What legal framework governs online gambling in Canada at the national level?

Picture this: you're in Ottawa, you want to play blackjack online tonight, and you wonder why you can't just pick any site that accepts your credit card. The answer runs straight back to a piece of federal law that's older than the internet — and understanding it explains everything about how the regulated market you're playing in actually works.

The Criminal Code is the foundation

The Criminal Code of Canada defines what types of gaming activities are illegal in Canada, and assigns the provinces responsibility to operate, license, and regulate legal forms of gaming. Part VII of the Code prohibits gaming in general, while section 207 allows for a number of exceptions to the general prohibition. In plain terms: gambling isn't legal by default in Canada — it's illegal by default, with a carve-out for provincially managed activity.

Section 207 permits "lottery schemes" provided they are conducted and managed by the province in accordance with any law enacted by that province. The phrase "conducted and managed" is the linchpin. Under the Criminal Code, taking bets is a criminal offence unless conducted and managed by the government of a province — and this prohibition includes online casinos and sports betting operations. An offshore site accepting Ontario players isn't operating in a legal grey zone; it's operating outside this framework entirely.

One notable update came in 2021: updates to section 207 of the Criminal Code made an exception for provincial and territorial governments to now allow single sport event (match) betting — something previously prohibited. That change opened the door to regulated single-game sports wagering across Canada, including in Ontario.

How the federal framework hands off to Ontario

The Criminal Code sets the outer boundary; Ontario built its regulated market within it. On July 6, 2021, the Government of Ontario announced the establishment of iGaming Ontario to conduct and manage internet gaming in the province when provided through private gaming companies in accordance with Canada's Criminal Code. That structure — provincial conduct-and-manage authority delegated to a purpose-built agency — is what makes every registered operator on Ontario's market legally compliant at the federal level.

On May 12, 2025, the iGaming Ontario Act was proclaimed into force, continuing iGaming Ontario as a corporation without share capital and establishing the organization as a stand-alone Crown agency. The AGCO's role as regulator is kept separate from iGO's commercial role; the AGCO continues to be responsible for regulatory oversight of all gaming activities in Ontario, including private igaming operators, suppliers, and iGO itself.

For Ottawa players, the practical upshot is straightforward: being a fully registered and authorized operator in the igaming market means the organization has successfully received a registration by the AGCO and, with the exception of OLG.ca, has executed an operating agreement with iGO. You can verify any site's status through the official iGaming Ontario registry — that's the live source of truth, not a third-party review site.

One federal layer that doesn't go away: anti-money laundering

Beyond the Criminal Code, federally regulated obligations under FINTRAC's anti-money laundering framework apply to licensed gaming operators. The entities that conduct and manage lottery schemes, as authorized under the Criminal Code, must do so in line with the provincial legislation on gaming — and they must also meet federal AML reporting requirements. The AGCO addresses regulatory complaints and inquiries, including those related to game integrity and fairness, misuse of private information, responsible gambling violations, and money laundering. Regulated play in Ontario means you're inside a system with accountability at both levels of government.

You need to be 19 or older to play on any regulated Ontario platform. And if gambling ever starts feeling like something other than entertainment, ConnexOntario is available around the clock at 1-866-531-2600.