British Columbia Online Casinos and Sportsbooks

British Columbia Gambling Overview

British Columbia online gambling is legal. The provincial government launched the PlayNow site in 2004, and it now offers casino games, sports betting, poker, bingo, and lottery games.

You can also play a wide range of grey market sites. The best grey market sites offer more games, better software and larger bonuses than PlayNow. British Columbia is home to more than 30 land-based casinos too, and some of them host poker rooms.

What is the Gambling Age in British Columbia?

The legal gambling age is 19 in British Columbia. Anyone aged 19 or older can play casino games, place sports bets, or play poker. They can also bet on horse races, buy lottery tickets, play bingo and keno, or take part in charity gaming activities. The legal age applies to online and in-person gambling in British Columbia.

Best Online Casinos Available in British Columbia

Our experts have reviewed all the leading online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms that accept players in British Columbia. We compared each site’s strengths and weaknesses, and we eventually decided that these are the top six British Columbia online gambling sites.

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How We Evaluate British Columbia Online Casinos

We follow a rigorous process when reviewing online gambling sites. Our experts sign up with each site and test out the bonuses, software, games, payouts and customer service. We also focus on the four areas listed below when seeking the best British Columbia online gambling sites.

Availability in British Columbia

We make sure each site is available in British Columbia. Sites like TonyBet, Betway, Bodog and Sports Interaction are based outside the province, but they actively welcome British Columbia players. You can access those sites without the need for a VPN, and they offer CAD accounts.

Player Protections

Next, we consider the player protection measures at each site. Our reviewers are looking for safe, trusted sites. They should offer 256-bit encryption, multiple firewalls, valid security certificates and comprehensive privacy policies.

Canadian-Friendly Banking Options

We also ensure that each site for British Columbia sports betting or casino games offers secure, convenient banking methods. They typically include Interac, Instadebit, MuchBetter, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. We also assess the payout speeds, limits and the ease of the process. We’re looking for sites that offer fast, free, reliable withdrawals.

Game Selection and Software Providers

Finally, we consider the range of casino games at each British Columbia online gambling site. We try to identify sites that host thousands of games from a broad pool of renowned software providers. The games should be independently certified for fairness by respected testing agencies too.

Comparing Online Casinos and Sportsbooks Available in British Columbia

Here’s a quick look at how our favorite casinos in BC stack up:

Is Online Gambling Legal in British Columbia?

Yes, online gambling is legal in British Columbia. For many years, British Columbians have been using offshore gambling sites, which are known as grey market sites. There are no laws to stop you from using these sites.

The provincial government in Quebec tried to stop residents from using grey market sites in 2015. It tried to force internet providers to introduce a block on these sites. However, the Superior Court ruled that the proposed law was unconstitutional. Quebecers have been able to use grey market betting sites ever since. The decision also set a nationwide precedent, and no provincial governments have attempted to block offshore sites since then.

In 2004, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation launched two sites: PlayNow and Sports Action. PlayNow sold online lottery subscriptions, while Sports Action offered parlays on various sports. In 2010, PlayNow expanded by launching an online casino.

The following year, PlayNow added an online poker room. It pooled players with Quebec’s Espacejeux. In 2012, Sports Action was folded into the PlayNow site. PlayNow finally added single game sports betting in 2021, so it now offers a wide range of betting options.

However, many British Columbians still prefer to use grey market sites like Betway, Sports Interaction and TonyBet. Those sites typically offer larger bonuses and more games than PlayNow.

Land-Based Gambling Options in British Columbia

There are 36 land-based casinos and community gaming centres in the province, according to the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. They range from large casino resorts to modest bingo halls.

The province is home to 13,722 slot machines and 467 live gaming tables. In total, 33 communities host gambling facilities. These are the five largest British Columbia casinos:

Who Regulates Gambling in British Columbia?

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) regulates gambling in the province. This crown corporation was established in 1985 to manage commercial gaming.

The BCLC oversees the lottery, along with land-based casinos and land-based Proline sports betting facilities. It also runs the PlayNow site, which offers online casino games, poker, bingo, sports betting and lottery subscriptions. The corporation aims to safeguard players and combat money laundering too.

Comparing British Columbia’s Gambling Laws to Neighboring Provinces and Territories

British Columbia has reasonably similar gambling laws to its neighboring provinces and territories. In Alberta, anyone aged 19 or older can use the PlayAlberta site. This site is similar to British Columbia’s PlayNow, as it is run by the provincial government.

However, it doesn’t have a poker room. The site’s sports betting odds are also unappealing, and it has a smaller range of casino games than PlayNow. As such, many Albertans prefer to use grey market sites like Sports Interaction and Betway. However, Alberta is poised to roll out a regulated market featuring lots of privately owned online casinos and sportsbooks.

Alberta also has lots of land-based casinos. There is one land-based casino in Yukon: Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall in Dawson City. Yukon does not have an equivalent site to PlayNow or PlayAlberta. Residents can place a handful of sports wagers at Sport Select, which is run by the Western Lottery Corporation. However, it is limited in its scope, so most Yukoners use offshore gambling sites.

There are no land-based casinos in the Northwest Territories. Northwesterners can use the Sport Select platform, but the sports betting odds are poor, as it takes a huge house edge. There are no casino games either. For that reason, Northwesterners predominantly use grey market sites too.

The Future of Online Casinos in British Columbia

We do not expect any immediate changes to British Columbia’s online gambling market. In 2022, Ontario became the first province to introduce a regulated market for privately owned online casinos and sportsbooks. Alberta has now passed similar legislation, and it is gearing up to become the second province with a regulated online gambling market.

British Columbia could potentially become the third. However, lawmakers have not yet filed any bills seeking to introduce a regulated market for private companies. A bill would need to be approved and signed into law before the licensing process could begin.

It could then take a couple of years before the first gambling sites are given the green light. As such, we expect PlayNow and grey market sites to dominate the British Columbia market for many more years.

Please Gamble Responsibly in Saskatchewan

It is important to gamble responsibly. Set a strict budget and stick to it. Try to enjoy online casino games, sports betting and poker in moderation. Don’t allow online gambling to affect other areas of your life, such as work, family, friends and other commitments. If you need support, you can visit these sites to learn more about the resources available to you: 

British Columbia Gambling Legal Sources

British Columbia Online Casinos Summary

British Columbia online gambling is legal. Anyone aged 19 or older can set up an account with PlayNow. This government-run site is superior to equivalent sites in other provinces, such as PlayAlberta and Mise-o-jeu+ in Quebec.

However, you will still find larger bonuses, more games and smoother software at grey market sites. The best sites for British Columbia online casino players, sports bettors and poker players include Sports Interaction, Bodog, Betway and TonyBet. If you would like to sign up with one of those sites, follow the links on this page. That will ensure you get the best welcome bonus.