Online Gambling Laws in Canada: Provincial Rules & Compliance (2026)

Canada has a complex regulatory landscape for gambling. Under the Criminal Code, commercial gambling is generally lawful where it is conducted and managed by a provincial or territorial government within the applicable federal or provincial framework. Certain First Nations gaming frameworks also exist, but these should be assessed separately. To open a casino (including an online casino) in Canada, it's necessary for an operator to comply with the federal framework and the rules of each province or territory in which it seeks to operate. 

Offshore operators are generally not licensed under Canadian provincial regimes and may face serious enforcement risk where they target Canadian players or breach Canadian federal or provincial restrictions. They may face advertising restrictions and, in specific enforcement cases, other measures such as geo-blocking.

Several provinces have expanded regulated online gambling models, most notably Ontario and Alberta, while retaining formal registration, conduct-and-management, AML, responsible gambling, and technical compliance obligations.

There is no single gambling license for Canada: provincial legal authorities may issue licenses to private companies to operate gambling platforms and provide gambling-related services. However, in April 2022, a new provincial internet gaming agency, iGaming Ontario, began operating in the province, signaling a shift in regulatory direction. 

This article provides an overview of the main regulations of each of Canada’s provinces and territories, including online gambling laws, before explaining recent developments in the country’s regulatory landscape. You’ll also learn how to register your online gaming business in Canada and safely comply with relevant laws.

Is online gambling legal in Canada?

Online gambling is legal in Canada, where it is regulated under a provincial or territorial conduct-and-management framework. Availability and permitted operators differ by province.

Federal law vs provincial authority 

At the federal level, the Criminal Code of Canada permits gambling only when it is conducted and managed by provincial or territorial authorities. As a result, each province is responsible for regulating both land-based and online gambling within its jurisdiction. This results in materially different rules across provinces and legal frameworks across regions. For example, the minimum gambling age is 18 in Alberta, while it is 19 in British Columbia. Most provinces operate their own government-run online gambling platforms, offering regulated products designed to promote player safety and responsible gaming.

Suggested read: What is Responsible Gaming?

At the same time, many Canadians access offshore gambling websites. While these operators are not licensed by Canadian provinces, enforcement against individual players is limited, placing such activity in a legal grey area rather than making it explicitly illegal.

Canada’s gambling landscape also includes unique arrangements involving First Nations jurisdictions. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission, based in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke near Montreal, licenses and regulates online gambling operators under its own framework. While other First Nations initiatives typically operate in partnership with provincial authorities, Kahnawà:ke represents a more independent model within Canada’s broader regulatory landscape.

Canada gambling age requirements by province

The legal gambling age in Canada varies between 18 and 19, depending on the province. In most jurisdictions, a single minimum age applies across all gambling activities, although some provinces make limited distinctions for lottery products.

A breakdown of the gambling age in Canada by province is set out below: 

Suggested read: Know Your Enemy: An Interactive Guide to iGaming and Gambling Fraud

Provincial gambling regulations

There is no single gambling regulation in Canada; it is legislated at the provincial level. Despite many similarities, the gambling laws in Canada’s provinces and territories, and their respective regulators, differ from one another regarding issues such as who is allowed to operate and how to register.

The sections below include links to legislation explaining exactly which companies may be registered in each province or territory to provide gambling services. Each link also provides instructions on how to register and the penalties for failing to comply with provincial gambling rules.

Alberta

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) serves as the province's gambling regulator and operates PlayAlberta.ca as the sole legal online gambling platform to date. However, the province is in the final stages of launching a fully regulated, competitive iGaming market modeled on Ontario's approach. The legislative foundation—the iGaming Alberta Act (Bill 48)—was passed in spring 2025, establishing the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) as the conduct-and-manage agency for the new market, while AGLC retains its role as regulator. Private operators must complete a dual-track process: obtaining regulatory registration from AGLC, followed by entering a commercial agreement with AiGC. Alberta’s regulated iGaming framework is scheduled to open on July 13, 2026, with operators required to register with AGLC and enter contracts with the Alberta iGaming Corporation. The framework includes the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation, AGLC registration requirements, AGLC standards, and AiGC commercial arrangements.

