Is online gambling legal in Canada? The answer depends on your province and on who runs the site. The Criminal Code lets each province conduct and manage gambling within its borders, so Canada has no single online market and no national regulator. Ontario and Alberta have regulated markets with private operators. Other provinces direct players to one provincial site. This guide maps who regulates what as of October 6, 2026.

Minimum age: 19+ in Ontario, B.C., Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada, and 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. The Manitoba and Saskatchewan ages are PlayNow.com’s registration requirements. The territories are not confirmed.

Guides in this section

Five guides go deeper than this page, and each one covers a single question.

Federal law does not give one answer for the whole country. Section 207(1)(a) of the Criminal Code allows the government of a province, alone or with the government of another province, “to conduct and manage a lottery scheme in that province.” In practice, each province decides how online gambling is run within its borders.

The text on the Justice Laws Website is current to February 18, 2026. Two things follow from it. Canada has no national regulator of online gambling, and words such as “regulated” or “official” can describe very different arrangements in two provinces.

That is why a plain yes or no does not fit. Ontario and Alberta let private operators run websites under a provincial regulator. B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec and Atlantic Canada each direct players to one provincial site. The table and the sources below carry the dates they were checked. This guide gives general information and is not legal advice.

Who regulates online gambling in each province?

It depends on where you live. Ontario and Alberta each have a provincial regulator and a separate body that conducts and manages the market for private operators. B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces each direct players to one provincial website. The table shows who regulates what, with the minimum age, as of October 6, 2026.

ProvinceWho regulatesRegulated online gamblingMinimum age
OntarioAGCO regulates; iGaming Ontario conducts and managesOperators registered with the AGCO that have an operating agreement with iGO; OLG.ca19
AlbertaAGLC regulates; Alberta iGaming Corporation conducts and managesSites in the AiGC directory18
British ColumbiaIndependent Gambling Control Office (IGCO)PlayNow.com (BCLC)19
ManitobaLiquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA)PlayNow.com (Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries)18 (PlayNow.com requirement)
SaskatchewanNot confirmedPlayNow.com, operated by SIGA19 (PlayNow.com requirement)
QuebecNot confirmed; Loto-Québec runs the sitelotoquebec.com18
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Newfoundland and LabradorNot confirmed; Atlantic Lottery is a partnership of the four provincial governmentsalc.ca (Atlantic Lottery)19
Yukon, Northwest Territories, NunavutNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed

The ages for Manitoba and Saskatchewan come from PlayNow.com’s registration requirements, checked on October 6, 2026, not from a statute or a regulator. The three territories take part in the Western Canada Lottery Corporation as associate members, but no online site, age or online regulator could be confirmed for them.

The wording in the table describes who regulates and who runs each offer. For the sites that are regulated in each province, read which gambling sites are regulated in Canada.

Ontario: the AGCO regulates and iGaming Ontario runs the market

Two bodies share the work in Ontario. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) describes itself as the “Regulator of Ontario’s regulated igaming market.” On the AGCO’s page about the roles of the two bodies, iGaming Ontario (iGO) “is responsible for conducting and managing igaming when provided through private operators.” iGO became an independent agency in May 2025.

One site sits outside that arrangement. OLG.ca is offered by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), and iGO does not conduct or manage it.

What does “registered” mean here? According to iGaming Ontario, an operator in the regulated market is registered by the AGCO and, apart from OLG.ca, has signed an operating agreement with iGO. The AGCO registers operators. iGO signs the agreements.

The market opened on April 4, 2022. iGO’s list, accurate as of September 1, 2026, shows 49 operators and 84 sites. You must be 19 or older and physically in Ontario to play. To check one site against that list, read how to check whether a gambling site is registered in Ontario.

Alberta: a regulated market since July 13, 2026

Alberta’s regulated online gambling market officially launched on July 13, 2026, according to the Government of Alberta. Two bodies divide the work.

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) says it “is responsible for the regulatory oversight of the province’s iGaming industry.” The Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) describes its own role as conducting and managing the market, and AGLC says AiGC deals with “commercial agreements, anti-money laundering (AML), public complaints and financials.”

