Report broken down by state on expanding models for online gambling, lotteries, and sports betting; reserved exclusively for readers of Gambling Analytics
Contents
- 1 ALBERTA – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 2 BRITISH COLUMBIA – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 3 MANITOBA – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 4 NEW BRUNSWICK – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 5 NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 6 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 7 NOVA SCOTIA – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 8 ONTARIO – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 9 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 10 QUEBEC – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 11 SASKATCHEWAN – Canada Regulated Gambling
- 12 YUKON TERRITORY – Canada Regulated Gambling
ALBERTA – Canada Regulated Gambling
Alberta has more people than any other Prairie Province, but it also has vast landscapes and a large number of villages. Only one online casino and sportsbook operates with a valid license in Alberta. The AGLC is responsible for overseeing all forms of gambling in Alberta.
PlayAlberta.com is the only legitimate website for online gambling in Alberta. Albertans who want to gamble online can’t use sites based in the province, but they can play at sites run by companies in other countries.
There are 25 casinos spread out across the province of Alberta. Many of these gambling establishments donate a portion of their earnings to charity. In this province, both the government and First Nations jointly operate a number of casinos.
Century Downs, Alberta Park, and Northlands Park are just a few of the racetracks in Alberta where you can place a wager on a horse race. Horse racing wagers are available at 15 additional casinos.
Alberta’s daily lotteries are operated by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation. Alberta also has more than 6,000 VLTs (video lottery terminals).
Bets on multiple sporting events can be placed by residents using the Sport Select service, up to a daily maximum of $250. The province does not permit betting on a single sporting event.
BRITISH COLUMBIA – Canada Regulated Gambling
For over 30 years, British Columbia has provided residents and visitors with a variety of gaming options.
PlayNow, run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, is the only legitimate online gambling site in the province. Since 2004, it has offered gambling options like casinos, sportsbooks, and lotteries. British Columbians who want to gamble online also have the option of visiting offshore sites.
There are 15 casinos spread throughout British Columbia, with the majority being located in and around the city of Vancouver.
When it comes to horse racing in British Columbia, your only bet has to be placed at Fraser Down, which is located in Surrey. More than 15 locations in British Columbia accept wagers on off-track simulcasts.
Lottery: The British Columbia Lottery Corporation has been operating lotteries in the province since 1985.
Land-based sportsbooks do not offer single-bet markets, but they do offer a wide variety of other sports. In British Columbia, only sites operated by the government are within the bounds of the law.
MANITOBA – Canada Regulated Gambling
The Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba regulates a number of different forms of gambling, including:
PlayNow is a government-licensed online casino in Manitoba, but it only offers a small selection of games and no sports betting. Residents also have access to offshore gambling sites and sportsbooks that are regulated on a global scale.
Manitoba is home to a number of casinos, located primarily in the southern, more populous urban areas of the province. There are two LGA outlets in Winnipeg, and there are also several First Nations casinos in the area.
Assiniboia Downs is Manitoba’s only horse racing facility, where punters can wager on both Standardbred and Thoroughbred races. Off-track betting establishments in Winnipeg are governed by the Manitoba Horse Racing Commission.
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation provides lotteries and scratch cards for sale in Manitoba. Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries is responsible for the administration of video lottery terminals in the province.
Adults (those over the age of 19) can wager up to $250 per day on sports with no specific event requirements. For alternative single-bet options, Manitoba residents can use internationally regulated sportsbooks.
NEW BRUNSWICK – Canada Regulated Gambling
New Brunswick is home to only one million people, but they are packed in like sardines in a province that is 85 percent forest. The following types of gambling can be found throughout this province in the Maritimes:
The government of New Brunswick has considered legalizing online casinos on multiple occasions but has yet to do so. Residents are not prevented from going to legal offshore gambling and sports betting sites.
The only land-based casino in New Brunswick is Casino New Brunswick, which is located in Moncton.
Off-track betting is available in Dieppe and Quispamsis, and there are horse races in Fredericton and Saint John.
Tickets for the lottery can be purchased from one of more than 900 outlets across the province, and VLTs are also available. In fact, New Brunswick adopted VLTs in 1990, making it Canada’s pioneering province.
Pro-line parlay betting is available for multiple events, but single sports betting is not available in NB unless you go to an offshore site.
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – Canada Regulated Gambling
The Atlantic Lottery Corporation and the Newfoundland and Labrador Digital Government and Service both oversee various forms of gambling in Newfoundland, which is home to 90% of NL’s population.
There are no online casinos or sports betting sites because of the strict laws in place against online gambling in Newfoundland and Labrador. Instead, people in the province can use apps from other countries where it is legal to gamble.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the only Canadian province to ban casinos entirely, so you won’t find any here.
Bets on horse races can be placed at the St. John’s Racing and Entertainment Centre in Newfoundland, which simulcasts races from across Canada.
Over 1,000 retailers sell lottery tickets on behalf of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation; of those, 500 also provide VLTs.
Bet on sports with NL’s very own sportsbook, Pro-Line. It provides opportunities for wagering on a number of different games simultaneously. The province does not offer single-market sports betting.
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – Canada Regulated Gambling
Due to its low population and sparse infrastructure, the Northwest Territories (NWT) does not have any casinos serving its predominantly Aboriginal population. Moreover, online casinos are not governed by the NWT.
The Northwest Territories’ gambling authority, Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), is opposed to online gambling. In order to gamble legally, locals have the option of using offshore services.
