Gambling Laws in Canada – Is It Legal?

Canada is known for its beautiful landscapes, delicious maple syrup and green national parks. But have you ever wondered whether Canadians could also try their luck gambling in their spare time? There is no doubt that Canada gambling laws could turn out to be somewhat confusing to most players. We realise that it must be difficult and time-consuming to go through all legal matters, which is why we have conducted thorough research about the gambling laws in Canada. Eager to learn more? We invite you to stay with us and keep reading this article as we discuss the legal status of each form of gambling in the country.

Is Gambling Legal in Canada?

Yes, most forms of gambling are allowed in Canada, although not all of them are legal. To begin with, if you are planning to play at Canadian land-based casinos, we are glad to inform you that you can legally visit more than 100 gambling venues across the country. When it comes to online gambling, however, we must advise you that the matter is a bit more complicated. There are 10 self-governing provinces, and the Canada online gambling laws apply differently in each one. To sum up, it is illegal to operate an online casino from Canadian territory. Yet, technically, no law forbids players to visit and use offshore gambling sites.

Online Gambling Laws in Canada

As we have already mentioned, online gambling falls into a somewhat grey legal area. It is forbidden to operate online casinos from Canada. Yet, the gambling laws do not prevent players from accessing offshore casino sites. Nevertheless, the country has its own regulatory body in the face of the Kahnawake Gambling Commission. Despite being located across the river of Montreal and considered a foreign land, the gambling authority is entitled to issuing licences and regulating the online gambling industry.

Whether you prefer to play at online casinos, sports betting sites, lotto, bingo, poker, or even daily fantasy operators, we are certain that you will be able to find a safe gambling site to wager at. Still, remember that you will have to choose mostly among foreign gambling operators. To help you understand better the online Canadian gambling laws, we have prepared the following table, where you can find information about the legal status of various online gambling products:

As described in the table, Canada does not have clear laws when it comes to online gambling. It comes as no surprise, however, considering that the last legal update was applied to the Canadian Criminal Code back in 1985. According to Section 201 of the Criminal Code, “it is illegal to run a betting house or to be found in one”. Since there is no mention of online betting houses, however, a legal loophole allows players to visit and wager at foreign gambling sites without being prosecuted. As a result, several reputable online gambling operators welcome Canadian players. You can find the best roulette sites in Canada listed on our dedicate page.

Still, there are various operators that have received their licences from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. The agency was established back in 1996 by a native reserve called Kahnawake Mohawk Nation. Even though online gambling was technically forbidden in Canada at the time, the Mohawk Nation argued that they are a sovereign nation, and hence had the right to license and operate online gambling operators. Furthermore, the Kahnawake Mohawk Nation can theoretically run casinos or lease space to different online casinos without being prosecuted. Still, we must point out that private enterprises such as horserace companies, which already operate legally in Canada are not allowed to run online casinos or poker sites under the Criminal Code of Canada.

Canadian Gambling Laws About Land-Based Casinos

Despite the fact that most Canadian online gambling laws are rather unclear, the country has legalised the popular land-based casinos. Currently, there are more than 100 active casino venues in Canada, although none of them are found in Newfoundland and Labrador. Some of the most popular casinos include Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara, both located in the Niagara Falls, Lake City Casino in Okanagan Valley, Casino De Montreal in Quebec and Caesars Windsor Hotel and Casino in Ontario. Remember that you must be at least 19 years old to access and play at any casino in Canada. Nevertheless, if you are located in Alberta, Manitoba or Quebec, the minimum gambling age would be 18.

Interesting Facts Regarding the Gambling Laws in Canada

As we have already established, while Canada has officially legalised its land-based casinos, the online gambling laws remain rather ambiguous. Technically, players are allowed to wager at offshore gambling sites without being prosecuted. Still, there are no online casinos that are officially licensed and regulated by the Canadian authorities. The only exception would be the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which is an authority at the sovereign territory of the Kahnawake Mohawk Nation. To sum up, we have selected five facts regarding the gambling laws in Canada that you should be aware of:

Online gambling in Canada might be unregulated, but it carries no risk for players, at least from a legal point of view. Still, we must warn you that not all gambling sites that you will come across will be trustworthy. Even if they accept Canadian players, you must always make sure that they hold valid licences by official foreign gambling institutions such as the UKGC or the MGA. You should also look for the presence of a valid SSL certificate, which would guarantee the privacy of any personal and financial data that you share with your chosen operator.

Conclusion: You Can Gamble Legally in Canada

To sum up, there are over 100 land-based casinos in Canada that you can legally visit. The land-based gambling laws are well-established, and players can enjoy casino venues, lotteries etc. Still, we must mention that the legal situation might vary and be dependent on each of the 10 Canadian provinces’ local laws. When it comes to online gambling, however, the situation is rather unclear, at least from a legal perspective. While playing at offshore online gambling sites has not been criminalised, it had not been officially legalised either. Nevertheless, players can visit and play at foreign casino, sports betting, bingo, poker, lottery and daily fantasy sites without being prosecuted.

Still, Canada made some changes to its gambling law back in 2018 and the access to all non-licensed online casinos have been restricted. Still, there are various trustworthy operators that still welcome Canadian players. We have picked the best ones of them in our list of the top online casinos in Canada for 2024. Each of our selected offshore operators holds a valid licence by a foreign gambling authority such as the UKGC and/or the MGA and is safe to play at. Meanwhile, we will follow the situation about the Canadian gambling laws closely and will let you know if there are any changes in the future.

Popular Questions

We hope you found our article about the gambling laws in Canada useful and informative. Still, we realise that you may have certain queries regarding the legal situation in the country pending. In the section below, we have picked some of the most popular and frequently asked questions regarding the Canadian gambling laws. We hope they will help you grasp a better understanding of the legal gambling situation in the country.

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