Is Internet Gambling Legal In Canada

Before opening an online project, every operator primarily asks the question: what market to choose? Where can I operate freely, and where do I need to go through the licensing procedure?

  1. Canada Online Gambling
  2. Is Gambling Legal In Canada
  3. Is Internet Gambling Legal

Technically this would make it not legal to gamble online in Canada, unless of course you’re playing at the Provincial casinos currently running online. There have been no laws written, as far as I know, specifically outlawing or allowing online gambling. This puts it in a “grey area” since it’s not really legal. Gambling can become a dangerous addiction that can damage lives and social relationships. If you feel that signing off is becoming an issue, refer to our dedicated Problem Gambling page, or to some of the resources listed below or: Problem Gambling – an Ontario organization that offers help to gamblers who need it.

Slotegrator examined this question. Our experts prepared a list of countries where online gambling operation is legal.

To make it even more convenient, we sorted them by continents. It includes not only those countries subject to certain requirements and where online gambling is regulated by law. There are also those countries where online gambling is neither regulated nor prohibited.

Online gambling availability in the World 2021

Depending on different approaches to gambling regulation in the world, all countries are divided into 4 groups.

Countries where foreign online casinos are not blocked:

AfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth AmericaOceania
Eritrea
Nigeria
Azerbaijan
Brunei
Hong Kong
Japan
Kyrgyz Republic
Laos
Malaysia
Qatar
Singapore
Uzbekistan
Yemen
Cyprus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Czech Republic
Iceland
Luxembourg
Serbia
Slovakia
Cayman Islands
Salvador
Mexico
BrazilAmerican Samoa
Australia
Guam
New Zealand
Is online gambling legal in canada

The local regulators do not apply any legislative requirements in these countries. Foreign gambling sites can be licensed in any jurisdiction or generally operate without it.

However, it should be noted that gambling is not necessarily legal in these countries.

For example, the Cayman Islands completely prohibit gambling, while the local residents are liable for participation in gambling. The fact that foreign online casinos are not blocked now can only be explained by the inability of regulator to do this. And if the online gambling is not legalized, blocking of foreign sites is just a matter of time.

Countries where gambling websites must be licensed by the local regulator:

AfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth AmericaOceania
Ethiopia
Mayotte
Reunion Island
Georgia
Sri Lanka
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Poland
Romania
Spain
UK
Antigua and Barbuda
Guadeloupe
Martinique
Panama
Saint-Barthélemy
Saint-Martin
Virgin Islands (USA)
Falkland Islands
French Guiana
French Polynesia
New Caledonia
Wallis and Futuna Islands

These countries use the most competent approach to online gambling regulation. Each operator (whether it is local or foreign) must acquire a license and fulfill certain legal requirements. Conditions are equal for all. Everyone is obliged to pay taxes to the budget. Only in this case, the operator has the right to work legally. Otherwise, the online resource will be blocked.

The following countries require a license of the local regulator only for the local gaming sites. Foreign platforms can work without it:

AfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth AmericaOceania
Comoros
Gambia
Guinea
Mauritius
Rwanda
Seychelles
ArmeniaGreece
Hungary
Ireland
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Moldova
Monaco
Norway
Montenegro
Portugal
San Marino
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland
Aruba
Belize
Canada
Curacao
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Greenland
-Fiji
Vanuatu

As in the first group, these countries do not apply any legal requirements to foreign sites. A foreign operator may be licensed in any jurisdiction and, in some countries operate without it at all. However, all local casino owners are required to undergo the licensing procedure of the local regulator and to pay taxes to the local treasury.

Slotegrator offers licenses for legal operation in different markets. We help to obtain gambling licenses from Curacao, Malta, Isle of Man, Kahnawake, Belize, Gibraltar, and Alderney.

The following countries have no restrictions for the gambling sites at all:

AfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth AmericaOceania
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo
DR Congo
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Gabon
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Côte d'Ivoire
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
South Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Western Sahara
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Bangladesh
Macau
India
Mongolia
Myanmar
Tajikistan
Albania
Andorra
Belarus
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar
Isle of Man
Kosovo
Liechtenstein
Malta

Bahamas
Barbados
Bermuda
Costa Rica
Djibouti
Grenada
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Nicaragua
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Turks and Caicos
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Ecuador
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
Cook Islands
Kiribati
Micronesia
Nauru
Northern Mariana Islands
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
East Timor
Tonga

Canada Online Gambling

This is the largest group of countries. Many of them do not regulate gambling activities at all.

Online gambling laws around the world

Today almost every country has its own rules regulating the land-based gambling. However, the situation with online gambling is more ambiguous. As can be seen, the attitude towards local and foreign operators differs fundamentally from country to country.

In the European Union, for example, the operators of the foreign gambling sites are subject to the requirements of the EU law. However, not all countries agree that foreign operators don’t pay taxes to the local treasury. Contrary to the requirements of the EU, they put the foreign operators under own regulations forcing them to obtain a local gaming license and pay taxes to the local budget. Among these countries France, Germany, Italy, etc.

The second reason for the different attitudes to local and foreign operators is that many countries (especially those not technologically advanced) simply do not have the resources or tools to prevent foreign companies from operating in their territories.

Follow the Ukrainian gambling industry legalization and development. Find more about the legaization process, roles of gambling lottery commission and how to start your own casino in Ukraine.

Summing up the availability of online gambling around the world:

  • 32 countries prohibit the local operators from working without a license, but those gambling sites that operate from abroad can easily offer their services to local residents. Among them, the following countries: Seychelles, Armenia, Dominican Republic, Greece, Monaco, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, etc.
  • 32 countries allow online gambling only with the local license. For example, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, the UK, the Netherlands etc.
  • 28 countries prohibit locals from gambling and block sites of local gambling operators. However, foreign platforms can work freely, even if they have no license. These states are either unwilling or are not able to prevent them. For example, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, Singapore, Nigeria, etc.
  • 93 countries do not prohibit online casinos and do not license them. They include Bolivia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Bahamas, Argentina, Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, Kosovo, Gibraltar, etc.

Slotegrator offers everything gambling operators need to launch and expand online casino and sportsbook projects. The company offers a wide range of products, including White Label online casino and sportsbook platform development, game content, betting data feeds and payment systems integration. Slotegrator also provides legal consultancy and administrative assistance for gambling license acquisition and regulatory compliance.