How do you tell an online casino scam in Canada from a dispute with a real gambling site? Sort the problem first. A scam goes to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), the police and your bank. A dispute with a site regulated in Ontario or Alberta starts with the operator, then moves to the regulator. A site that is not regulated where you live is outside what the provincial regulator can help with.

This guide gives general information and is not legal advice. It explains who handles each kind of problem and what each office can and cannot do, then points to where to read more. Provincial regulators, a federal fraud centre and your bank each cover only part of the problem, so the sections below set out who covers what.

Online casino scam, dispute or unregulated site in Canada: three different problems

From the outside the three look alike: money has gone, nothing came back and nobody answers. The right office is different for each.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) states the limit plainly: “The AGCO is only able to assist players with disputes related to regulated sites.” iGaming Ontario (iGO) says it “has no legal relationship with unregulated igaming Operators.” Both statements describe Ontario’s regulated market. Alberta’s regulator describes its dispute process for regulated sites only.

SituationContact firstWhat that office can and cannot do
Scam: someone imitates a casino, a lottery or an authority, or asks for a fee to release a “win”Your bank, local police and the CAFCPolice investigate. The CAFC keeps a central record to assist them. A report to the CAFC does not return money.
Dispute with a site regulated in your province (Ontario or Alberta)The site’s formal complaints process, then the regulatorThe regulator takes complaints about broken rules. It cannot get your money back.
Problem with a site your province does not regulateYour bank; the CAFC if fraud is suspectedThe AGCO assists only with regulated sites.

This guide does not say whether playing on a site outside your province’s regulated market is allowed where you live. It describes who can help and which protections are missing.

Fake ads and copycat sites

Saskatchewan’s government gave a sense of scale on June 3, 2026. In its first six months, a brand-protection service had “identified and helped remove more than 140 fraudulent ads that were targeting Saskatchewan people by impersonating” one of the province’s casinos. That is one province over six months.

The advice in the same release is direct: “If you see a social media ad for an online version of Casino Regina or any other land-based casino in the province, don’t click on it.” The government asks people to report such ads to the platform where they appeared and to the CAFC.

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) described the same pattern on February 24, 2025: scam posts and ads “exploiting the logos, names and exterior images of local B.C. casinos” that may promise “exclusive bonuses and promotions” to anyone who registers. BCLC’s advice comes down to a few checks:

  • a web address or domain that differs from the real one by a minor spelling difference
  • a request for your social insurance number, banking details or credit card details to claim a prize
  • a fee or “tax” to pay before winnings can be collected

Copycats also target safer gambling tools. On September 10, 2026, iGO warned about third parties “using the BetGuard name and branding to make misleading statements about how to opt out of all regulated online gambling in Ontario.” BetGuard is Ontario’s centralized self-exclusion program, and iGO points people to its own official channels and BetGuard’s. A longer guide explains how fake casino ads on social media work and how to report them.

Check the site before you pay

The first check is where a site stands with the regulator in your province. Each province answers differently.

Ontario

iGO publishes a directory of regulated operators. As of September 1, 2026, it listed 49 operators and 84 gambling websites. According to the AGCO, regulated operators have “completed AGCO’s registration process and have a signed operating agreement with iGaming Ontario.” Operators are registered with the AGCO. A logo on a page is a first sign only, since scam ads copy logos. Type the directory address yourself instead of following a link in an ad.

Alberta

Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) keeps a list of registered igaming sites. It says that an operator missing from its directory “is not regulated.” The directory shows no update date, so no count of sites is given here.

Other provinces

In several provinces a provincial corporation runs the official online site. BCLC states that “PlayNow.com is the only online gambling website permitted to operate in B.C.” Saskatchewan’s government calls PlayNow.com “the only legal online gaming platform in the province.” Atlantic Lottery says that “ALC.CA is the only official site for Atlantic Lottery play.” In Quebec, Loto-Québec operates lotoquebec.com.

iGO lists risks of unregulated sites, including “no guarantee that deposits are securely stored,” payouts that “could be delayed or not given at all” and personal information that “could be exposed to third-parties or the public.” These checks apply by province: the directory covers Ontario, the AiGC list covers Alberta and each provincial site covers its own province. For the rules by province, see who regulates online gambling in your province and regulated gambling in Canada and the regulators’ lists.