British Columbia

The Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch of the Ministry of Finance (British Columbia) allows companies to operate under its provisions. The gambling regulation in British Columbia is set out in the Gaming Control Act of 2002. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) operates PlayNow in British Columbia, and the PlayNow platform is also used in Manitoba and Saskatchewan under provincial arrangements

Manitoba

The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba regulates gaming in Manitoba. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries operates provincial gambling products, including PlayNow. Companies that want to operate in Manitoba must comply with The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act and The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act. Residents of Manitoba have been able to gamble online using PlayNow since 2013.

New Brunswick

The Gaming Control Branch of the Department of Public Safety (New Brunswick) is in charge of registering gambling service providers. The authority allows companies to develop, organize, undertake, and conduct and manage lottery schemes on behalf of the provincial government. The main regulation on the matter is the province’s Gaming Control Act of 2008. New Brunswick participates in the Atlantic Lottery Corporation model. Regulated online lottery and gaming products are offered through ALC/alc.ca rather than through an Ontario-style open private-operator market.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador does not have land-based casinos. Regulated lottery and online gaming products are available through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation model, while charitable/non-profit gaming is subject to separate provincial rules.

Nova Scotia

The Alcohol, Gaming, Fuel and Tobacco Division of Service Nova Scotia is in charge of registering gambling service providers. The institution also regulates disputes and complaints within the industry, operating under the Gaming Control Act of 1994-1995.

Unlike Ontario, Nova Scotia has not opened its market to private online operators. Online gambling in the province is available exclusively through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC), a regional body serving all four Atlantic provinces. Through its platform alc.ca, Nova Scotians can access casino games, sports betting, bingo, and lottery products. Private operators are not licensed to offer services in the province, and the ALC model remains the only legal online option for residents.

Prince Edward Island

The Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission is in charge of regulating casino and online gambling service providers. PEI participates in the Atlantic Lottery Corporation model. Regulated online lottery and gaming products are available through ALC/alc.ca. PEI has not adopted an Ontario-style open private iGaming market. The province’s main regulation is the Lotteries Commission Act. With the Lieutenant Governor in Council's approval, the Commission can develop, organize, undertake, conduct, and manage lottery schemes on behalf of the provincial government.

Quebec

The Regie des alcools, des courses et des jeux and Loto-Québec are the official institutions regulating gambling in Quebec. The first focuses on gambling, public lotteries, horse racing, and alcohol. The second deals with gambling halls, lotteries, and bingo games. The main provincial regulation is the Act Respecting Lotteries, Publicity, Contests, and Amusement Machines. Land-based casinos operate in the province, as does the online gambling service EspaceJeux. 

Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority is the main gambling regulatory body in Saskatchewan. The legislative framework in the province comprises several regulations, the most important of which is the Alcohol and Gaming Regulation Act of 1997. Residents of Saskatchewan have been able to gamble online using PlayNow since 2022.

Yukon, Nunavut, and Northwest Territories

Canada’s three territories, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories, have underdeveloped gambling industries, with only one casino and no registered gambling websites in any of them. 

Ontario

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is Ontario’s gaming regulator. iGaming Ontario oversees Ontario’s private-operator iGaming market, while OLG operates government-run gaming products such as OLG.ca. Ontario has Canada’s most developed open-regulated iGaming market for private operators. There are two main regulations in the region: the Gaming Control Act of 1992 and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Act of 1999. Oversight of online operations is provided by the AGCO, alongside iGaming Ontario. This regulatory framework has improved the accessibility of online gambling in the province and turned it into one of North America’s largest iGaming markets. Let’s take a closer look at how Ontario’s iGaming market operates.

Ontario’s iGaming market

In November 2020, the government of Ontario announced its plan to create iGaming Ontario, a gaming market regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). iGaming Ontario began registering companies in the fall of 2021, and the market launched in April 2022. 

The introduction of iGaming Ontario allows private operators to offer online gambling services by registering with the AGCO and entering into an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. This model effectively opens the Ontario market to third-party operators, while maintaining centralized oversight. Operators do not act independently but instead operate within a regulated framework, with iGaming Ontario responsible for market conduct, data oversight, and financial management.

iGaming Ontario was initially established as an AGCO subsidiary. Since May 12, 2025, it has operated as a stand-alone Crown agency, while AGCO remains the regulator.

