Canada
Regulations on Online Gambling in Canada Have Changed. Here’s How the Provinces Are Responding
The gambling industry in Canada is getting a shakeup—and that’s good news for Canadians! The changing laws mean that Canadians now have more options when it comes to online gambling.
While some provinces have already embraced the change, others are slower to adapt. We’ll explain how Canadian gambling laws have changed, which provinces are implementing changes, and what this means for Canadians.
Canada Opens Up to Online Gambling
Though changes in the Canadian gambling landscape may just now be becoming apparent in some provinces, the shift began last year. In August 2021, Bill C-218 came into effect. The bill changed the Canadian Criminal Code to make single-event sports betting legal.
Before the change, only parlay bets were legal. This restriction gave Canadians far fewer options when it came to gambling, particularly sports betting.
The government touted the change as a chance to strengthen the economy and keep Canadians safer. This choice was partly influenced by the fact that many Canadians have already engaged in single-event sports betting online via grey market websites.
Another important aspect of Bill C-218 is that it allows sports betting to occur in both physical casinos and online. By allowing provinces to offer gambling online, the government hopes to limit the use of the grey market.
Canadians were able to use these websites because they weren’t operating on Canadian soil, meaning it technically wasn’t illegal to use them. The changing laws are intended to combat the grey market and bring competition back to Canada.
However, provinces have all been moving at their own pace when it comes to moving forward with the expanded regulations.
Which Provinces Have Started Offering Online Gambling?
With such a huge shift in the industry, many provinces are also taking the opportunity to launch or expand their iGaming offerings. However, each province is going by a different timeline, and not all provinces currently have the same regulations.
Ontario
Ontario was the first province to fully regulate online gambling with its new provider, iGaming Ontario (IGO). This provider is a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and was launched in April 2022. The IGO offers esports betting as well as online casinos from third-party operators.
This is great news for Ontarians, as we already see a lot of competition in the online gambling space. In fact, there are so many great online gambling websites that players might have trouble choosing. That’s where review websites like casinosource.ca come in handy. With the launch of iGaming Ontario, the province is setting an example for a new framework for the rest of the country.
Quebec
Quebec currently has one government-regulated website that offers online gambling. Espacejeux started offering single-event betting as soon as the new law was enacted.
Even after the change, Loto-Québec was still concerned about the grey market in Canada. However, they are making strides toward crushing the competition by partnering with online casino game providers like High 5 Games.
British Columbia
British Columbia was well positioned to enact the new online gambling regulations and offered single-event betting immediately. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) launched its PlayNow Sportsbook website as soon as the laws were allowed on August 27, 2021.
PlayNow.com remains BC’s only regulated online gambling website. At this time, there is no known plan for third-party expansion.
Manitoba
Manitoba also allowed single-event online gambling as soon as it was allowed. Manitoba, along with Alberta and Saskatchewan, is part of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). As part of this agreement, all provinces in the WCLC have access to the Sport Select online gambling website.
Manitoba also has a long-standing agreement with BCLC, allowing Manitobans access to the PlayNow website.
Alberta
Alberta didn’t get on board with the new laws allowed by Bill C-218 right away. Unlike the previously mentioned provinces, single-event betting wasn’t offered by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) until September 2021.
Similarly to Ontario, Alberta also welcomed third-party competitors along with their launch. Albertans can also gamble online at Play Alberta, the only provincially owned online gambling website.
The Atlantic Provinces
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island are all part of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC). Except for Nova Scotia, the ALC provinces allowed single-event sports betting immediately. Nova Scotia waited until February 2022 to implement the change.
The ALC website also allows residents of these provinces to play online casino games. Thus far, there don’t seem to be any plans to allow third-party competitors. However, the ALC has partnered with many video lottery game providers over the past year to improve its online gambling offerings.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan waited a little longer than other provinces to implement the new regulations. Single-event betting didn’t become available until November of 2021.
Through an agreement with SaskGaming, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) was announced as the operator of the Online Gaming Portal. In June 2022, the SIGA signed an agreement with the BCLC to bring the PlayNow website to Saskatchewan residents.
The Territories
The Canadian territories Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon are part of the WCLC as associate numbers. Like Saskatchewan, the territories didn’t allow single-event betting until November 2021.
Though the territories did adapt to the new sports betting laws, online gambling may have to wait a bit longer. Though all three territories have access to WCLC’s Sport Select platform, players must still purchase tickets in-store.
Conclusion
It may have taken some time for the Canadian government to expand its online gambling offerings, but changes are happening fast. Since the changes, each province and territory has been adapting at its own pace. However, it seems it’s only a matter of time until online gambling across Canada becomes the norm.
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BGaming
CasinoCanada launches free social slot tournament
CasinoCanada.com launches a new social tournament system built around free-to-enter slot competitions, combining daily, weekly, and monthly events with leaderboards, bonus prizes, and exclusive merchandise.
The tournaments are powered entirely by BGaming slots, marking the first industry collaboration between an affiliate brand and BGaming focused specifically on social tournament engagement.
Participation in all tournaments is free for registered users of legal gambling age.
