Until August 2021, a bet on one hockey game was off the table at every provincial lottery in Canada. You had to string two or more games together into a parlay. One short federal act changed that, and it reshaped how Canadians bet. This guide covers what the law says, who runs sports betting in each province, how Ontario and Alberta differ from the rest of the country, and where offshore sportsbooks fit for players outside Ontario and Alberta. We read the statute, the Canada Gazette order, provincial sites and legal commentary. This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.
- Bill C-218 (Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act) came into force on August 27, 2021.
- Provinces decide how single-event betting runs; horse racing stays federal.
- Outside Ontario and Alberta, the provincial lottery corporation is the legal sportsbook.
- Offshore books are licensed outside Canada; provincial protections and self-exclusion do not reach them.
The Criminal Code in one paragraph
Gambling and betting are prohibited by the federal Criminal Code, with exceptions. The key one, section 207(1)(a), lets a province “conduct and manage a lottery scheme” under its own law. Every provincial lottery, online casino and sportsbook sits on that exception. The full text is on the Justice Laws website. Our online gambling law guide covers the casino side of the same section.
What Bill C-218 changed
Before 2021, paragraph 207(4)(b) kept bets on a single sport event, along with races and fights, outside what a province could run. Provinces could only sell parlays. Loto-Quebec’s old Mise-o-jeu rules spelled it out: single bets weren’t offered, and players had to predict between two and eight events.
The Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, S.C. 2021, c. 20, rewrote that paragraph so only bookmaking on horse races stays outside the lottery-scheme definition. Everything else, including a single game, became something a province can conduct and manage. The Act’s text is three sections long.
The Department of Justice framed the change around those estimates: money already being bet through organized crime and offshore sites, which provinces could now compete for. Its release also confirmed two practical points. Provinces and territories decide how single-event betting is regulated, and bets can be placed online or in person. Horse racing stays with the federal Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency.
Who runs it, province by province
| Province or territory | Legal sports product | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | PlayNow Sports (BCLC) | Single-event bets live August 27, 2021; live betting menu; 19+ |
| Saskatchewan | PlayNow.com Saskatchewan | Operated by SIGA, managed by SaskGaming; launched November 3, 2022 with “a full suite of sports betting options”; 19+ |
| Manitoba | PlayNow.com Manitoba | Single-event betting live August 27, 2021; 18+ |
| Quebec | Mise-o-jeu (Loto-Quebec) | Single bets and combinations, decimal odds; 18+ |
| New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador | Atlantic Lottery (alc.ca) | Accounts for Atlantic residents physically in the region; 19+ |
| Prairies and territories, retail | Sport Select (WCLC) | Paper slips, $2 to $100 per wager, $250,000 prize limit |
| Ontario | Regulated open market since April 4, 2022 | Out of scope for this site |
| Alberta | Regulated open market since July 13, 2026 | Out of scope for this site |
Sources: PlayNow Sports, Government of Saskatchewan, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, Mise-o-jeu, Sport Select; ages from provincial terms, October 2026.
Two details worth knowing. Mise-o-jeu’s page reserves the right to change odds at any time and showed no in-play section when we read it, while PlayNow Sports in B.C. runs a live betting menu. And we couldn’t verify the Atlantic sports product’s current name and bet types on alc.ca, so we’ve kept that row to what the account terms say.
The timeline, 2021 to 2026
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| June 29, 2021 | Royal Assent for Bill C-218 |
| August 27, 2021 | Act in force; single-game bets live on PlayNow in B.C. and Manitoba |
| November 1, 2021 | Single-event Sport Select launched at Western Canada retailers (trade press) |
| April 4, 2022 | Ontario opens its regulated market |
| November 3, 2022 | PlayNow.com launches in Saskatchewan |
| February 28, 2024 | Ontario bans athletes from online gambling ads |
| July 13, 2026 | Alberta opens its regulated market |
| October 13, 2026 | Last extension for unregistered operators in Alberta ends |
Sources: Justice Laws, Canada Gazette, provincial releases and regulator notices listed in this guide; Sport Select date from trade press.
What provincial books do and don’t offer
The provincial sites are the licensed option in every province we cover, and they carry the provincial safety net: time and money limits, GameSense support in B.C. and Manitoba, and self-exclusion tied to the province’s own program. Their sports menus cover the big leagues. PlayNow Sports lists football, hockey, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf and novelty markets, and it runs a first-deposit offer paid in bonus bets.