Who is affected by iGaming Ontario?

With the launch of iGaming Ontario, companies seeking to offer an online gambling service to Ontario citizens must register with the AGCO. There are several differences in the registration process for gaming operators and gaming-related suppliers. 

The AGCO defines a “gaming operator” broadly, based on functional responsibility. This includes entities with ongoing control over key decision-making activities related to the operation of a gaming site, rather than relying on a narrow or purely technical definition.

The AGCO defines a “gaming-related supplier” as an entity that “manufactures, provides, installs, tests, maintains or repairs gaming equipment or who provides consulting or similar services directly related to the playing of a lottery scheme or the operation of a gaming site.”

As part of the approval and go-live process, operators are typically required to obtain certification from an Independent Testing Laboratory to demonstrate compliance with technical standards.

Required documents for operators seeking AGCO registration

Operators should check AGCO’s current application portal and guidance, as required documents and disclosure requirements may vary by applicant and may change. Gambling operators need to submit the following documents for AGCO registration:

• Operator Application
• Registrar’s Standards Gap Analysis
• Personal Disclosure for individuals working in the company
• Entity Disclosure
• Regulatory fee
• Any requested investigation fee
• Supporting documents

The complete set of documents required for the operator application, as well as the list of individuals falling under personal disclosure, can be found here.

Gambling-related suppliers need to submit the following documents:

• Supplier Application
• Personal Disclosure for individuals working in the company
• Entity Disclosure (if applicable)
• Regulatory fee
• Supporting documents

The complete set of documents required for the supplier application, as well as the list of individuals falling under personal disclosure, can be found here.

iGaming Ontario agreement steps

In addition to registering with the AGCO, companies need to sign an agreement with iGaming Ontario. This procedure consists of several steps:

• Execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with iGaming
• Execute a letter of agreement with iGaming
• Set up and configure access to iGaming’s Secure Data and Information Communication Channels
• Complete iGaming’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Information Submissions
• Complete iGaming’s Financial Information Submissions
• Participate in the Operator Systems & Data Readiness Cycle with iGaming
• Execute the Operating Agreement with iGaming.

Both the agreement and registration process can take place simultaneously. A full explanation of each step can be found on the iGaming Ontario website.

Licensing fees breakdown

Gaming operators in Ontario must pay an annual fee of CA$100,000 (approximately US$74,000 as of May 2026) per gambling site. Each gaming website should be registered separately. 

Gaming-related suppliers have to pay CA $3,000 (approximately US$2,200 as of May 1, 2026) or CA$15,000 (approximately US$11,000 as of May 2026), depending on their category.

In addition to registration fees, operators are required to share a portion of their revenue with iGaming Ontario.

Gray market and offshore gambling in Canada

According to Blask’s 2026 market analysis, offshore platforms account for approximately 61% of Canada’s online gambling market volume, with offshore operators growing significantly faster than domestic ones (around 40% year-on-year in 2025 compared to 23% for licensed providers). The same analysis suggests that roughly 63% of brands serving Canadian players operate without a local license. The exact size of the offshore market is difficult to quantify, but it has historically represented a meaningful share of online gambling activity, particularly prior to the introduction of regulated open markets.

In response, several provinces have begun expanding regulated iGaming frameworks to compete with offshore offerings and improve player protection. iGaming Ontario is the most prominent example. Its stated goal is to bring more players into the legal market, increasing government revenue while promoting safer gambling environments.

Ontario’s regulated market has shown strong early results. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 85–86% of online gambling activity in the province now takes place through regulated channels, with further growth targeted in the coming years.

This progress has prompted other provinces to explore similar models. Alberta, for example, is currently developing its own iGaming strategy to establish a more competitive and regulated market.

AML & KYC compliance for Canadian operators

Operators must comply with FINTRAC AML/CTF obligations under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), as well as applicable provincial standards and operating-agreement requirements. Companies need to implement Anti-Money Laundering (AML) frameworks, including Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) policies and procedures. This is a key part of gambling compliance obligations for operators.

KYC and AML in online gambling

In online gambling, robust KYC and AML controls are essential to mitigate risks such as identity fraud, account takeover, and the misuse of gambling platforms for money laundering, including minimal-play “cash-in, cash-out” transactions, collusion with other players, the Vancouver model, chip purchasing, the use of gambling accounts as quasi-banking tools, and hybrid gambling/non-gambling methods.