What the regulator actually checks

Regulators in Ontario and Alberta register or approve operators and write the rules those operators follow. In Ontario these are the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) publishes the Standards and Requirements for Internet Gaming. Regulators also take complaints that a site broke those rules.

They do not recover a player’s money. The AGCO says that making a complaint to it “won’t resolve your dispute with an internet gaming site.” AGLC says it “cannot get your money back or make a gaming site give you your money back.” iGO “cannot directly settle any bets, refund wagers or award compensation.” All three offices set the same limit.

That limit matters most outside the regulated market. A complaint can only go further if there is a regulator to take it to. On an unregulated site, the AGCO says it cannot assist, and iGO has no legal relationship with the operator.

The AGCO and iGO statements describe Ontario and the AGLC statement describes Alberta. Other provinces publish their own rules, which this guide does not summarize.

Complaints about a regulated site in Ontario or Alberta

A dispute with a regulated site follows a set order. Both provinces put the operator first.

  1. Contact the site’s customer support, then follow its formal complaints process. Ask for a complaint number.
  2. Wait for the site’s decision. The AGCO and AGLC both say this can take up to 90 days.
  3. In Ontario, if the dispute stays unresolved, ask iGO to review it. iGO says it confirms receipt within one business day, and that the process does not affect your right to raise concerns with the Ombudsman of Ontario.
  4. In Alberta, contact AGLC if you think a regulated site is not following the rules in AGLC policy, legislation and regulation. AGLC asks for the site’s name, your player ID and the complaint number from the operator. AiGC’s page points to its own office after customer support, so read both pages.

“Up to 90 days” describes how long the site’s decision can take. It is not a payout deadline and not a promise from a regulator. In Ontario, complaints about responsible gambling, suspected illegal activity or advertising can go to the AGCO directly when contacting the site first may not be right. The guide on how to complain about an online gambling site in Ontario and Alberta goes through each step.

When a withdrawal is not paid

A late withdrawal is not proof of a scam. Ontario’s standards ask operators to pay out “as soon as is practicable, subject to appropriate authorization and verification,” and they set no fixed number of days. This applies to Ontario. Alberta publishes its own standards, linked above.

Identity checks are part of the process on a regulated site. The same Ontario standards require a player’s details to be “complete, accurate and validated before a player account is created.” A request for ID is not a warning sign by itself. A request for a fee before money is released is one. The standards for regulated sites in Ontario and Alberta also say that cryptocurrency must not be accepted.

Keep a record from the start: emails, screenshots, payment confirmations, the complaint number and dates. The CAFC advises gathering all information about the fraud, including documents, receipts and copies of emails or text messages. Two guides go further: what you can do when a gambling site has not paid your withdrawal and what the rules require for deposits, withdrawals and identity checks.

Prize messages and offers to recover your money

A message saying you won a prize in a draw you never entered is a classic prize scam. The CAFC describes it: fraudsters “tell you that before receiving any winnings, you must pay an advance fee or buy something.” Then “no winnings are ever received.”

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) says it will “never ask” customers “for any kind of payment in order to claim a prize.” Its list of warning signs includes not having bought a ticket, being asked to pay fees or taxes up front to release the “win” and being told to reply within a set time. OLG is Ontario’s lottery operator, so its list applies to Ontario.

People who already lost money are targeted again. The CAFC explains that “fraudsters may target you again with a promise to get your money back,” and advises: “Never pay an advance fee to obtain a refund.”

