If you’re a Canadian resident and are a fan of online gambling, you might have wondered just exactly how gambling laws work in the country. Online gambling in Canada has only been legal since 2022, so it is relatively new territory for Canadians. Canada is a very big country, so depending on where you live, the regulations and legislation might differ.
Here are all the laws you need to know about in order to abide by the law and be informed about online gambling in Canada.
How federal and provincial laws intersect
The most important law to keep in mind regarding the status of gambling in Canada is the Criminal Code of Canada. This is a federal law that applies to all 10 provinces and all three territories of the country.
Originally, the Criminal Code of Canada outlawed gambling entirely. Over time, the law became more lenient, adding in more and more exceptions to the rule. Now, Canada allows many casinos to operate on Canadian soil as long as they are properly licensed by a relevant commission or regulatory body. These same rules apply to online casinos created by Canadian proprietors as well.
It is important to note that the Criminal Code of Canada does not make distinctions between physical and digital gambling establishments. This means that online casinos or iGaming platforms are protected provided they obtain a license, just like any physical casino location.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that the Criminal Code of Canada does not extend to online casinos from other countries that Canadian users can access via the internet.
For a list of Canadian online casinos that are licensed and trustworthy, AskGamblers Canada is an excellent resource that can provide a list of sites and apps that are not only popular with Canadian players but are reviewed and rated based on their security, game selection, bonuses and other important factors. Canadian players can use this site as a resource to find trustworthy and popular online casinos to play at.
The types of gambling allowed in Canada
Gambling is a very broad word, so it’s important to nail down what exactly is legalized in Canada. When people talk about legalized gambling, they’re normally referring to very specific kinds of games or activities. These are the kinds of games that have exploded in popularity since iGaming was legalized in the country.
Legalized gambling games in Canada can be broken down into three primary categories: gaming, betting and lotteries.
Gaming is the biggest category by far, and it refers to poker, bingo and classic casino games such as baccarat, roulette and blackjack.
Betting is the second biggest category. It includes horse race betting, sports betting on sports such as hockey and football, and fantasy sports betting.
Lotteries refer to tickets and sweepstakes and have been a popular gambling activity in Canada for many years. Though online casino sites have begun incorporating lotteries, Canadians have traditionally bought their tickets from gas stations and local convenience stores.
Breakdown of the provincial and territorial commissions
Though the Criminal Code of Canada and its licensing requirements apply throughout the entire country, each province and territory is allowed to regulate the specifics of their own gambling laws. They are allowed to place additional restrictions, and enforce the regulations of their own corresponding gambling commission.
These differences in provincial and territorial regulations influence how lotteries and sports betting are regulated. As the world of online gambling is so new, most regions of the country abide by the same general rules.
These commissions are:
- The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission
- The British Columbia Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch of the Ministry of Finance
- The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba
- The New Brunswick Gaming, Liquor and Security Licensing Branch of the Department of Justice and Public Safety
- The Consumer Affairs Division of Digital Government and Service of Newfoundland and Labrador
- The Northwest Territories Department of Municipal and Community Affairs
- The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation
- The Nunavut Department of Health
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario
- The Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission
- La Société des Loteries du Québec (The Lottery Society of Quebec)
- The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
- The Yukon Professional Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Branch of the Department of Community Services
When registering at an online casino, it’s best to look up the commission of your corresponding province or territory to see their rules on licensing, regulation and any special regulations they might have for online sites in particular.
Conclusion
Though it’s only been two years, online gaming in Canada has grown at an incredible rate. As long as the laws stay the way they are, you can expect iGaming, online casinos and anything adjacent to continue their upward spirals.
Online casinos are continuing to implement more advances in tech, such as AI chatbots, more sophisticated software with progressive jackpots and other developments that live up to the complexity of modern video games, such as virtual reality. In the future, the laws in Canada will need some revision as things continue to advance. However, for the time being, this is how gambling is regulated in Canada.
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