Suggested read: The 6 Most Popular Forms of Money Laundering in Casinos

Player identity verification requirements

Accordingly, companies should collect at least the following information from a customer during the registration process as part of their gambling KYC compliance:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• Method of identification for subsequent log-ins, such as username
• Player contact information

Other information may be required by the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and the regulations under it, which must be considered alongside provincial gambling laws in Canada.

The above information must then be verified to ensure its authenticity. Identity may be verified using FINTRAC-permitted methods, including government-issued photo identification, credit file, dual-process, affiliate/member, or reliance methods. Additional procedures, such as a liveness check, may be used depending on the operator’s risk assessment and verification method. One of the primary objectives of KYC processes in online gambling is to verify that players meet the legal age requirement.

Transaction monitoring & responsible gambling

Understanding how players are using gambling providers’ platforms is critical for regulatory compliance. Depending on the province, product, and operating model, operators may need to maintain records of accounts, transactions, sessions, responsible gambling, and AML, including deposits, withdrawals, source-of-funds information, game activity, and account balances.

Operators have to keep track of player activity, such as:

• Deposit and withdrawal history, and current balance
• Method and source of funds used for transactions
• Date and time of previous login
• Gaming event and transaction history (game session outcomes and game transactions), including, in sport and event betting, the date and time of past and current bets, and the date and time at which past bets were settled, and information about current bets
• Total amount of money wagered for the session and/or period of time
• Total amount of money won or lost for a session and/or period of time
• Account balance at start and end of session.

Responsible gambling tools can help identify problem gamblers and allow operators to take appropriate actions, such as temporarily pausing a player’s ability to place bets.

Operators should incorporate sanctions and PEP screening into their AML/CTF risk controls where required by applicable law, FINTRAC guidance, and internal risk assessment.

Suggested read: Politically Exposed Person (PEP)—All You Need to Know

Where there are reasonable grounds to suspect money laundering or terrorist activity financing, the operator must submit a suspicious transaction report to FINTRAC as soon as practicable. In Ontario, the operator should also assess any separate AGCO/iGaming Ontario notification obligations.

Expected regulatory changes in Canada

Canada’s gambling regulatory landscape is likely to evolve to reflect changes in the nature of gambling itself. A few of the key expected changes are as follows:

• Rollout of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) to emulate iGaming Ontario’s open online gambling market, and other provinces could follow.
• An increased federal AML focus on combating money laundering through online gaming sites.
• Ramped up efforts to tackle the unregulated gray market of offshore gambling companies operating in Canada, as shown by Manitoba’s injunction against Bodog.
• It is also possible there will be changes to provincial iGaming regulation as markets mature, meaning operators will need to stay on their toes to ensure they continue to meet gambling compliance requirements in Canada.

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FAQ: Online gambling laws in Canada

• Is online gambling legal in Canada?

  Yes, regulated online gambling platforms in Canada, such as casinos, are legal as long as they are approved by the province or territory where they operate, under the Criminal Code of Canada.

• What is the legal gambling age in Canada?

  The legal gambling age in Canada is 18 or 19, depending on the province and (in some cases) the type of gambling activity. 18 is the legal gambling age in Canada for residents of Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec. It is 19 for people in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. In Saskatchewan, it is 18 for lotteries and 19 for casinos, while in Ontario, it is 18 for lottery, charitable gaming, and in-store sports betting, and 19 for casinos, slots, online casino gaming, and online sports betting.

• When did Canada legalize online gambling?

  Canada progressively expanded legal gambling through Criminal Code exceptions and provincial conduct and management. Gambling is legal only where it complies with the applicable federal and provincial frameworks. Unauthorized online gambling operations may be unlawful.

• Is sports betting legal in Canada?

  Yes, sports betting in Canada is legal when carried out through providers authorized and regulated at the provincial level. ‘Parlay’ or ‘accumulator’ bets have been legal since 1985, while betting on single sporting events was legalized in Canada in 2021.

• How do I get a gambling license in Canada?

  To secure a gambling license in Canada, operators must register with the relevant authorities in each province where they intend to operate. For example, in Ontario, they need to obtain registration with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to access the local iGaming market.