An Overview of Canada’s Online Gambling Laws

The Canadian gambling laws are somewhat of a grey area, which means that even many Canadians are not entirely sure about what is allowed and what is not! With this in mind, this article will explore Canadian gambling laws so that you can fully understand the situation and know what is and is not allowed if you visit Canada. 

Gambling History

First, looking at the history of gambling laws in Canada is worth stepping backward. Right up until 1969, all forms of gambling were illegal in Canada. That year, the government passed a law allow-ing a lottery to take place - the funds raised from this were put towards important projects. The next year, provinces were given the power to manage and regulate gambling to ensure that pro-viders were in compliance.

Province Regulation

Following this, each province can issue registrations to private companies that allow them to pro-vide gambling services and set up gambling platforms, but many choose not to. This means that it is important to understand the regulations of different provinces before partaking in any kind of gambling. There are 10 provinces in Canada – Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Mani-toba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Currently, Ontario is the only province in Canada that has created a framework for iGaming and sports betting that is regulated. It is regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and managed by iGaming Ontario. Single-game betting is no longer prohibited in Ontario, which means that online gambling is set to evolve rapidly and grow. It was estimated in 2021 that Ontari-ans spend close to $1 billion a year on online gambling. Diving into this, it was estimated that 70% of this $1 billion was happening on unregulated websites that had limited responsible gaming measures. 

Online gambling in Quebec, on the other hand, is legal, and an array of types of gambling is al-lowed. Quebec allows casinos, gambling halls, and bingo halls throughout the province. For online gambling, you can play casino games, online lottery tickets, player vs. player poker, and sports bet-ting. With regards to horse race betting and sports betting, you can bet on major Canadian and in-ternational sports with single-game wagers. 

In Alberta, you must be 18 years of age and physically located in the province to be able to play online casino games. 

Online Gambling

Of course, the situation is made even more complex with the rise of online gambling. These days, people worldwide enjoy playing roulette online, as well as games like poker, blackjack, and craps. Sites like these have full certification and encrypted security to protect their customers. Online gambling can provide an exciting experience with the convenience of being able to play on a smartphone, but it is important to consider the law. Canadian online casinos will still have to abide by the local law, but a foreign company providing online gambling services will not be subjected to Canadian regulations. Therefore, you should always research the online casino that you use when gambling in Canada. 

The First Legal Online Gambling Market

While laws have been strict for a long time in Canada, it is thought that the situation could be changing. In April 2022, Ontario became Canada’s first province to establish a legal online gambling market. This allows those in Ontario to freely play online roulette and other casino games without worrying about the law. Additionally, it offers important protection from the online gambling black market. 

As you can see, the laws surrounding gambling in Canada are quite complex, and it is easy to see why many people are confused. Ultimately, gambling in Canada is only legal when authorized by the province’s authorities. Offshore online casinos are also fine, as the law does not apply to these companies based outside of Canada. While provinces have been strict in recent times, it is thought that many will become more relaxed in the years to come, with Ontario leading the way by author-izing the first online gambling market in 2022.