Can I Gamble Online from my Province?

The country of Canada mostly leaves the choice to engage in online gamble activities to its own citizens. This flexible approach has allowed brick and mortar casinos and online operators to enter the market and expand their services across most parts of the country creating a favourable situation for the casino minded. 

Despite not having a fully regulated market like in other nations, Canada is believed to enjoy one of the most liberal gambing laws in the world. Every region has the choice to set their own laws for the internet and brick and mortar gambling sector. Also allowing its citizens to join offshore casinos has boosted growth of online gambling across the country. 

In Canada, most provinces have already opened up their virtual doors to online gambling which facilitated the launch of Guts Canada in a large portion of the country. To be fully prepared for your next wager, spin, or bet, we went ahead and came up with an in-depth guide on this matter. Our complete province-oriented gambling guide tells you everything about gambling in Canada and what role Guts Casino plays in the country.  

Online Gaming in Canada

There is quite a lot to say about the history of gambling in Canada as it’s one of the most interesting markets of the continent with an important role for regional bodies. Canada’s gaming laws as we know them today are the result of the reformed Criminal Code of 1970 that opened up gambling in the country, allowing provinces to regulate gambling related activities in their own regions. This made it possible for operators to establish land based casino venues and organise local lotteries which were held by provincial gambling bodies. 

Today, the regulation of gambling activities in Canada slightly differs per region, but most provinces follow the same set of rules. One of the decisions that has been made by most provinces is that their inhabitants can join both regional online casinos and offshore websites. This virtually means that Canadians that meet the minimum age requirement in their region can sign up at most casino websites in the world. It is however always advised to stick to licenced online casinos, preferably with one or multiple licences in Europe. 

This gives us the following situation:

1. The Criminal Code of 1970 is the official codification of criminal acts and procedures and is still followed. This Criminal Code does not explicitly criminalise players visiting and playing in casinos. People who want to visit a casino, both online and offline, are restricted to the minimum legal age in their province.
2. Although it is technically not allowed for online casinos to offer their gambling products within the territory of Canada without a licence, offshore operators are not restrained from offering their website to players that are located in Canada.

Regional Gaming Authorities

Most provinces have their own regulatory bodies that were founded to both control the market and modernise regional gambling regulations. Some of these regional authorities launched their own portals which are now available to players from their region that meet the minimum age. As the exact offer varies from region to region, it is advised to visit the websites of the local authorities for a full understanding. We have listed the gambling authorities in alphabetical order and suggest you use their names to look up more info.

1. Alberta: Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC).
2. British Columbia: British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC).
3. Manitoba: Liquor and Gaming Commission of Manitoba (LGCA).
4. New Brunswick: New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC).
5. Newfoundland and Labrador: Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Government Services.
6. Nova Scotia: Alcohol, Gaming, Fuel and Tobacco Division Service of Nova Scotia (AGFT).
7. Ontario: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).
8. Prince Edward Island: Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission.
9. Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA).
10. Québec: Loto-Québec.

Canada’s Kahnawake Commission 

While most Canadian provinces established their own digital casino platforms, since the ‘90’s other online casinos have been regulated by Canada’s Kahnawake Commission. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established in 1996 and is known to issue licences to online casinos from all around the world. Casinos that hold a Kahnawake Commission licence are not necessarily focused on the Canadian market and also use this licence to internationally market their services. The Kahnawake Commission’s international role is explained by Québec based Kahnawake Mohawk Nation that enjoys a sovereign status, which means they are not restricted to the provincial gambling rules and do not have to respond to the Canadian government either. As a consequence, casinos that hold a licence by the Kahnawake Commission are not related to the country of Canada. 

Guts Casino’s Gambling Licence

Other nations have their own gambling authorities, with most reputable institutions based in Europe. In addition to licences for specific countries, some of the gambling authorities issue licences that are used on an international level. Both the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) are known to serve as licences that are accepted in a large number of countries, especially those that have not fully regulated their own market. Licences by the MGA, and UKGC, as they are often referred to, enjoy a strong reputation and are by far the two most preferred among casino operators. 

This holds true for Guts Canada as well as we provide our services in virtually all continents. Guts Canada is part of Zecure Gaming Limited, which works with licences from both the MGA and the UKGC. These are successfully used for the Canadian market as well which not only gives players in Canada a website that is externally audited, it also gives them two of the best gambling bodies available today. For more information about the licences we work with and background information of our operating company Zecure Gaming Limited, we kindly refer to our About Us page and our terms and conditions. 

1. MGA: Zecure Gaming Limited is licenced and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority under sub-licence number MGA/CRP/108/2004-05.
   • Date of issue: May 5, 2020.
2. UKGC: Zecure Gaming Limited is licenced and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission under licence number 056427.
   • Date of issue: February 12, 2020.

Can I Play at Guts Casino Canada?

Please have a look in our overview below to get a better understanding of Guts Casino’s availability in your province or territory. We recommend you to always check with your regional laws what the exact rules are and what the minimum age is to gambling online. 

Can I Gamble at Guts Casino in Canada?

Winnings made with online gambling on our website are not taxable unless your gambling activities are considered a form of employment which takes into account skills, frequency and expectation of payout. For recreational visitors, winnings are not taxable. This also holds for Canadian visitors of Guts Casino’s website.