Instead, the federal government leaves it to provinces to create their own rules for online and land-based gambling. Gambling laws in Canadian provincesĬanada does not have a central regulation for gambling laws. This regulatory body issues licenses and regulates third-party gambling operators. In 1996, the Kahnawake Gaming Law was passed, which created the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC). Some indigenous communities in Canada share the revenue from gambling with provincial governments. While many provinces have established land-based casinos and sports betting facilities, only Ontario has implemented specific laws for online gambling through licensing and regulation. The Canadian Gaming Commission oversees the entire gambling industry in Canada, but each province has its own laws and regulations. However, in 1985, the federal and provincial governments reached an agreement that allowed provinces to create their own regulations for online and land-based gambling (except for horse racing).
In the past, the Canadian government-controlled gambling through the Criminal Code.
Although Canadian law doesn't allow gambling operators to have their servers in Canada, no laws prevent residents from visiting and gambling on these websites. However, Canadians can still play on gambling websites that are licensed internationally. In Canada, it is generally illegal for casinos and sportsbooks to operate online.
