Frequently asked questions about legal sports betting in Canada
Online sports betting is legal in Canada only through the provincial system: private operators registered in Ontario and Alberta, and provincial operators in British Columbia, Manitoba and Québec. The minimum age is 19 in Ontario and British Columbia and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec. Below are eight short answers, each with a link to the fuller section.
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Is online sports betting legal in Canada?
Yes, through provinces. Section 207 of the Criminal Code allows gambling only as schemes run or licensed by a province. Single-event sports betting has been allowed since 2021-08-27, except on horse racing. There is no federal licence. See the province table.
Who can offer it?
In Ontario, operators in the iGaming Ontario registry; in Alberta, sites on the AiGC list, since the market opened on 2026-07-13. In British Columbia it is PlayNow, in Manitoba PlayNow MB, and in Québec Loto-Québec. Other regions: not confirmed as of 2026-11-13.
What is the minimum age?
It is 19 in Ontario and British Columbia, and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec. For Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces we could not confirm an age for online betting.
Can I use an Ontario brand in another province?
Not on the strength of an Ontario listing. Ontario requires the player to be in the province, and a brand in its registry may operate elsewhere under a different regime. We track status by province and show a brand only where it is listed.
What changed in Alberta?
The private market opened on 2026-07-13, with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis as regulator and Alberta iGaming Corporation listing registered sites. The list showed 51 sites when we read it, with no date. The minimum age is 18, and self-exclusion runs through selfexclusion.ca.
How do I self-exclude?
In Ontario, through BetGuard at betguard.ca, available since 2026-05-14; in Alberta, through selfexclusion.ca; in Québec, through Autoexclusion with breaks of 1 to 89 days. PlayNow in British Columbia requires it. Numbers are on the safety page.
How do I know an app or a payment method is genuine?
Compare the publisher on the store listing with the legal entity in the registry. For payments, read the operator's own cashier page. Ontario's standards bar credit and cryptocurrency for deposits. More on the payments and apps page.
Who regulates sports betting?
Ontario: the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario with iGaming Ontario. Alberta: Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis with Alberta iGaming Corporation. British Columbia: the Independent Gambling Control Office since 2026-04-13, with BCLC as operator. The home page summarizes each.
How we checked
- We took the legal basis from the Criminal Code text and the age limits from regulator pages.
- We marked as unconfirmed anything whose official page we could not open.
- We did not give legal advice, and the wording is a draft for review by a lawyer.
Sources
- Criminal Code, section 207 (Justice Laws).
- AGCO, iGaming Ontario, AGLC and Alberta iGaming Corporation.
- BetGuard and selfexclusion.ca
What changed
- : first version with eight answers.
Age and help
19+ in Ontario and British Columbia; 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec. Gambling involves risk. Play responsibly. Need a break? Ontario: BetGuard. Alberta: selfexclusion.ca. Not an official site of any operator or regulator. Back to the home page.
FAQ
Are gambling winnings taxable in Canada?
We could not confirm this as of 2026-11-13. We found no official tax page to cite, so we state nothing about it.
Are the betting apps on this site official?
This site has no apps. It is not an official site of any operator or regulator.
Do you recommend offshore sportsbooks?
No. A licence from the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission or from abroad is not a provincial authorization, so we name no such brand.
Where can I get help with gambling?
The help lines and self-exclusion programs by province are on the safety page, taken from official pages.