming and Cannabis Control Act of 2018
- LGCA website: https://lgcamb.ca/
- Legal gambling age in Manitoba: 18
- Official online gambling site: Play Now
While Crystal Casino, the first commercial casino in the area, closed in 1999, five replacements have been added since. Manitoba is also home to Assiniboia Downs’ flat track thoroughbred racing under the Manitoba Horse Racing Commission’s supervision.
The Liquor, Gaming, and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba handles other gambling license applications, including lottery and VLTs. While Manitoba isn’t at the top of the list for VLT revenue, it has nearly 600 licensees, 4,400 machines and generates around a quarter-billion in revenue for the area.
Manitoba is the exception with the Western Canada Lottery Corp, as it also utilizes the Play Now online services for tickets. Both lottery and VLT retailers go through an application process but aren’t charged licensing fees to get started.
- Gambling oversight: New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corp.
- New Brunswick gambling legislation: Control Act of 2008
- NBLGC website: https://www2.gnb.ca/
- Legal gambling age in New Brunswick: 19
- Official online gambling site: Atlantic Lottery
The NBLGC oversees most of New Brunswick authorized gambling activities, except VLTs. VLT supervision is under the Department of Justice, which has recently implemented changes in the program.
VLT machines and retailers have been reduced to a maximum of 2,000 devices spread out amongst 300 locations. New Brunswick’s other land-based gaming includes the Casino New Brunswick with Vegas-style gaming and Grey Rock, which sticks to gambling machines, including electronic table games.
Online gambling is legal in New Brunswick through the Atlantic Lottery site, covering all of the bases from lottery tickets to casino games (slots and tables), bingo, and a link to Pro-Line for sports betting.
- Gambling oversight: Nova Scotia Gaming Corp.
- Nova Scotia gambling legislation: The Gaming Control Act
- NSGC website: https://gamingns.ca/
- Legal gambling age in Nova Scotia: 19
- Official online gambling site: Atlantic Lottery
There’s plenty of bingo action throughout Nova Scotia in addition to the two Casino Nova Scotia locations in Sydney and Halifax. According to reports by the NSGC, the area can more than accommodate the list of venues. Approximately 73% of Nova Scotians participate in at least one betting activity.
All of the proceeds from gambling within the province, which amounted to $136.5 million in the 2019-2020 calendar year, go directly to local programs and services.
Like New Brunswick, Nova Scotia is part of the Atlantic Lottery online gambling programs, so residents also have home and mobile access to slots, lottery tickets, sports betting, etc. Land-based gaming covers the landscape with 600 VLT licensees and 3,000 machines in play.
- Gambling oversight: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
- Ontario gambling legislation: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Act
- OLG website: https://www.olg.ca/en/home.html
- Legal gambling age in Ontario: 19
- Official online gambling site: Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG)
The OLG website is Ontario’s Atlantic Lottery. It’s a full-service online gambling go-to for pretty much anything and everything betting-related in the province. You can buy lottery tickets, bet on sports, and play casino games.
Ontario residents have an edge compared to their provincial neighbors. OLG’s casino not only has more games but uses IGT software. IGT is behind some of the most well-known slot titles, like Cleopatra and LobsterMania (both available on olg.ca). Slots also cover major progressive jackpots like the Power Bucks series seeded at a million.
Along with British Columbia, Ontario said no to VLTs. However, the province is currently home to 28 casinos, including four resort-style properties, like Fallsview Casino-Resort. Casino Woodbine is amid a significant expansion project slated for 2022 completion. And, the casino count will soon hit 29 when the new Pickering Casino-Resort opens its doors.
All but five of Ontario’s casinos are Vegas-style with slots and table games. The other five stick to gambling machines.
- Gambling oversight: Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission
- Prince Edward Island gambling legislation: Lotteries Commission Act and Gaming Centre Control Regulations of 2005
- PEI gaming regulation website: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/legislation/lotteries-commission-act
- Legal gambling age in Prince Edward Island: 19 for VLTs and casino; 18 for lottery tickets
- Official online gambling site: Atlantic Lottery
With a population of only 157,000, two casinos, a few hundred VLTs, and bingo halls should accommodate Prince Edward Island residents who enjoy gambling activities.
Even the Red Shores Racetrack and Casino, one of two Red Shores properties, is relatively small with about 300 slots. However, it also offers table gaming and a poker room. If the lottery retailers, VLTs, and casinos aren’t enough, though, Prince Edward Island is also part of the Atlantic Lottery program.
Atlantic Lottery gives residents a regionally-regulated, legal Canadian online gambling site for everything from slots to sports.
- Gambling oversight: Loto-Quebec
- Quebec gambling legislation: Société des lotteries du Québec
- Société de lotteries du Québec website: https://societe.lotoquebec.com/en/home
- Legal gambling age in Quebec: 18
- Official online gambling site: Loto-Quebec
If you want to know anything and everything about legal gambling in Quebec, Loto-Quebec is the site to discover. It’s one of the most detailed resources in the country and explicitly spells out what’s available according to Canada gambling laws.
Everything from VLTs to casino gaming to the Loto-Quebec online gambling site runs through the Société de lotteries du Québec.