Players compete across rotating tournaments featuring a changing lineup of BGaming titles, including hit titles Aztec Magic Bonanza, Bonanza Billion, and Elvis Frog, among others.
Prizes include various bonuses and free spins from CasinoCanada partner casinos.
Selected special tournaments also feature exclusive BGaming merchandise prizes.
Tournament performance is reflected in public leaderboards, adding a competitive and community-driven layer to the CasinoCanada experience.
While social slot tournaments have become increasingly common in iGaming, many existing formats are built around the same providers and similar tournament structures.
CasinoCanada’s approach focuses on free participation, rotating BGaming content, partner casino bonus rewards, merchandise prizes, and recurring competition.
Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at CasinoCanada, said: “The affiliate industry is moving beyond static review pages and traditional bonus listings. Community features, recurring engagement formats, and social competition are becoming increasingly important for long-term audience retention.
“Our goal is to create something more interactive and community-driven while also giving more visibility to BGaming’s slot portfolio through a format that players can engage with on a daily basis.”
Kate Puteiko, CMO at BGaming, said: “Players and the community have always been the beating heart of everything we do here at BGaming.
Online play no longer has to be a solitary activity, and tournaments like this are an excellent way to connect players and enhance everyone’s experience.
CasinoCanada shares this vision, and this collaboration is a natural extension of that.
We are excited to see our games front and centre of these tournaments and for players to begin creating memorable moments competing with them.”
CasinoCanada plans to introduce additional community features in the future, including gamification systems and forum functionality designed to expand user interaction around the tournament ecosystem.
The tournaments are now live at: https://casinocanada.com/tournaments/
The post CasinoCanada launches free social slot tournament appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Betnova
Delasport Accelerates Canadian Growth
Delasport continues to strengthen its position in the Canadian regulated market, now powering three live brands in Ontario while preparing for further expansion into Alberta as the province moves toward opening its regulated online gaming market.
Delasport’s technology is currently live in Ontario with TitanPlay.ca, Maverick Games, and Betnova.ca. The company provides a combination of full turnkey platform solutions of Casino, Sport, Player Account Management and Managed Services as well as its high-performance Sportsbook iFrame technology. This enables operators to launch quickly while delivering a premium user experience tailored to the Canadian audience.
With Ontario continuing to establish itself as one of North America’s most competitive regulated markets, Delasport’s growing local presence reflects the company’s long-term commitment to Canada and its confidence in the market’s continued evolution.
“Ontario is a strategically important market for us, and it has already proven to be a strong success story. Seeing multiple brands successfully operating on our technology and services demonstrates the strength of our platform in acquiring and retaining players in Ontario. We’re excited to continue this momentum as we prepare for Alberta,” said Oren Cohen Shwartz, CEO of Delasport.
As part of its next phase of Canadian growth, Delasport has officially applied for Alberta’s upcoming B2B licensing framework and is already preparing to go live with a partner operator once the market opens.
The company’s Canadian momentum is further supported by its mobile-first approach. TitanPlay’s iOS application is already available on the Apple App Store for users in Ontario, delivering a seamless casino and sportsbook experience powered by Delasport technology.
Delasport’s platform in Canada includes a wide range of personalization and engagement tools designed to enhance user retention and entertainment value.
The company has continued to position itself as one of the industry’s leading providers in regulated markets worldwide, with a strong focus on scalable technology, localization, compliance, and player-centric innovation.
The post Delasport Accelerates Canadian Growth appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
Responsible Gambling Council Urges Financial Institutions to Strengthen Protections Against Gambling Harm
The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has urged Canada’s financial sector to take a proactive role in mitigating gambling-related financial harm. A new whitepaper released highlights how banks and credit unions are uniquely positioned to protect the financial well-being of their customers.
The whitepaper, Opportunities for Impact: The Role of Financial Institutions in Mitigating Gambling-Related Harm, argues that financial institutions have a unique duty of care. Financial institutions have direct access to gambling transaction data that reveals early warning signs of financial vulnerability. These indicators include rapidly shrinking savings and an increased reliance on overdrafts or credit.
“The rapid expansion of regulated gambling in Canada requires an evolved response from our financial systems. By adopting tools already proven in other jurisdictions, Canadian banks can become leaders in protecting customer financial health,” said Tracy Parker, SVP, Accreditation, Advisory & Insights at RGC.
Jurisdictions like the UK and Australia have already recognized the powerful role financial institutions play. Banks such as Monzo and Starling in the UK were the first to offer voluntary gambling blocks to their customers. Similarly, the National Australia Bank provides dedicated support pages and links to financial counseling.
RGC recommends that Canadian financial institutions implement several key strategies:
• Improving the accuracy of Merchant Category Codes to better track gambling spend.
• Offering voluntary transaction blocks and self-defined monthly spend limits.
• Providing targeted messaging and support resources within digital banking platforms.
Beyond retail banking, RGC highlights the importance of commercial relationships. Financial institutions can influence industry practices by setting high harm prevention expectations for gambling operators. Integrating these considerations into due diligence processes helps mitigate reputational and regulatory risks.
The post Responsible Gambling Council Urges Financial Institutions to Strengthen Protections Against Gambling Harm appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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