{"id":1110,"date":"2020-01-07T18:17:20","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T18:17:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betting.ca\/?page_id=1110"},"modified":"2023-01-17T01:47:24","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T06:47:24","slug":"legal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.betting.ca\/legal","title":{"rendered":"Legal Betting"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sports betting is popular throughout the entire world, and Canada is in no way an exception. Canadian residents frequently enjoy betting on their favourite sports, such as ice hockey<\/a>, curling, football<\/a>, soccer<\/a>, basketball<\/a>, horse racing<\/a> and others<\/strong>.<\/p>\n However, just like any other country out there, Canada has its own set of online sports betting laws that all citizens must abide by.<\/p>\n These laws can sometimes be a bit confusing, so there isn\u2019t a straight answer to the question of whether sports betting is legal in Canada or not.<\/p>\n There are also individual laws that each Canadian province and territory has, as well as some special laws that relate to their Native reservations.<\/p>\n In short, understanding Canadian sports betting laws is not as easy as you might have thought. Therefore, we decided to write a detailed article explaining the complexities of Canadian sports betting laws and regulations.<\/p>\n We will also provide you with a list of trusted and legal Canadian betting sites and offshore online sportsbooks that accept Canadian players. Read on!<\/p>\n Before we dive into the present-day betting laws in Canada, let\u2019s reflect on the history of legal gambling in this country.<\/p>\n Like any other country, casinos and gambling in Canada have a long, twisted, complex history. Going back to when it started, gambling in all its forms was completely legal in Canada. The first known document that relates to Canadian gambling laws dates back to 1892, when the Canadian Criminal Code<\/a> was written. The Code suggested that all forms of gambling are illegal in the country of Canada<\/strong>. Initially, the law was straightforward \u2013 gambling in all its forms was a big no, and there were no two ways about it. However, a lot has changed in the previous century, as betting laws started to loosen over time, as the coppers just turned a blind eye to more socially acceptable forms of betting and gambling even though it was technically illegal.<\/p>\n Bingo games and raffles were legalized in the early 1900s, although they were only allowed for charitable purposes. During the 1920s, horse racing was legalized as well. As the Canadian government saw many potential financial benefits from gambling, they also made way for federal and provincial-run lotteries during the late 1960s and 1970s. At the same time, first, land-based casinos started to appear all around the country, and slot machines were getting increasingly popular.<\/p>\n However, one of the biggest turning points came in 1985 when gambling machines such as slot machines were made legal<\/strong>. The legalization of gaming machines meant that there were places you could go to where you could play on these machines, and this paved the way for land-based casinos. Not too many years after the legalization of gaming machines, slowly but surely, land-based casinos started popping up across the country.<\/p>\n Canadian sports betting laws are largely outdated and need restructuring, especially after online betting<\/a> reshaped the industry in the past several years.<\/p>\n As mentioned, the law states that companies should not operate any illegal online gambling service within Canada. However, it does not specify anything about Canadian players and residents playing such games and partaking in online gambling. Since nothing has been exclusively mentioned about this, it simply means that there is no restriction per se. Therefore, it is not illegal for anyone living in Canada to play at online casinos<\/a> or even make online sports bets.<\/p>\n The laws do state that players should not be found in an illegal betting house, however, when it comes to online betting houses or casinos, it is simply unreasonable to expect a player to know where the server of the service is located and then determine whether the casino is legal or not as per Canadian law. Therefore, once again, the laws are anything but crystal clear. To give you a perspective, let\u2019s just have you know that never has an online casino player from Canada been arrested for playing at an online casino. According to the Government of British Columbia<\/a>, anyone 19 or older may gamble in the state at casinos, horse racing tracks, bingos, and lottery retailers, while the BC Lottery Corporation<\/a> manages and conducts all commercial gambling, including online gambling.<\/p>\n In short, it is not illegal to place sports wagers online in Canada, as long as the website you\u2019re betting on is operated from within the country or province and holds a valid online gambling license issued by the federal government. Also, depending on the type of gambling and your current location, the minimum legal betting age can be either 18 or 19.<\/p>\n The laws about accessing and betting on offshore sites are murky and don\u2019t clearly state whether pursuing this activity is legal. Nevertheless, there have been no persecutions or arrests made due to illegal offshore betting in Canada to date.<\/p>\nThe History of Canadian Betting Laws<\/h2>\n
Is It Legal to Bet on Sports in Canada Today?<\/h2>\n
What Is The Legal Age To Gamble In Canada?<\/h3>\n
Our Top Recommended Sportsbooks Legal Betting Sites<\/h2>\n