When Is Online Sports Betting Coming To Canada?
Online sports wagering is available based on the specific Canadian province. Various lottery organizations offer single-event sports betting either fully online or by selecting contests and submitting them at an authorized retailer. Further information on this type of betting is explained throughout the site. A list of current and upcoming Canadian sports betting platforms is available here.
Commercial sportsbooks, such as DraftKings and BetMGM, are coming to Canada. Ontario will be the first province to launch an open market for these operators. The expectation for Ontario sportsbooks going live is the first quarter of 2022. At this time, the application and approval process is ongoing through two provincial government agencies.
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Online Sportsbooks In Canada
Here’s a breakdown of which lottery corporations offer different online sportsbook platforms featuring single-event wagering. Note that there may be some limitations with online play with these options.
- Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) – PROLINE+
- Loto-Quebec – Mise-o-jeu+
- British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) – PlayNow
- Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) – PlayAlberta
- Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) – Proline Stadium
- Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) – Sport Select
A list of available promotions and bonuses for current Canadian sportsbooks feature deposit matches and free bet opportunities.
Unlike the United States, Canada doesn’t have a host of full sports betting apps to check out. Instead, sports betting is limited to a handful of online platforms or retail lottery-controlled locations. Different online betting platforms are available depending on the province.
In late May, the BCLC said that bettors would be able to place single-event bets on their PlayNow platform when the bill went into effect. When the Canadian federal government announced the effective date, the BCLC confirmed this decision on social media.
Also on Aug. 12, the OLG announced a new online sportsbook platform, PROLINE+. This is the first of its kind for residents in Ontario for placing single-game wagers on a legal basis. iGaming Ontario will meet with various sports gambling operators throughout the summer and fall seasons of 2021 to establish additional platforms.
On Aug. 27, along with PROLINE+, the following platforms allowed single-event wagering: Mise-o-jeu+, PlayNow, and ProLine Stadium. These were offered in the provinces of Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, and various locations in Atlantic Canada. PlayAlberta officially launched in early September in the province of Alberta with single-event betting available.
Online wagering in Ontario is expected to launch over the next few months. Companies such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM, will likely come to the province. In time, we expect other provinces to bring in commercial sportsbooks, but nothing is in the works elsewhere at this time.
Latest Canada Sports Betting Updates
PointsBet has been busy building its future Canadian presence. In addition to hiring employees in their Toronto office, they now launch an advertising campaign with the Trailer Park Boys in mid-January. This multi-year partnership will have content on the Trailer Park Boys YouTube channel and various PointsBet Canada ad spots.
Alberta is looking to improve its sports betting options across the province. Two sports gaming operators will be selected to increase sports betting activity at retail locations, including casinos and sports venues, and online. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will regulate this activity and hopes to launch in early 2022. Further expansion on mobile sports betting is expected.
The Ontario Auditor General notes potential legal issues for online sports betting in the province. They cite a conflict of interest between the AGCO and iGaming Ontario, and a lack of public clarity on the integrity and fairness of the upcoming open market.
The Ministry of the Attorney General responded that they are currently updating policies for both agencies. For the issues on integrity in sports gambling, they point to rules listed in the Registrar’s Standards and a future iGaming Compliance Unit.
During a quarterly earnings report on Nov. 3, Penn National announced that it is focusing on theScore Bet as their lead sportsbook brand in Canada. Penn National noted theScore’s established and popular sports app would put them at a competitive advantage in the country.
Sport Select offers single-event wagering as of Nov. 1 for the following Western Canada locations: Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. Announced on Dec. 16, Scientific Games powers the platform and its real-time odds.
Canada Sports Betting By Province
As of Aug. 27, 2021, Canadian provinces have the ability to legalize single-event wagering. In Toronto and the province of Ontario, this form of betting is offered exclusively on the PROLINE+ platform. Commercial sportsbooks looking to operate in the province can submit applications as of Sep. 13. These alternative sportsbooks are expected to go live in the first quarter of 2022.
iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the province’s regulation agency (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario), will help approve sports gambling operators. Ontario plans to have an open market with a variety of sportsbooks to choose from. Gaming operators such as BetMGM and theScore have expressed interest.
Quebec has single-event wagering on their Mise-o-jeu gaming platform. This is available at lottery retailers in the province and online. The online sportsbook is branded as Mise-o-jeu+ and offers betting on game results and various team and player props. Popular sports and leagues are offered at this time with more becoming available at a later date.
British Columbia features single-event betting through the PlayNow gaming platform. Availability at local casinos and related land-based locations is expected at a later time. The Manitoba province utilizes the PlayNow platform for sports betting and also offers single-event wagers.
Alberta offers their own gaming platform at the PlayAlberta.ca website. Beginning in September, single-game betting has been available.
Saskatchewan plans to launch online sports betting for residents at some point in 2022. The province reached a deal with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) in late September. SIGA agreed to create a standalone gaming app back in June that would feature single-game betting. SIGA is a gaming regulator created by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). In the meantime, residents can place single-event sports wagers on Sport Select.