Loto-Quebec, like the Ontario and Atlantic Lottery sites, covers the gamut. You can play slots, tables, instant lottery, and place sports bets. But if you’re in the mood to take a drive, two gambling halls and four casinos are premier attractions.
- Casino de Montreal
- Casino du Lac-Leamy
- Casino de Charlevoix
- Casino de Mont-Tremblant
The Casino de Montreal is the largest in Canada with more than 3,000 machines, 100 tables, a 25-table poker room, and a VIP gaming area.
As far as other land-based betting opportunities, Quebec takes the top spot with 12,000 VLTs, although it has plans to reduce that number in the near future. Historically, though, the VLTs have contributed a half-billion annually to the provincial economy.
- Gambling oversight: Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
- Saskatchewan gambling legislation: The Alcohol and Gaming Regulatory Act
- SLGA website: https://www.slga.com/gaming/
- Legal gambling age in Saskatchewan: 19
- Official online gambling site: n/a
The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority runs seven out of the nine casinos in the region, including the newest, Gold Horse in Lloydminster, which opened in December 2018. The remaining two (Casino Regina and Casino Moose Jaw) are under the Saskatchewan Gaming Authority.
Saskatchewan has an active charity gaming department and one of the more lucrative VLT programs. With 4,200 VLTs in 569 locations, it’s easy to see how they could contribute more than $155 million annually to the province.
A lottery is in full swing with Sask Lotteries, which also links to Sport Select for parlays. However, the lottery is a retailer-only service. You can’t buy tickets or play casino games on the Sask Lottery website like you can in Quebec or Ontario.
- Gambling oversight: Yukon Lottery Corp
- Yukon gambling legislation: n/a
- Lotteries Yukon website: https://lotteriesyukon.com/en/programs
- Legal gambling age in Yukon: 19
- Official online gambling site: n/a
There’s not a whole lot happening gambling-wise in the Yukon Territory. But we’d be remiss if we left it off the list as it’s home to Canada’s first casino.
Diamond Tooth Gertie’s was opened by the Klondike Visitors Association in 1971 and has done its job to attract visitors to the area. With just 64 slots and some table games, you wouldn’t compare it to a venue like Casino de Montreal, but you don’t need to, as it’s one-of-a-kind.
While Yukon Territory has a small lottery program with 43 retailers, there’s no VLT program. So, Gertie’s is the go-to for gambling machines.
Online Casino For Sale Usa
Canada’s online gambling laws provide for casino gaming, iLottery, and parlay-based sports betting. But the question is, what’s off the list?
The answer is straight bets and other sports wagering. Canada has noticed what’s happened in the US after PASPA (the Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act) was overturned.
As neighboring states are going all-in with sportsbooks and mobile betting, it’s time for the Great White North to get competitive.
Single-game sports betting has been a hot topic for years in Canada. Licensed sportsbooks and online bookmakers have been pushing for another modification to the 1892 Criminal Code for quite some time.
But the United States’ status change might be enough to alter legislation on a national level soon.
Interesting Facts about Gambling in Canada
Gambling and online gambling laws in Canada provide a combination of white-listed activities and those in the gray area, like online gambling offered through off-shore operators. That leaves residents and visitors with questions, as things can change as soon as you cross from one province into another.
So, we’ve got a few notable gambling-related items that you may find useful in addition to the detailed province-by-province breakdown above.
- The legal gambling age in Canada varies from province to province
- While the minimum age doesn’t swing wildly, some areas allow players 18 and over, while others require 19.
- Current sports betting legislation in Canada is for parlay-based betting only
- One of the contention points regarding legal sports betting is that it could encourage teams or players to cheat. With parlay bets, it’s less likely that someone would throw a game.
- The Mohawk Territory Kahnawake Gaming Commission isn’t just behind the Canadian-licensed Sports Interaction site
- The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was one of the first official regulators of online gaming, starting in 1996. Its client list has dwindled over the years, but it still maintains 21 active licensees.
- Canadians aren’t charged taxes on winnings
- The no-tax gambling law in Canada applies to both land-based and online gambling and the lottery.
- VLTs are responsible for nearly a quarter of all gambling industry income in Canada?
- Even without VLTs in Ontario or British Columbia, they’re behind billions in local governments’ annual revenue.
- A new casino is opening in Ontario in 2021
- The Pickering Resort-Casino was slated for a 2020 opening, but the COVID-19 pandemic slightly postponed the big reveal. Canadians will soon have access to more than 2,000 slots, 167 live dealer stadium game terminals, and 100 table game offerings.
Recapping Gambling and Online Gambling Laws in Canada
As you can now see, you’d need an entire book to list what’s on and off in terms of the gambling and online gambling laws in Canada. Each province develops its individual gambling strategy, which typically includes at least a few casinos, sports betting, a lottery, and an online presence.
Canadians aren’t taxed on gambling winnings, which is a win on top of a win. The legal gambling age is either 18 or 19, depending on the region. That requirement sticks with both land-based and online betting.
Some Canadians balk at their homegrown gambling sites, like Play Now or the Atlantic Lottery. But those full-service websites cover the gamut with sports betting, slots, table games, and lottery tickets. Canadian nights can get cold, so it’s always good to have options.