Regulatory Landscape of Online Gambling in Canada

Canadians have been fond of online gambling since the 1980s, in land-based casinos back then and in online casinos in recent years. However, Canada is also one of those countries where gambling legislation, including online casinos, is still unclear. If you live in Canada and want to know whether it is allowed to access gambling platforms, we advise you to read the following.

What Does the Law Say? 

As mentioned above, there is some legal imprecision when it comes to online casinos. Indeed, virtual casinos are not allowed, but they are not forbidden either. The Criminal Code has allowed land-based casinos to exist since 1969, and the provinces have the power to regulate gambling matters themselves. But the code is not specific about virtual platforms. 

Nevertheless, since 2010, the Canadian government has allowed each province and territory to have its own legislation on online gambling. Thus, the 10 provinces and 3 territories of Canada can authorize or not the proposal of gambling on the Internet, without asking the federal government for guidance.

Provincially-Run Platforms

Prior to 2010, Canadians who wanted to play online casino games had to trick their way to foreign gaming platforms. Unfortunately, some platforms were not reliable and the provinces decided to take regulatory measures. The aim was to regulate to better protect players.

Quebec was one of the first provinces to move towards regulating online casinos. The goals were to provide players with safe entertainment and to prevent money being given to foreign operators. The province launched a legal online gambling space offering poker, blackjack, roulette and other table games. In 2012, British Columbia also launched its own platform. 

Currently, these two sites (Loto Quebec and Play Now) are the only ones that are officially listed in Canada. However, platforms hosted abroad are tolerated. If you want to register, make sure the casino is licensed and allows you to play safely. To make your life easier, you can check this list of safe online casinos in Canada.Many players choose to play at off-shore platforms because they offer a wide range of quality games but also interesting special offers like free spins or bonuses.

Other Provinces

Nova Scotia refuses to allow online casinos at all. The province of Saskatchewan is looking at regulating the market in the medium term. Ontario, the most populous province, has chosen to open up the market and regulate it and has opened a dedicated website, iGaming Ontario, to answer questions from players and operators. As for the other provinces, they have not yet made a decision. They are observing the results of the regulation of online casinos in the pioneer provinces. 

Kahnawake: A Special Case

It is interesting to note that many of the so-called “offshore” casinos are regulated right here in Canada. The Kahnawake Mohawk Indian Reserve, which is a sovereign nation and therefore has the right to regulate casinos, is just a stone’s throw from Montreal. In 1996, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established, which offers gaming licenses to online casino sites that meet the requirements. Kahnawake also has countless servers that host hundreds of online gambling sites used by players from all over the world – including players in Canada and most of the profits from the licenses fund the Native community.

What Can We Expect in the Future?

No one really knows what the future of casino gaming legislation in Canada will be. But the most likely outcome is that the laws will become even more tolerant, and the Criminal Code will allow gambling. However, if the government were to allow all foreign casinos, the provincial governments would undoubtedly protest, as this would be to their detriment.