In 2021, Canada officially welcomed single-game sports betting as a legal option. Since then, many millions of dollars have been placed in bets coast-to-coast.
While sports betting is legal across the country, the different provinces have their own laws which sportsbooks need to follow. Basically, each provincial government is able to mandate its own sports betting industry.
There are multiple legal betting options in Canada, and they vary between provinces. In order for a brand to be fully legal, it must be approved by the province’s relevant legal entities. This means every betting brand needs to apply for a license for each province it wants to operate in.
Betting brands that are legal in Canada must prominently display which regulator approved them. For example, in Ontario, both iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) are possible.
While Ontario has moved first, other provinces will follow. Quebec is expected to be next, and British Columbia is likely not far away either. In every province, the use of offshore betting sites remains legal.
Provincial Betting
When reviewing a site, we always check to ensure that they are legal in Canada and, specifically, in the relevant provinces. Each province has its own governing body that betting sites need to abide by in order to be legal. As well, the governing bodies need to license the betting site, confirm approval and grant permission.
Single-gaming betting became legal in Canada in 2021. Sports betting is safe and legal across the country, but bettors should do their research before placing money into an online betting site.
What’s great is that the betting industry is heavily regulated in Canada. Sports betting sites need to apply for licenses in the specific provinces in which they intend to offer their services. This means that a company trying to break into the Ontario market will need to be approved by the AGCO and iGaming Ontario.
This is excellent news for bettors, who know a company backed by these organizations is a trusted supplier. When choosing a sportsbook, you must ensure it is regulated by the governing body in your specific province; this will protect you as a bettor. Checking the betting sites' security features is another trick to make sure your data is protected. Since you’re providing compromising documents, you’ll want to confirm that your data is safe.
So, before signing up for a betting site, make sure it is regulated by the governing body in your province and that the betting site has good security features, such as two-factor authentication.