There are currently no casinos in the Northwest Territories (NWT), but there are no laws preventing the construction of new ones.
In the Northwest Territories, MACA is in charge of regulating lotteries and bingo games, both of which must be run by nonprofit organizations.
Sports betting is available through the Sports Select portal provided by Northwest Territories Lotteries. This portal allows access to multi-bet parlay markets but not single-market wagering.
NOVA SCOTIA – Canada Regulated Gambling
Although Nova Scotia (NS) is the smallest province in Canada, its citizens enjoy gambling more than any others. As the province with the most people in Canada, British Columbia has a wide variety of casinos to choose from. The Nova Scotia Gaming Commission (NSGC) oversees all betting operations in the province.
Bettors in Nova Scotia who prefer to place wagers online must travel to countries with more developed and regulated online gambling markets.
The provincial government of Nova Scotia owns and manages two casinos on land. Halifax and Sydney both have casinos.
Truro Raceway, Northside Downs, and Inverness Raceway are the three horse racing tracks in Nova Scotia, despite the province’s small population and size. Off-track betting is another option for punters.
There are over 3,000 VLTs spread throughout retail outlets in Nova Scotia, all of which are operated by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.
NS’s Pro-Line sports betting platform is designed for parlay wagers on multiple sporting events rather than single wagers.
ONTARIO – Canada Regulated Gambling
When it comes to legalizing online gambling and sports betting in Canada, Ontario (ON) is out in front. Only Ontario issues licenses to and regulates online gambling sites that are based outside of the province.
Ontario has issued over seventy licenses to major casinos and sports betting operators from the United States and Europe since it opened its virtual doors in April 2022. iGaming Ontario is in charge of overseeing the industry as a whole.
In addition to its online casinos, Ontario is home to over 25 land-based casinos run by private companies, the provincial government, and charitable organizations.
Off-track betting and numerous racetracks make Ontario (ON) one of the best places in Canada to wager on horses.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission oversees both provincial and federal lottery games.
Land-based sportsbooks use the Pro-Line betting system, which allows only parlay bets. However, single-market betting at online sportsbooks is sanctioned by the province.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – Canada Regulated Gambling
Prince Edward Island (PEI) has a population of only about 165,000, so it is not surprising that the number of gambling options is limited. Gambling on Prince Edward Island is governed by the Lotteries Commission [link].
Currently, Prince Edward Island is not one of the Canadian provinces that allows licensed online gambling at casinos or sports betting sites. Tourists can travel to areas where businesses are legal to operate.
Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, the only physical casino on Prince Edward Island, is also a horse racing track (racino).
In addition to Red Shores, Charlottetown Driving Park and Summerside Raceway also host horse races in Prince Edward Island.
Atlantic Lottery Corporation infrastructure, including video lottery terminals at retail locations, are available in Prince Edward Island (PEI).
Parlay bets are available for online and in-store sports betting on Prince Edward Island’s Pro-Line platform. The province does not allow single-event wagering.
QUEBEC – Canada Regulated Gambling
The RĂ©gie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ) (Alcohol, Racing, and Gaming Commission) has overseen the expansion of the gambling industry in Quebec since its legalization in 1970.
Playing at internationally licensed online casinos or sportsbooks is legal in Quebec. Espacejeux is Quebec’s specialized online casino. Access restrictions for offshore gambling sites have been discussed but not implemented as of yet. The people of Quebec are crossing their fingers that their government will reverse its stance and allow people to legally gamble online.
There are nine casinos in Quebec, all of which are licensed by the RACJ.
Racing of horses Bets on horse races can only be placed at the Hippodrome 3R in Quebec. Fans of horse races can also visit off-track betting centres.
Hundreds of retailers sell lottery tickets across Quebec, where multiple lotteries are held each day and week. There are roughly 11,000 VLTs spread across bars, casinos, and other venues.
Mise-O-Jeu, a popular game with betting options on sports, provides residents of Quebec with access to individual market sports betting.
SASKATCHEWAN – Canada Regulated Gambling
Saskatchewan residents, on average, spend more money per year on gambling than any other Canadian province, according to data compiled by Statistics Canada. It’s a good thing the province has a thriving casino industry. The SLGA oversees the province’s alcohol and gambling industries.
Due to a lack of a regulatory and licensing infrastructure, the economic benefits of online gambling in Saskatchewan have not yet been realized.
There are eight casinos in Saskatchewan, so getting to one is simple. Two are government-run establishments in Saskatchewan, and six are privately owned by First Nations people and governed by the National Indian Gaming Authority.
Horse racing is popular in the province, with three tracks and off-track betting available.
The lottery features daily or weekly drawings and 4,000 video lottery terminals. Saskatchewan Lotteries oversees these betting activities.
In SK, the only type of sports betting available is the multi-event (parlay) variety. If you want to bet on a single sporting event, you’ll need to visit an offshore sportsbook online.
YUKON TERRITORY – Canada Regulated Gambling
Yukon is home to roughly 35,000 people. Nonetheless, residents can indulge in a variety of betting options in the province.
Although Yukon does not permit online gambling, residents are free to visit other jurisdictions that do.
Land-based casinos are illegal in Yukon, making it the only Canadian province to take such a stance. There is one exception, however, and that’s Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall. Unfortunately, it’s only open from late spring to early fall.
Western Canada Lottery Association sells lottery tickets for both the daily and weekly draws.
Yukon accepts wagers on multiple sports leagues, but not on a single league at this time.