Ontario, Alberta Allow Private Online Gambling as Eight Provinces Use Public Platforms

Canada has regulated private online gambling in two provinces, leaving the other eight to government-backed platforms and making a player's location central to which operators may legally serve them.

Section 207 of the Criminal Code gives provinces authority to run lottery schemes under their own laws. A federal change that took effect Aug. 27, 2021, also let provincial systems offer single-event sports betting.

Ontario's private market opened April 4, 2022, with regulation and commercial management handled by separate bodies. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) registers operators and sets standards; iGaming Ontario signs operating agreements with registered companies and manages the private market. iGaming Ontario became a stand-alone Crown agency in May 2025. Before offering games, a company must complete AGCO registration and enter an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation operates OLG.ca separately.

Online casino and sports bettors in Ontario must be at least 19. Public ads for bonuses and similar incentives are restricted, with exceptions for operators' own sites and direct marketing to players who have actively consented. Since Feb. 28, 2024, the rules have also restricted gambling ads featuring active or retired athletes with a commercial arrangement involving an operator or gaming supplier. Responsible-gambling advocacy is exempt.

Ontario recorded C$82.7 billion in wagers and C$2.9 billion in gaming revenue in fiscal 2024-25. Active player accounts topped 2.6 million, though the count is not a count of unique people and is unaudited and subject to adjustment. As of Sept. 1, 2026, Ontario had 49 operators and 84 gaming websites, while the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation operated OLG.ca separately.

Alberta opened its regulated market on July 13, 2026, with 22 registered sites at launch. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) regulates the market, while the Alberta iGaming Corporation manages it. The minimum age for online betting is 18.

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) operates PlayNow in British Columbia. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries runs the province's PlayNow platform through BCLC, and the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority uses BCLC as its service provider. In Quebec, Loto-Québec runs the provincial online gambling service. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador are served by Atlantic Lottery.

For crypto users, a payment option alone does not establish whether a gambling operator is authorized in the province where a player is located. That status depends on the relevant provincial rules.