Where they differ from offshore books is breadth and format. Sport Select is retail-only and capped at $100 a wager. Mise-o-jeu showed no live betting when we read its page. Offshore books tend to list more sports, more props and more live markets, with welcome offers to match. More choice comes with fewer protections, and that trade is yours to weigh. Our bet types guide explains the markets you’ll meet on either kind of site.
Ontario and Alberta: the open markets
Ontario opened a regulated market on April 4, 2022. Private operators sign agreements with iGaming Ontario and are regulated by the AGCO, alongside OLG’s own site. In fiscal 2024-25, Ontario players bet C$11.4 billion on sports through that market, according to iGaming Ontario.
Alberta followed on July 13, 2026, with registered operators and Play Alberta under the AGLC. Offshore operators had until October 13, 2026 at the latest to register or stop serving the province. That’s why this site covers players outside Ontario and Alberta only. The 113th Grey Cup takes place in Calgary on November 15, 2026, inside Alberta’s regulated market.
Quebec may be next. Before the October 5, 2026 provincial election, both the Liberals and the Parti Quebecois backed a regulated online market. The PQ won, but no bill or timeline had been published by late October 2026.
Offshore sportsbooks: the grey area
Outside those two provinces, the only sportsbook licensed in Canada is the provincial one. Offshore books licensed by regulators such as Curacao, Malta or Kahnawake still accept players from these provinces. A 2025 legal practice guide sums up the position: the law targets operators, and culpability does not typically flow to individuals.
What that means in practice:
- No provincial protections. B.C.’s Game Break and Loto-Quebec’s online self-exclusion cover provincial sites only. They don’t reach an offshore sportsbook.
- Complaints go abroad. If a payout stalls, your route is the book’s own process, then its foreign regulator. Our licences guide explains what each regulator does.
- The licence is the first check. Look the book up on the regulator’s register before you deposit, the same way our safety checklist suggests for casinos.
We describe these books as licensed outside Canada and never as anything more. The sportsbook list shows which licence each one holds, and our guide to choosing a sportsbook puts licence first.
🔒 Advertising rules
Ontario’s AGCO banned active and retired athletes from online gambling ads, except in responsible-gambling messages, from February 28, 2024, along with celebrities and influencers likely to appeal to minors. At the federal level, Senate bill S-211, a proposed national framework for sports betting advertising, has passed the Senate; we couldn’t confirm its current stage in the House of Commons.
Taxes and age
For recreational bettors, winnings are generally not taxable in Canada; interest earned on them is. Our tax guide covers the CRA’s position, including when betting counts as a business. Minimum ages run from 18 in Manitoba and Quebec to 19 elsewhere in scope, and BonusMadness applies 19+ everywhere.
🍁 What it means for you
If you want a provincial sportsbook, it’s one account away: PlayNow, Mise-o-jeu or Atlantic Lottery depending on where you live. If you look at offshore books, know what you give up and check the licence. Either way, the price of a bet is set by its margin, which our margin guide explains, and the sports betting overview ties the whole picture together. Sports offers live on the sports bonus page, separate from casino deals.
Everything here is for players aged 19 or over outside Ontario and Alberta. Set limits before you bet, and use our responsible gambling page for every provincial helpline.
FAQ
When did single-game sports betting start in Canada?
On August 27, 2021. Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, received Royal Assent on June 29, 2021, and a federal order fixed August 27 as the day it came into force. B.C.'s PlayNow and PlayNow Manitoba switched on single-game bets that same day.
Who can legally run a sportsbook in my province?
The province, or someone it licenses. Outside Ontario and Alberta, that means the provincial lottery corporation: BCLC's PlayNow in B.C., PlayNow sites in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Loto-Quebec's Mise-o-jeu in Quebec, and Atlantic Lottery in the four Atlantic provinces.
Is it a crime for me to use an offshore sportsbook?
The Criminal Code is aimed at whoever runs the betting. A 2025 legal practice guide notes that culpability does not typically flow to individuals when a corporation supplies the service. That isn't the same as a provincial licence: offshore books are licensed outside Canada and provincial protections don't apply.
Why isn't horse racing part of Bill C-218?
Horse-race betting already had its own federal regime. The bill left bookmaking on horse races outside the lottery-scheme definition, and the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency still oversees it. Every other sport and fight moved under provincial control.
What is the minimum age for sports betting?
19 in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and the four Atlantic provinces; 18 in Manitoba and Quebec. Alberta's online age is 18 but it sits outside this site's scope, as does Ontario. BonusMadness uses 19+ across the site.
