Canadian gambling law runs through section 207 of the Criminal Code, which lets a provincial government conduct and manage a lottery scheme (a term that covers casino games, sports betting and more) under its own provincial law — there is no single national online-gambling regulator. There is no federal offence for the individual player who bets at an offshore site, which is the legal root of most provinces' grey-tolerated posture; single-event sports betting was legalised nationally on 27/08/2021, and a 2016 Quebec attempt to force ISPs to block offshore gambling sites was struck down as unconstitutional by the Quebec Superior Court in 2018.
Licensing authority: No single federal regulator — each province regulates under Criminal Code s.207 (e.g. AGCO/iGO in Ontario, AGLC/AiGC in Alberta; other provinces run their own lottery corporations)
Key facts
- Governing federal law: Criminal Code (RSC 1985, c C-46), section 207 — provincial conduct-and-manage of lottery schemes
- Federal player-level offence: None — enforcement targets unauthorised operators/conduct, not the individual bettor
- Single-event sports betting: Legalised nationally 27/08/2021 (Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act amendment to s.207)
- Provinces with their own licensed online-gambling regime: Ontario (since 2022) and Alberta (from 13/07/2026); other provinces run government lottery-corporation platforms (e.g. PlayNow in BC, Loto-Québec) alongside a grey-tolerated offshore market
- Key court precedent: Quebec Superior Court, 2018 — ruled Quebec's Bill 74 ISP-blocking requirement for unlicensed gambling sites unconstitutional (encroached on federal telecommunications/criminal-law jurisdiction)
Regulatory timeline
- — Criminal Code (RSC 1985, c C-46) consolidation includes section 207, the provincial conduct-and-manage framework for lottery schemes that still governs Canadian gambling law today. (Source)
- — Quebec passes Bill 74, requiring internet service providers to block subscriber access to unlicensed gambling sites competing with Loto-Québec; Canada's major ISPs sue to have the provision declared unconstitutional. (Source)
- — The Quebec Superior Court rules Bill 74's ISP-blocking provision unconstitutional, finding it encroaches on federal jurisdiction over telecommunications and criminal law. (Source)
- — The Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act comes into force, amending Criminal Code s.207 to let provinces legalise and regulate single-event sports betting. (Source)
- — Ontario becomes the first province to open a competitive, privately-operated online-gambling market under its own AGCO/iGO regime. (Source)
- — Alberta becomes the second province to launch its own regulated iGaming market, under the iGaming Alberta Act and AGLC/AiGC. (Source)
Frequently asked questions
Is it a federal crime to gamble at an offshore site as a Canadian?
No. The Criminal Code targets unauthorised operators and conduct, not the individual player, and there is no federal offence for a Canadian who bets at an offshore site. Most provinces are correspondingly grey-tolerated; check your own province's current posture, especially in Ontario and Alberta.
What is section 207 of the Criminal Code?
It is the provision that lets a provincial government conduct and manage a "lottery scheme" — a term covering casino games, slot machines, sports betting and more — under its own provincial law. It is the constitutional basis for every province's gambling regime, from lottery corporations to Ontario's and Alberta's licensed iGaming markets.
Did a Canadian court really strike down a gambling website block?
Yes — but it was Quebec, not another province, and 2018, not 2016. Quebec passed Bill 74 in 2016 to force ISPs to block unlicensed gambling sites; the Quebec Superior Court ruled that ISP-blocking provision unconstitutional in July 2018 on federal-jurisdiction grounds.