Is this casino allowed to serve you? A licence playbook for Canada
Legal status here is set province by province, so begin with where you live, then with who runs the site.
To confirm an online casino in Canada, copy its licence number, search the regulator's own register, then compare the brand with your province's official list. In Ontario, look for AGCO licensing and iGaming Ontario registration. Elsewhere the provincial platform is the licensed option, and offshore sites carry more risk.
No national licence exists for online casinos in Canada. A brand may be regulated in Ontario and have no standing at all in another province. Compare the other picks on the casino sites in Canada.
Use the routine below every time you meet a new site. Age of majority for gambling is 19 in most provinces and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.
Step 1: find out who is in charge where you live
Provinces run and manage gambling under the Criminal Code, which creates this patchwork.
| Province | Legal online offer | Oversight |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Registered private operators and OLG | AGCO licenses, iGaming Ontario runs the market |
| British Columbia, Manitoba | PlayNow | Provincial lottery bodies |
| Quebec | Espacejeux | Loto-Québec, RACJ supervising |
| Alberta | PlayAlberta, private market being developed | AGLC, check its site for the latest status |
| Elsewhere | Provincial platforms | Provincial regulators |
A Kahnawake or foreign licence on an offshore brand does not turn it into a provincial licensee.
Step 2: check the number yourself
- Copy the licence number and the company name from the footer.
- Type the regulator's web address into your browser. Do not click the casino's seal.
- Search the register and compare holder, status and licence type.
- For an Ontario brand, search iGaming Ontario's list of registered operators too.
- Take a screenshot of the entry.
The licence check turns this into eight ticks.
Step 3: understand offshore licences
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission regulates operators based on Mohawk territory and publishes a process for client protection. Malta, Curacao and other jurisdictions license many global brands. Those licences signal some oversight but not a provincial one, and complaint handling varies.
Players are seldom pursued, yet Ontario restricts advertising by unregistered operators, and your recourse is thinner if a dispute arises.
Red flags that end the check early
- No licence number, or one the register does not list.
- A legal name that differs from the register entry.
- Terms missing or at odds with the promotions.
- Requests to pay through odd channels.
- Ontario-aimed advertising from a brand missing on the iGaming Ontario list.
The rogue casino playbook lists more.
If something goes wrong
Contact support first and keep every message. Licensed operators must operate a complaints process, and bodies like the AGCO take complaints about registered brands. Against unlicensed sites your options are limited. The regulation playbook maps the framework.
A note for Quebec readers
Loto-Québec offers games through Espacejeux, and gambling age is 18. Many international sites target French speakers in the province. The same method applies: verify a licence number, read terms in a language you fully understand and identify the company behind the brand. Polished French design or glowing reviews do not replace a register entry.
Common questions
Is a Canadian breaking the law by using an offshore casino?
The Criminal Code offences mostly target people who operate gambling, and players are rarely prosecuted. The position is still unsettled and differs by province, and offshore sites protect you less. When in doubt, choose a provincial or registered site and consult a lawyer about your own case.
How can I tell whether a brand is registered in Ontario?
Search the list of registered operators and websites that iGaming Ontario publishes, comparing both the brand and the web address. A real Ontario operator also shows AGCO and iGaming Ontario information in its footer. If it is absent from the list, it sits outside the regulated market.
Does the padlock icon prove a casino is lawful?
No. The padlock only means the connection is encrypted, and any site can have one. Legality rests on the licence and the company behind the brand, which is why the register search matters far more than the padlock or a nice design.