Select Atlantic Canada provinces have single-event wagering through the Proline Stadium gaming platform. This is currently available in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland online and at retail lottery locations. As of August 27, Nova Scotia has not implemented the new betting capability.
The remaining Western Canada provinces are able to place single-game sports wagers through the Sport Select gaming platform. Betting markets that are eligible for the new feature are marked with an “S”. Similar to a sportsbook, bettors can choose spreads, totals, and moneylines for popular North American sports. Bets cannot be placed online; a QR code is instead generated to be redeemed at a retailer to make the wager official.
History Of Canada Sports Gambling
Canada passed bill C-218 on February 17, 2021, a crucial bit of sports betting legislation that has now legalized single event or single-game sports wagering. Previously, only parlay (multi-game) wagers were legal, and only through certain platforms controlled by Canadian lottery organizations.
Now, sports betting as an industry is set to grow and thrive in Canada. With the passing of this legislation, money lines, totals, spread bets, and other wagers will be available to bet on. Some Canadian provinces offer single-event wagering as of August 27, 2021.
Several key operators in the US and in Canada are looking to launch full sports wagering apps. With the launch of such apps, sports betting would become easily accessible and more enjoyable to Canadian residents than ever before.
Guide To Betting Online In Canada
Canada sports betting online has been more rudimentary than some other locations in the United States. All bets are placed through one of several Canadian lottery organizations. Different organizations are in charge of different provinces or sports betting markets.
Many professional and college sports are available to bet on in Canada through lottery organizations. Examples include the National Football League, Canadian Football League, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, and NCAA football and basketball.
To place a bet, bettors have to visit the platform’s website. In the past, they could only place parlay wagers rather than the full spread of wager types, such as moneyline, spread, and totals bets. This changed once single-game sports betting was legal on August 27, 2021.
Online bonus opportunities should increase when the market expands. Some options are already available as the new single-event wager legislation becomes active. Select lottery organizations are offering deposit match bonuses for new customers.
After placing selections online, bettors are able to email bet slips to their own accounts. Once they have their bet slips, they can visit retail locations to finalize their wagers and collect any winnings if they end up succeeding with their parlay bets. This does mean that any online wagering in Canada isn’t fully online as it requires an in-person visit to a retail lottery location.
Legal Vs Unregulated Betting In Canada
Perhaps because Canada’s sports betting industry has historically been very limited, there are lots of unregulated or offshore betting sites to check out. But we would never recommend visiting these sites for a few major reasons.
Unregulated sportsbooks may have subpar odds compared to an official platform. There’s no guaranteeing that any offshore betting site will actually pay winnings fairly in one or more successful wagers.
In contrast, the legal betting sites and apps soon coming to Canada will provide more enjoyable betting no matter the experience level. It is best to sign up for legal options when single-game wagers become available before putting money down.
Restrictions are still in place for horse racing. An amendment was given to bill C-218 to keep the country’s horse racing industry unaffected from the latest legislation.
How Is Online Sports Betting Fair In Canada?
Naturally, legislators in Canada have a vested interest in ensuring that the upcoming sports wagering industry is fair and balanced.
Sportsbook Regulation In Canada
Future sportsbooks and apps are regulated at the provincial level, which has been the case for other types of gambling ever since 1985. Therefore, different provinces, like British Columbia or Québec, will regulate their own gambling industries and independent operators.
Why Trust Legal Online Sportsbooks?
Legal online sportsbooks will, at a minimum:
- Be investigated by at least one regulatory body, such as a lottery corporation
- Have a history of providing fair wagering opportunities to other provinces or US states
- Be regularly monitored by said regulatory bodies
How Do You Get Paid If You Win?
The current payment system for Canadian sports betting is clunky, to say the least. However, with the addition of mobile sportsbooks coming in the future, Canadian residents will likely be able to withdraw their winnings through entirely electronic methods, like PayPal, credit or debit card transfers, and more.
Canada Sports Betting FAQs
Parlay bets are legal throughout most of Canada depending on the lottery gaming platform. Single-event bets became active on August 27, 2021, with betting immediately taking place in the Ontario province.
Yes, some Canadian provinces offer wagers on collegiate sports in the United States through single or parlay betting. Certain provinces may place more or fewer restrictions than others.
In some locations, people can bet on esports events. Proline Stadium in the Atlantic Canada provinces offers betting for League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and more.
Canada has a big advantage over the US in this area. So long as you are not a professional gambler, you don’t have to pay taxes on your online sports betting winnings.
Sports betting operators who can pay licensing fees and who qualify for a Canadian province’s upcoming restrictions or regulations. Lots of operators will likely qualify for a license, though the exact requirements or specifications are still unknown.
Not yet. But DraftKings is among the sportsbook operators most likely to hop the border from the US and offer mobile sports betting once the industry is fully up and running.
No. But as with DraftKings, we expect this operator to make major inroads into Ontario and potentially other provinces once the industry fully opens up.