Ontario's Model and the Rest of Canada: How Provincial Gambling Rules Differ

Canada has one Criminal Code yet several very different online gambling markets. Federal law lets each province "conduct and manage" gaming, and provinces have used that power in strikingly different ways. Ontario opened a regulated market to private operators in April 2022, and Alberta followed in July 2026. Elsewhere, provinces still offer online gambling through a single Crown corporation. Provincial approaches fall into three broad groups. Each answers the same questions about who sells, who regulates, and whether private brands can take part.