AiGC keeps a public directory of registered websites, which it describes as reviewed for security, integrity and responsible gambling. The directory carries no date, so a count of sites published elsewhere deserves caution. AiGC’s own site shows “18+ Play Responsibly.” For the detail, read what changed in Alberta on July 13, 2026.

Provinces with one government-run site

Outside Ontario and Alberta, each province directs players to a single website. Provincial governments and their lottery corporations describe those sites in strong terms, and the wording below is theirs.

British Columbia. The B.C. government says the Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO) “regulates all gambling in British Columbia” and that “PlayNow.com is the only legal online gambling site in B.C.” BCLC manages commercial gambling for the province. A new Gaming Control Act came into force on April 13, 2026.

Manitoba. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries calls PlayNow.com the only legal online gambling site authorized to operate in the province. The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA) says it cannot make a site follow Manitoba’s laws if the site is not regulated in the province. It warns of trouble for a player with a problem on such a site, such as a win that is not paid out.

Saskatchewan. On August 31, 2026, the Government of Saskatchewan said that PlayNow.com, operated by SIGA, “remains the only legal online gaming platform in the province.” The same announcement extends SIGA’s online exclusivity to September 2029.

Quebec. Loto-Québec describes its website as the only legal casino and sports betting site in Quebec.

Atlantic Canada. Atlantic Lottery runs alc.ca for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador, and asks players to be 19 or older. In 2023, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador described Atlantic Lottery as the only regulated provider in the region.

Provinces also act against sites outside their own system. On May 26, 2025, the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba, on an application by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, barred an offshore operator from operating and advertising in Manitoba. No federal list of blocked sites was found as of October 6, 2026.

Sports betting since August 27, 2021

Betting on a single sporting event follows the same provincial model. According to the Department of Justice Canada, the Criminal Code amendments on single event sport betting came into force on August 27, 2021. Provinces and territories “will be permitted to conduct and manage single event sport betting in their respective jurisdictions,” online or in physical facilities, the release says.

Horse racing stays under federal oversight through the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency. Sports betting follows the same map as the table above.

What the regulator actually checks

A regulator’s job is narrower than many players assume. According to the AGCO, the Ontario regulator sets standards, registers operators and suppliers, monitors compliance and handles regulatory complaints. That is oversight of the operator. It is not a promise about any single payment.

Even on a registered site, the limit is stated plainly. The AGCO’s complaints page says: “We can’t get your money back or make a gaming site give you your money back.” A dispute goes to the operator first, and the page allows up to 90 days for that step.

Outside the regulated market the position is weaker. iGaming Ontario states that it “does not resolve or make decisions on disputes regarding gambling-related transactions and has no legal relationship with unregulated igaming Operators.” On its page about the regulated market, it names three risks of unregulated sites: “No guarantee that deposits are securely stored,” “Payouts could be delayed or not given at all” and “Personal information could be exposed to third-parties or the public.”

A complaint can only go further if there is a regulator to take it to.

Section 207 of the Criminal Code also sets out offences for lottery schemes that the section does not authorize, including for taking part in one. No federal or provincial guidance on how that applies to an individual player was found as of October 6, 2026, so this guide does not say what it means for you. For the practical side, read what using a site that is not regulated in your province means for your money.

If gambling is affecting you or someone you care about, ConnexOntario offers free and confidential support in Ontario at 1-866-531-2600, and the Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline is at 1-866-332-2322. Other provinces are listed in gambling helplines and self-exclusion in each province.

Minimum age and tax on winnings

The minimum age is 18 or 19, depending on the province. Ontario and B.C. set 19, according to iGaming Ontario and the B.C. government. AiGC shows 18+ for Alberta, Loto-Québec shows 18 for Quebec, and Atlantic Lottery asks for 19+. PlayNow.com’s registration requirements ask for 18 in Manitoba and 19 in Saskatchewan. The territories are not confirmed. The minimum gambling age in each province has the details.

On tax, the Canada Revenue Agency lists lottery winnings of any amount among amounts that are not taxed, unless the prize counts as income from employment, a business or property, or as a prize for achievement. That is general information and not tax advice. Read whether gambling winnings are taxable in Canada before you rely on it.

