Legal Sports Betting in Canada: Laws, Who Can Bet & Provincial Betting Guide

Legal sports betting in Canada is a complicated topic. We’re here to help you understand it. This page will explain the current federal betting laws in Canada and the gambling laws in each province.

We’ll also tell you about our favourite sports betting sites that you can play legally right now.

Yes, sports betting is legal in Canada. It has been since June 2021, when Parliament passed Bill C-218 [1]. This bill amended the Canadian Criminal Code to remove the previous ban on sports betting.

However, Bill C-218 did not create a regulated legal sports betting market. Instead, the federal government decided to let each province create their own gambling laws.

So far, Ontario is the only province who has created a framework for privately-owned sportsbooks. Every other province has state-run sportsbooks operated by their lottery corporations. However, that could change soon as Alberta is moving closer to adopting a sports betting model similar to Ontario’s [2].

We’ll go over the gambling laws in each province and discuss the future of sports betting in each province later on in this piece.

Now that we’ve answered the question “Is sports betting legal in Canada?”, let’s look at some of the finer points of the legal Canadian sports betting market.

Anyone over the legal minimum betting age of 19 (18 in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec) can bet on sports in Canada. You do not need to be a citizen of Canada or even live in Canada permanently. As long as you are inside the country and old enough to gamble, you can bet on sports.

Canadian sportsbooks have very few restrictions. As long as you are above the minimum legal betting age and not on a self-exclusion list, you will be able to bet on sports in Canada.

However, remember that many sportsbooks have KYC checks. If you don’t have any documents that you can use to prove your identity, you might not be allowed to bet on sports at certain sportsbooks.

Legal sports betting sites in Canada allow you to bet on over 40 different sports. You can bet on hockey, basketball, football, and pretty much anything else your heart desires. There are very few restrictions.

For example, in the US, many states have strict rules for betting on college sports, game shows, politics, and esports. No such restrictions exist in Canada. You can legally bet on March Madness, the Oscars, Canadian elections, and League of Legends without any issues.

While the Canadian sports betting market is relatively open compared to the US, it’s not completely unregulated. Minor league sports, such as the Canadian Hockey League and its subsidiary leagues, are off limits in most provinces. Ontario has a blanket ban on betting on minor league sports [3]. Some offshore sportsbooks have CHL bets, but the markets are very restricted. 

Yes, sports betting apps are legal in Canada, but they are not widely available outside of Ontario. The Ontario market is the only regulated market. Most sportsbooks are not allowed to operate apps in unregulated markets, such as Quebec or Alberta.

However, mobile sports betting sites are available everywhere. If a sportsbook is legal in your province, you can use its mobile site without any issues.

There are no taxes on gambling winnings in Canada. Per federal law, you only have to pay taxes on gambling winnings if you are a professional gambler [4]. So, if you’re not a professional sports bettor, you don’t have to worry about paying taxes on your gambling winnings. Although, if you invest your winnings, remember that you have to pay taxes on any interest you collect on your investment. 

Offshore sportsbooks are available in Canada. You can access them from every province except for Ontario. These sites are not regulated in Canada. Instead, they have licences from foreign regulators, such as the Kahnawake Gaming Commission or Malta Gaming Authority.

Sports betting is legal all throughout Canada. However, there are no federal regulations for online sports betting. Every province is able to create their own gambling laws. Here are where things currently stand in each province. 

Alberta

Alberta does not have a regulated sportsbook market. The only legal sports betting platform is PlayAlberta.ca, which is owned and operated by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

This could change soon, though, Alberta lawmakers pass Bill 48. That law would see Alberta open its sports betting market to privately-owned sportsbooks, similar to Ontario’s model.

Alberta Sports Betting Overview

British Columbia

British Columbia has been an early adaptor to legal sports betting. The province’s PlayNow.com platform is one of the oldest online sportsbooks in Canada. However, it is the only legal sportsbook in BC, and probably will be for the foreseeable future.

Instead of looking for investment from the outside, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has focused on bolstering its existing sportsbook. In February 2025, the BCLC opened its first retail sportsbook lounge at Chances Casino in Kelowna [5].

British Columbia Sports Betting Overview

Manitoba

Manitoba is another province that does not have any private sector operators. However, PlayNow is available via a partnership with the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries and BCLC. Unlike Alberta, there isn’t a lot of news about opening up the Manitoba sports betting market, but that could change if other provinces are successful.

Manitoba Sports Betting Overview

New Brunswick

As one of the Atlantic Provinces, the only legal sports betting option in New Brunswick is the Atlantic Lottery Corporation’s (ALC) Proline Stadium platform.  Offshore sportsbooks are also available, but they are not regulated. 

New Brunswick Sports Betting Overview

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador  has a very strict gambling market. There are no land-based casinos or sportsbooks and the ALC Proline betting site is the only regulated online gambling platform. It’s unlikely that any Atlantic Province will change its gambling laws. If one does change its laws, it probably won’t be Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Betting Overview

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia  has a relatively small sports betting market. The ALC’s Proline sportsbook is the only regulated sports betting site in NS. Like with the other Atlantic Provinces, we don’t expect the government to open the market to privately owned sportsbooks. 

Nova Scotia Sports Betting Overview

Ontario

Ontario is the only province in Canada with a fully regulated sports betting market. Lawmakers in the province quickly created a new agency called iGaming Ontario just months after Parliament passed Bill C-218 [6].

iGaming Ontario is a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. It is in charge of issuing sportsbook licence, enforcing rules, and regulating the Ontario online gambling market generally. iGaming Ontario has issued over 90 licences to online casinos and sports betting sites. There are currently 33 legal sportsbooks in Ontario. 

Ontario Sports Betting Overview

Prince Edward Island

Sports bettors in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Prince Edward Island can enjoy the ALC’s Proline sportsbook and offshore betting sites. There are no land-based sportsbooks or sports betting kiosks in the province. 

Prince Edward Island Sports Betting Overview

Quebec

Some estimates say that Quebec is the second-biggest sports betting market in Canada. It’s also one of the most guarded markets. Loto-Québec has a monopoly on sports betting via its Mise-o-jeu betting site. The agency has been very hostile to privately-owned sportsbooks [7], so it’s unlikely that it will open its market any time soon.  

Quebec Sports Betting Overview

Saskatchewan

On paper, the Saskatchewan sports betting market is very similar to other provinces’. For example, like Manitoba, PlayNow.com is the only regulated sportsbook. However, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority and Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority have hinted at growth, so there’s a chance the market could open up to privately-run sportsbooks. We think it will depend on whether Alberta passes its new sports betting bill. 

Saskatchewan Sports Betting Overview