The CAFC’s figures for 2025, published on February 25, 2026, show the size of these two types. Prize scams: 403 reports and $5.7 million in reported losses. Recovery pitches: 933 reports and $25.9 million. Across all fraud, the CAFC received over 112,000 reports and more than $704 million in reported losses. These figures count every fraud of each type, not only gambling, and the CAFC page lists no separate gambling category. See lottery prize messages and recovery scams for the full picture.

Where to report and where to get help

A scam and a payment you did not authorize call for similar first steps. Follow this order:

  1. Gather every document, receipt and message, with dates.
  2. Contact your bank or card issuer.
  3. Report the incident to your local police and ask for a file number.
  4. Report it to the CAFC at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or toll-free at 1-888-495-8501.
  5. Report the ad or message to the platform where it appeared.

The CAFC states that “it’s the role of your local police to investigate,” while the CAFC maintains a central repository of information to assist investigations. It recommends reporting fraud “whether you are a victim or not.” A report builds that record. It does not return money.

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) says to contact your card issuer right away if you notice an unauthorized or suspicious transaction. On a credit card, liability is capped at $50 unless gross negligence is shown, and a federally regulated financial institution “must always fully investigate a transaction that you dispute.” Those rules concern unauthorized transactions. The page does not say what applies when you sent the payment yourself, so ask your bank what it can do.

If the bank does not resolve a complaint, the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) has been the single external complaints body for federally regulated banks since November 1, 2024. You can go to OBSI when the bank has not resolved the complaint “or if 56 days have passed since the bank received the complaint.” The review is free and impartial.

Losing money to a site that will not pay can be stressful. Support is available for you and for your loved ones. In Ontario, ConnexOntario offers free support with gambling, mental health and addiction at 1-866-531-2600. In Alberta, the Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline is at 1-866-332-2322. Other provinces have their own helplines: see gambling helplines and tools in every province and safer gambling and where to get help.

Frequently asked questions

How can you tell whether an online casino is legitimate in Canada?

Check the regulator’s list where you live: iGO’s directory in Ontario or the AiGC registered sites list in Alberta. A logo or a bonus proves nothing, because scam ads copy logos. AiGC says an operator missing from its directory is not regulated. In several other provinces, a provincial corporation runs the official site.

Where do you report an online casino scam in Canada?

Report it to the CAFC at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or by phone at 1-888-495-8501, and to your local police, who investigate. Tell your bank about any payment involved. If the scam arrived through an ad or message, report it to the platform where it appeared too.

Can the AGCO or AGLC get your money back from a gambling site?

No. The AGCO says a complaint to it “won’t resolve your dispute with an internet gaming site,” and AGLC says it “cannot get your money back or make a gaming site give you your money back.” Both regulators still take complaints that a regulated site broke the rules.

Who do you complain to about a regulated gambling site in Ontario or Alberta?

Start with the site’s formal complaints process, which can take up to 90 days. In Ontario, an unresolved dispute can then go to iGO for review, and the AGCO takes complaints about broken rules. In Alberta, AGLC takes complaints that a regulated site is not following its rules.

What can you do if the site is not regulated in your province?

The AGCO says it can assist only with disputes on regulated sites, so the regulator cannot take that complaint. Keep every email, screenshot and receipt. If you suspect fraud, report it to the CAFC and your bank, and ask the bank what it can do about the payment.

Is a social media ad for an “online version” of a local casino real?

Treat it as suspicious. Saskatchewan’s government says a brand-protection service found more than 140 fraudulent ads impersonating one of its casinos in six months, and tells people not to click. BCLC reports similar ads in B.C. Type the official site’s address yourself instead.

Can your bank reverse a payment you made to a gambling site?

That depends on the bank and the payment. The FCAC page covers unauthorized transactions, which a federally regulated bank must investigate when you dispute them, not payments you sent yourself. Ask your bank directly what it can do, and report suspected fraud to the CAFC.

What should you do if someone offers to recover the money you lost?

Do not pay. The CAFC warns that people who lost money to fraud are often targeted again with a promise to get it back, and advises never to pay an advance fee to obtain a refund. Report the offer to the CAFC.

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