How to check whether an online casino is legal in Canada
Legality in Canada depends on your province, so the check starts with where you live and who runs the site.
To check an online casino in Canada, find its licence number, confirm it in the regulator's own register, and compare the operator with the official list for your province. In Ontario, look for registration with iGaming Ontario. Elsewhere, provincial platforms are the licensed choice and offshore sites carry more risk.
Canada has no single national online casino licence. Each province controls gambling within its borders, so a site can be fully regulated in Ontario and unavailable or unregulated elsewhere. To see all the alternatives, consult the online casinos in Canada.
This guide gives you a repeatable check. You must be of legal age in your province to gamble: 19 in most, 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.
Who regulates online gambling in Canada?
Under the Criminal Code, provinces conduct and manage gambling. The result is a patchwork:
| Where | What is available | Who oversees it |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Private operators plus OLG | AGCO regulates, iGaming Ontario manages the market |
| British Columbia and Manitoba | PlayNow | Provincial lottery corporations |
| Quebec | Espacejeux | Loto-Québec, with the RACJ for oversight |
| Alberta | PlayAlberta, with a private market in development | AGLC; confirm current status on its site |
| Other provinces | Provincial platforms | Provincial regulators |
Offshore operators often hold a Kahnawake or foreign licence. That does not make them provincial licensees.
How do you verify a licence yourself?
- Find the licence number and company name in the site footer.
- Go to the regulator's website by typing its address, not by clicking the casino's seal.
- Search the register for the number and compare the company, status and licence type.
- If it is an Ontario site, compare it with the list of registered operators at iGaming Ontario.
- Save a screenshot of what you find.
The licence checker turns these steps into a list.
What does a Kahnawake or foreign licence mean?
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission licenses and regulates operators from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory and has a published client-protection process. Malta, Curacao and other jurisdictions license many international brands. Those licences show some oversight, but they are not issued by a province, and complaint handling and standards differ.
Players are not usually prosecuted, but provinces such as Ontario restrict advertising by unregistered operators and you have less recourse if something goes wrong.
Which signs suggest a site is not legal or not safe?
- No licence number or one that does not appear in the register.
- A company name in the footer that differs from the register.
- No terms, or terms that contradict the promotions.
- Pressure to pay through unusual channels.
- Ontario-targeted ads from a site not on the iGaming Ontario list.
Read the full list of warning signs for more.
What can you do if there is a problem?
Use the support channel first and keep records. Licensed operators must have a complaints process, and regulators such as the AGCO accept complaints about registered operators. For unlicensed sites, remedies are limited. Our regulation guide explains the framework in more detail.
Does the answer change if you live in Quebec?
Quebec has its own rules because Loto-Quebec runs the provincial offer through Espacejeux and the age of majority for gambling is 18. Quebec players also see many international sites in French. The same check applies: look for a licence you can verify, read the terms in the language you understand and confirm the company behind the brand. If a French-language site offers no verifiable licence, do not rely on its design or reviews alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal for a Canadian to play at an offshore casino?
The offence in the Criminal Code is mainly about operating gambling, and players are rarely pursued. The legal status is still unclear and varies by province, and offshore sites give you fewer protections. If you are unsure, use a provincial or registered site, and seek legal advice for your situation.
How do I know if a casino is registered in Ontario?
Check the list of registered operators and websites published by iGaming Ontario, and compare the casino's brand and URL with it. A genuine Ontario operator also displays AGCO and iGaming Ontario information in its footer. If the site is not on the list, it is not part of the regulated market.
Does an SSL padlock mean a casino is legal?
No. The padlock only shows that the connection is encrypted. Any website, legitimate or not, can have one. Legality and fairness depend on the licence, the company behind the site and the way it treats players, which is why the register check matters more than the padlock.