What could change

Two matters could affect this picture. An appeal is before the Supreme Court of Canada (file 42141). It concerns an opinion of the Ontario Court of Appeal (2025 ONCA 770) on whether online gambling run by a province would still fit within section 207(1)(a) of the Criminal Code if people outside Canada could also take part. The hearing date and any ruling are shown on the court’s case page.

Separately, Bill S-211, a bill respecting a national framework on sports betting advertising, passed third reading in the Senate on October 21, 2025. The House of Commons sent it to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on April 22, 2026, and it was still under consideration there on October 6, 2026. A bill is a proposal to create a new law, and nothing in it applies yet.

Who do you contact about a complaint, a scam or your own gambling?

If a registered site does not pay, start with the operator and keep every email, screenshot and receipt with its date. In Ontario, a complaint the operator does not resolve goes to the AGCO, which cannot get money back. In Alberta, AiGC handles public complaints, according to AGLC.

If you think you were the target of a scam, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) and tell your bank about any payment you do not recognize. The steps for scams, winnings that are not paid and complaints are in gambling scams, unpaid winnings and how to complain.

If gambling is affecting you or someone you care about, ConnexOntario offers free and confidential support in Ontario at 1-866-531-2600. In Alberta, the Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline is at 1-866-332-2322. Canada has no national helpline, so other provinces have their own. Tools and support for staying in control are covered in responsible gambling tools and support.

So, is online gambling legal in Canada? The Criminal Code gives each province the job of deciding who runs it, and the table above shows how each province answered as of October 6, 2026.

Common questions about online gambling rules in Canada

Is online gambling legal in Canada?

It depends on the province and on who runs the site. The Criminal Code lets each provincial government conduct and manage gambling in its province, so Ontario and Alberta regulate private operators while other provinces direct players to one provincial site. This guide describes what each province regulates and does not say what is allowed for you.

Who regulates online gambling in Canada?

No national regulator exists. Each province regulates for itself. As of October 6, 2026, the AGCO does so in Ontario, AGLC in Alberta, the Independent Gambling Control Office in B.C. and the LGCA in Manitoba. Quebec, Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada each direct players to one provincial site, and the regulator for some of them could not be confirmed.

Which provinces have a regulated market with private operators?

Two, as of October 6, 2026. Ontario opened its market on April 4, 2022, and Alberta followed on July 13, 2026. In both, private operators run sites under a provincial regulator and an agency that conducts and manages the market. Every other province directs players to one provincial site.

Is PlayNow.com the only regulated online gambling site in B.C., Manitoba and Saskatchewan?

Each province says so in its own words. B.C. calls PlayNow.com the only legal online gambling site in the province, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries uses similar wording, and Saskatchewan says PlayNow.com, operated by SIGA, remains the only legal online platform in the province. These are provincial statements, not a federal ruling.

Is sports betting legal in Canada?

Betting on a single sporting event became part of the provincial model on August 27, 2021, when the Criminal Code amendments in Bill C-218 came into force. Provinces and territories may conduct and manage it online or in physical facilities, so what you can use depends on your province’s regulated offer.

What is the minimum age to gamble online in Canada?

It is 18 or 19, depending on the province. Ontario, B.C. and Atlantic Canada use 19, while Alberta and Quebec use 18. PlayNow.com asks for 18 in Manitoba and 19 in Saskatchewan. Check the province’s own site before you register, because the age is set by province, not nationally.

Does a regulator get your money back if a site does not pay?

In Ontario, no. The AGCO says it cannot get your money back or make a site return it. Disputes go to the operator first, and iGaming Ontario says it has no legal relationship with unregulated operators. Keep a record of every message and payment, with dates.

Does Canada have a national gambling helpline?

No. Helplines are provincial, and no single national number exists. In Ontario, ConnexOntario offers free and confidential support at 1-866-531-2600. In Alberta, the Alberta Health Services Addiction Helpline is at 1-866-332-2322. Other provinces are listed in the help guide for each province.

Sources