Canada
Gambling has always been one of the most popular pastimes among Canadians, and after Canada approved single-game sports betting in 2021, the market has been truly booming. This legislative change opened doors to tens of betting apps seeking to grab a share of the CAN online gambling market.
🇨🇦 Legal sports betting apps in Canada:
Online sports betting in Canada - Widely legalized
While several countries across the planet remain in the dark regarding legal sports betting, Canadian citizens and lawmakers have taken an even-handed approach. Gambling has been legal in Canada for decades, but the government saw it necessary to blend in some laws to regulate the industry, especially in the online era.
By 1970, the government allowed individual provinces to formulate their own gambling and sports betting laws. So, even though Canada has both land-based and online gambling sites, regulatory oversight is mandated for respective territories. Therefore, if a sportsbook operator seeks to establish a physical or online sportsbook within the country's borders, they must first acquire a license from the sports betting commission in that province or territory.
The Canadian Gaming Commission oversees the industry at large, but individual provinces have their own rules. However, Ontario stands out from these provinces for its distinct online gambling regulations, including licensing and oversight.
Several sportsbooks, including FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM, have already entered Ontario’s online sports betting market, and most of the other big brands have followed. In addition to these familiar names, many smaller sportsbooks, and even some Canadian ones, are offering their online betting services to sports gambling enthusiasts all over the country, so the bettors have a wide selection of betting apps and sites to choose from.
Further, except for the Ontario province, which operates under its own licensing system, the other provinces do not prohibit sportsbooks with licenses from recognized regulatory bodies like the Malta Gaming Authority and the Government of Curacao, broadening the field even more.
The best thing is that they can use the sportsbook’s mobile apps or websites. While players can enjoy a personalized sports betting experience on mobile apps, the platforms may have some limitations, such as fewer payment methods.
Sports betting legislation in Canada
| Is online sports betting legal in Canada? | Yes |
| Is in-person sports betting legal? | Yes |
| Is daily fantasy sports legal? | Yes |
| Is horse racing betting legal? | Yes |
| Is political betting legal? | Yes |
| Is eSports betting legal? | Yes |
| How many legal sports betting apps are there in Canada? | 30+ |
| Legal age for sports betting in Canada? | 19+; 18+ in AB, MB, and QC |
| Canada's tax rate for betting/gambling winnings | 5.05% - 21.8% (Depending on income & differs by province) |
| Who regulates sports betting in Canada? | The Canadian Gaming Commission |
While we can trace the history of sports betting in Canada back over 600 years ago, we can narrow it down to 1892. Around this time, the government banned all forms of gambling apart from horse race betting. Punters could only place bets on horse races at county fairs until 1969, when legislators amended the Canadian Criminal Code. This amendment allowed federal and provincial governments to run lotteries supporting good causes, such as charities.
In the early 1990s, provincial governments gave the green light to betting in sports lotteries like Sports Action and Proline. However, the amended criminal code only allowed parlay/multi-game betting. This restriction was the norm until August 2021, when the Canadian federal government passed the C-218 bill, allowing single-game sports betting nationwide. Still, individual provinces were free to legalize or not legalize it.
Canada has one of the most flexible policies among the nations where betting is legal. CA citizens can bet on pretty much any sports or event offered on sportsbooks' websites and apps, including eSports and horse racing. With the wide range of operators available, the high number of sports betting events is hardly surprising. Besides, players can opt for in-person or virtual betting.
In addition, DFS is also legal in every Canadian province.
Recent updates from the Canadian sports betting scene
May 14, 2024: Prince Edward Island senator Percy Downe puts forward a plan to heavily restrict ads related to sports betting sites and mobile apps, voicing concern about the ads' impact on young people.
April 25, 2024: Quebec considers adopting an Ontario-esque regulatory model for online gaming to find significant cost savings during severe budget challenges. According to the recent report by the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition, legalizing online gambling added almost $1.6 billion to Ontario's GDP in the first year of legal iGaming.
April 19, 2024: After reviewing the betting activity related to the WBA (World Boxing Association) title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro and discovering suspicious betting patterns, AGCO orders all licensed sportsbooks in Ontario to stop offering any betting markets and odds for any upcoming WBA bouts for the time being.
April 9, 2024: 888 Holdings is shifting its focus to Canada after disappointing results in 2023, aiming to capitalize on the growing Canadian market. With an Ontario iGaming license secured in 2022, the company plans to enhance its operations there. Led by CEO Per Widerström, 888 looks to expand further into provinces like Alberta, leveraging its established Canadian presence for long-term growth and profitability.
January 18, 2024: A recent report highlights a resurgence in Ontario's iGaming market after a period of stability. Sports betting in Ontario reached $17.2 million in wagers, marking a 21% increase from the previous quarter. Total gaming revenue surged to $658 million, up 22% from Q2, with around 1.2 million active player accounts and an average monthly spend per account of $186.
All legal gambling options in Canada
| Are online casinos legal in Canada? | Yes |
| Are retail casinos legal? | Yes |
| Are social casinos legal? | Yes |
| Is online poker legal? | Yes |
| Is the lottery legal? | Yes |
As said earlier, Canada has some of the most lenient gambling policies, as Canadians can freely wager on casino games, poker, lotteries, and bingo games, just to name a few, both online and in-person. Sweepstake casinos and social sportsbooks are also legal to play if you prefer them over real money gambling.
In addition to these, online poker is also fully legal in Canada. Poker enthusiasts can even find tons of different games in retail casinos and dedicated poker rooms due to the relaxed gambling legislation.
Other gambling-related news & stories from Canada
July 10, 2024: Argentina’s national soccer team mocked rapper Drake after he lost a $300,000 bet on Canada defeating Argentina in the Copa America semi-final. If Canada had won, Drake would have earned $2.88 million. Instead, goals by Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez secured Argentina’s victory.
June 3, 2024: One lucky individual from Ottawa wins a total of CAD70 million ($51.38 million) with the Lotto Max jackpot. This marks the third time the CAD7M jackpot has found its way to Ontario province this year.
April 5, 2024: Over 86% of online gamblers in Ontario use regulated sites, according to a study released by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario during the second anniversary of the province's regulated sports betting and online gaming market.
January 31, 2024: PointsBet's Q2 report reveals record net wins in Australia and Canada. The total net win in Canada soared to $6.9 million, marking a remarkable 109% surge. Additionally, net wins from both sports betting and iGaming in Canada experienced significant year-on-year increases, with 94% and 119%, respectively.
January 11, 2024: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries alerts the public about deceptive Facebook posts promoting a fake online gaming app linked to Club Regent Casino. These posts, shared on social media platforms, falsely advertise the app with deposit bonuses using the casino's image.
Canada - Some commonly asked questions (FAQ)
In what Canadian provinces is mobile sports betting legal?
Mobile and online sports betting in every Canadian province, but so far, only Ontario has established an open and regulated gambling market. This means that in other provinces, offshore sportsbooks can still be accessed.
How much money do Canadians spend on sports betting?
According to market research company Ipsos, an average Canadian spends around $6.75 per month on gambling. However, this figure includes both sports wagers and other types of gambling activities.
Can I place bets on presidential elections or make other novelty wagers in Canada?
Yes, all kinds of novelty bets are perfectly legal and allowed in Canada, so bettors can, for sure, place wagers on political elections, TV, movie, and music award shows, as well as other silly and unusual markets.
What is the largest contract ever signed by a Canadian athlete?
The 10-year and $225 million contract extension Joey Votto signed with Cincinnati Reds back in 2012 remains still the most lucrative deal signed by a Canadian sports figure.
