Canada casinos are legal, but each province runs or licenses gambling on its own terms. Most provinces have land-based casinos, some also allow video lottery terminals (VLTs) in bars, and single-game sports betting has been legal nationwide since August 2021. Online, Ontario (since 2022) and Alberta (since July 2026) license private operators, while other provinces sell online gambling through their government lottery sites.
Canada gambling at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Casinos legal | Yes, run or licensed by each province |
| Sports betting | Single-game betting legal since August 27, 2021 |
| Regulated private online market | Ontario (April 2022) and Alberta (July 2026) |
| Other provinces online | Government lottery sites such as PlayNow and Loto-Québec |
| Biggest market | Ontario |
| Last checked | November 2026 |
How gambling became legal in Canada
Gambling in Canada goes back to the games played by Indigenous peoples long before European settlers arrived. Since the first Criminal Code in 1892, gambling has been tolerated only under certain conditions, such as occasional games of chance for charitable or religious causes. A 1910 amendment allowed pari-mutuel betting, and a few games were permitted at fairs and exhibitions.
The real breakthrough came in 1969, when changes to the Criminal Code allowed lotteries and let the provinces license and regulate gambling. That is why every province now has its own regulator, such as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis.
Canada’s first commercial casino opened in Winnipeg in 1989, and Vegas-style casinos spread through the 1990s. How those casinos relate to government still varies. In some provinces a Crown corporation such as the British Columbia Lottery Corporation or the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) owns the casinos and private companies run them. In others the province runs them itself.
Where you can gamble in Canada
Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia all have full casinos, and smaller casinos operate in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and the Yukon. Since the 1990s some provinces have also allowed video lottery terminals (VLTs), which play like slot machines, in bars and other licensed venues.
Ontario
Ontario is the country’s biggest gambling market. Its best-known casino is Caesars Windsor, on the Windsor riverfront near the Canadian end of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. Caesars runs the property for OLG, and in 2025 OLG picked Caesars again as the service provider under a new long-term agreement. It has slots, table games and a hotel.
Other notable Ontario casinos include Casino Niagara and Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Casino Rama Resort near Orillia, and Elements Casino Brantford. For the Toronto area, see our Toronto gambling guide.
British Columbia
Metro Vancouver has several large casinos, including River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, Great Canadian Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam (called Hard Rock Casino Vancouver until its 2023 rebrand) and Cascades Casino Resort in Langley. Our Vancouver gambling guide covers the area in more detail.
Alberta, Quebec and the rest of Canada
Alberta has dozens of casinos, among them Grey Eagle Resort and Casino near Calgary and River Cree Resort and Casino near Edmonton. Quebec’s casinos are run by Loto-Québec and include Casino de Montréal, Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau and Casino de Charlevoix. Elsewhere you will find Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax, Casino New Brunswick in Moncton, Red Shores in Charlottetown, and Diamond Tooth Gertie’s gambling hall in Dawson City, Yukon.
Types of gambling venues in Canada
For a player, who owns a casino rarely matters. Some venues are owned and run by the province, some are owned by a provincial corporation and run by a private company, and some are private businesses operating machines that belong to the province. If a venue offers slots or table games, you can play them either way.
The distinction that does matter is between full casinos and venues limited to VLTs or other electronic machines. In provinces that have both, look for a full casino if you want table games and a Vegas-style floor. The same goes for racetracks: some have full slot floors, while others only have VLTs.
Facts about casinos in Canada
- Provincial governments control casino gambling, so many high-profile casinos are owned by government corporations even when a private company such as Caesars or Great Canadian runs them.
- In some provinces, bars and other licensed venues can operate VLTs, which provinces began allowing in the 1990s.
- Racinos, racetracks with gaming, have changed a lot. Ajax Downs east of Toronto pairs live racing with Casino Ajax. Montreal’s Hippodrome, once home to hundreds of VLTs and slots, closed in 2009 and has since been demolished. In Surrey, B.C., the Fraser Downs track closed in August 2025, though the Elements Casino next to it stayed open.
Online gambling in Canada
Online gambling is where Canada has changed most in recent years. Each province decides how it works:
- Ontario opened a regulated market for private online casinos and sportsbooks on April 4, 2022. The AGCO registers and regulates operators, and iGaming Ontario, an independent provincial agency since May 2025, contracts with them. OLG.ca also operates in that market.
- Alberta launched its own regulated market on July 13, 2026, with 50 operators approved at launch under Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis. Operators without a provincial licence were told to leave the province.
- Other provinces sell online casino games and sports betting through government lottery sites, such as PlayNow in British Columbia and Loto-Québec’s site in Quebec.
Many international sites still accept Canadians in provinces without a licensing system. They are not licensed by those provinces, and you have little recourse if a dispute goes wrong. Canada is also home to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which has licensed online gambling sites from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke since 1999.
Canada casinos FAQ
Is gambling legal in Canada?
Yes. Provinces run or license casinos, lotteries, VLTs and sports betting within their borders under the Criminal Code.
Is online gambling legal in Canada?
Yes, through provincially approved sites. Ontario and Alberta license private operators, and the other provinces offer online gambling through their lottery corporations.
Is sports betting legal in Canada?
Yes. Single-game sports betting became legal on August 27, 2021, when Bill C-218 took effect. Before that, Canadians could only bet parlays through provincial lotteries.
What is the biggest gambling province in Canada?
Ontario, which has the most casinos and the largest regulated online market.
Gamble responsibly. In Canada, contact your provincial problem gambling helpline; in the US, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (call or text).