Canada has been a very popular travel destination for a very long time. People want to visit this lovely country for many reasons. The nature is outstanding, the nightlife is crazy, and the multicultural society makes things even more entertaining. Yet, there is another reason why people choose Canada for the holidays. They want to experience offline and online gambling in Canada.
Testing luck with roulette, slot and other games during the holiday is a completely normal thing. Unfortunately, you won’t manage to enjoy gambling everywhere in Canada. The reason for that is gambling regulations that differ from one province to another.
As someone who plans to stay in Canada for a certain period and play casino games, you should get familiar with the regulations and laws regarding gambling. The good news is that you have come to the right place to find out some useful information. We will highlight the most visited Canadian provinces and analyze the gambling laws in each of them. If you are willing to learn more, continue reading!
Short Overview of Gambling Laws in Canada
Some tourists may wonder why these laws differ from state to state. The answer is pretty simple! Everything started in 1985 when the federal government gave each province the right to develop its own gambling laws and regulate the overall gambling infrastructure. To get an idea of how things function, we recommend you check these gambling regulations before organizing a trip to Canada. It will be wise to prepare with some basic knowledge before you continue to read our guide as well. So, let’s get started with analyses of each province separately.
Ontario Gambling Laws
Ontario has long been the most visited province in Canada. The main reason for that is Toronto, which has many things to offer to travelers. This province has the most flexible gambling laws compared to other states. That especially counts when we talk about overall online gambling. 2 years ago, on April 4th, Ontario legalized online gambling to the fullest. People can now enjoy online casino games as well as sports betting. Yet, each operator that wants to register within the country will need to get a license issued by iGaming Ontario.
Land-based gambling is also legal. People can find 25+ gambling venues across the state. Logically, most of them are located in Toronto. You can also find sports betting opportunities through pro-line services. Ultimately, the lottery is also legal. It is one of the biggest attractions among locals and tourists. It is supported by the so-called Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
Quebec Gambling Laws
More than 4 million people, on average, visit Quebec each year. One of the reasons why so many people come to this place is because of the crazy nightlife and flexible gambling laws. Betting games became legal in 1970. Since then, a lot of things have changed and improved.
Today, tourists are free to wager at literally any licensed online casino. Best of all, most online casinos available in this province are usually available in English and French language (due to the mixed population). On the other hand, there are also ten land-based casinos. The only thing left to remember is that you need to be at least 18 to enjoy any form of gambling.
There are two additional pieces of information we have to highlight as well. Sports betting is legal on both land-based premises and online betting sites. Also, you can enjoy the lottery a couple of times weekly. There are draws available on different national TVs. Besides, this is the first legal form of gambling in Quebec, which is why you can enjoy it more often than in other provinces!
British Columbia Gambling Laws
There are probably a certain number of tourists who believe that British Columbia does not offer legal online gambling. That’s far from the truth. Yet, we do have to admit that gambling laws are a bit specific. Believe it or not, there is only one online casino where you can enjoy gambling. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation runs that casino site, and it works successfully for 20 years. You can register at international offshore online casinos if that gambling site does not meet your expectations. Remember that your safety is only guaranteed if those casinos are regulated and licensed by adequate regulatory bodies.
What about lottery and sports betting? Sports betting is available “physically”. However, you won’t manage to place a bet on single games like you can in other provinces. Also, the sportsbooks you will find are regulated by other jurisdictions. Lottery, on the other hand, has been available in British Columbia since 1985. The only law requirement is that you must be at least 19 or over to participate in the draws.
Alberta Gambling Laws
Similar to British Columbia, tourists can gamble only at one licensed online casino in Alberta. On this gambling platform, you will manage to find a diversity of slots and table games as well as a rich live casino section. Also, there is a decent offer for sports betting. You can place a bet on different leagues and sports. The odds are competitive. An alternative to this is internationally regulated gambling sites. Keep in mind that the regulatory body in Alberta does not regulate online gambling on these platforms. That means they need to have a valid license issued by other reputable and legitimate organizations.
The main attraction in Alberta is the lottery. All the lottery draws within the province are regulated by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. Believe it or not, travelers will manage to find more than 6000 VLT machines where they can pick their numbers and hope for the best.
Also, sports betting laws are pretty specific. You can only bet on one or two sports events a day, and you can spend a daily limit of 250 CAD on this activity. These laws will probably be strange to most of the visitors.
Conclusion
We have highlighted the laws of the most visited provinces. In general, different gambling forms are mostly legal in Canadian provinces, with a few exceptions. Yet, even in those provinces, you can enjoy internationally-regulated casino sites. We believe you will easily pick your next route after reading your guide!
