Gambling in the USA
Regulations on Online Gambling in Canada Have Changed. Here’s How the Provinces Are Responding
The gambling industry in Canada is getting a shakeup—and that’s good news for Canadians! The changing laws mean that Canadians now have more options when it comes to online gambling.
While some provinces have already embraced the change, others are slower to adapt. We’ll explain how Canadian gambling laws have changed, which provinces are implementing changes, and what this means for Canadians.
Canada Opens Up to Online Gambling
Though changes in the Canadian gambling landscape may just now be becoming apparent in some provinces, the shift began last year. In August 2021, Bill C-218 came into effect. The bill changed the Canadian Criminal Code to make single-event sports betting legal.
Before the change, only parlay bets were legal. This restriction gave Canadians far fewer options when it came to gambling, particularly sports betting.
The government touted the change as a chance to strengthen the economy and keep Canadians safer. This choice was partly influenced by the fact that many Canadians have already engaged in single-event sports betting online via grey market websites.
Another important aspect of Bill C-218 is that it allows sports betting to occur in both physical casinos and online. By allowing provinces to offer gambling online, the government hopes to limit the use of the grey market.
Canadians were able to use these websites because they weren’t operating on Canadian soil, meaning it technically wasn’t illegal to use them. The changing laws are intended to combat the grey market and bring competition back to Canada.
However, provinces have all been moving at their own pace when it comes to moving forward with the expanded regulations.
Which Provinces Have Started Offering Online Gambling?
With such a huge shift in the industry, many provinces are also taking the opportunity to launch or expand their iGaming offerings. However, each province is going by a different timeline, and not all provinces currently have the same regulations.
Ontario
Ontario was the first province to fully regulate online gambling with its new provider, iGaming Ontario (IGO). This provider is a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and was launched in April 2022. The IGO offers esports betting as well as online casinos from third-party operators.
This is great news for Ontarians, as we already see a lot of competition in the online gambling space. In fact, there are so many great online gambling websites that players might have trouble choosing. That’s where review websites like casinosource.ca come in handy. With the launch of iGaming Ontario, the province is setting an example for a new framework for the rest of the country.
Quebec
Quebec currently has one government-regulated website that offers online gambling. Espacejeux started offering single-event betting as soon as the new law was enacted.
Even after the change, Loto-Québec was still concerned about the grey market in Canada. However, they are making strides toward crushing the competition by partnering with online casino game providers like High 5 Games.
British Columbia
British Columbia was well positioned to enact the new online gambling regulations and offered single-event betting immediately. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) launched its PlayNow Sportsbook website as soon as the laws were allowed on August 27, 2021.
PlayNow.com remains BC’s only regulated online gambling website. At this time, there is no known plan for third-party expansion.
Manitoba
Manitoba also allowed single-event online gambling as soon as it was allowed. Manitoba, along with Alberta and Saskatchewan, is part of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). As part of this agreement, all provinces in the WCLC have access to the Sport Select online gambling website.
Manitoba also has a long-standing agreement with BCLC, allowing Manitobans access to the PlayNow website.
Alberta
Alberta didn’t get on board with the new laws allowed by Bill C-218 right away. Unlike the previously mentioned provinces, single-event betting wasn’t offered by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) until September 2021.
Similarly to Ontario, Alberta also welcomed third-party competitors along with their launch. Albertans can also gamble online at Play Alberta, the only provincially owned online gambling website.
The Atlantic Provinces
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island are all part of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC). Except for Nova Scotia, the ALC provinces allowed single-event sports betting immediately. Nova Scotia waited until February 2022 to implement the change.
The ALC website also allows residents of these provinces to play online casino games. Thus far, there don’t seem to be any plans to allow third-party competitors. However, the ALC has partnered with many video lottery game providers over the past year to improve its online gambling offerings.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan waited a little longer than other provinces to implement the new regulations. Single-event betting didn’t become available until November of 2021.
Through an agreement with SaskGaming, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) was announced as the operator of the Online Gaming Portal. In June 2022, the SIGA signed an agreement with the BCLC to bring the PlayNow website to Saskatchewan residents.
The Territories
The Canadian territories Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon are part of the WCLC as associate numbers. Like Saskatchewan, the territories didn’t allow single-event betting until November 2021.
Though the territories did adapt to the new sports betting laws, online gambling may have to wait a bit longer. Though all three territories have access to WCLC’s Sport Select platform, players must still purchase tickets in-store.
Conclusion
It may have taken some time for the Canadian government to expand its online gambling offerings, but changes are happening fast. Since the changes, each province and territory has been adapting at its own pace. However, it seems it’s only a matter of time until online gambling across Canada becomes the norm.
Gambling in the USA
Bitline and Everi Announce Crypto Liquidity for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts in Industry First Development
Bitline, the only provider for casino chip access directly from cryptocurrency, has announced its first major collaboration in the U.S. casino market, teaming up with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts through its collaboration with Everi, a premier provider of financial technology and gaming solutions. This collaboration introduces cryptocurrency and digital assets as a new source of liquidity for casino patrons and marks the first time that such a functionality has been enabled within the American gaming industry.
Leveraging Everi’s CashClub’s comprehensive payment infrastructure, Bitline’s solution is able to efficiently board, screen and verify patrons looking to leverage their digital assets whilst also allowing patrons to move screened assets into custody within minutes. Bitline’s integration with Everi Cash Club, the leading financial access services suite for casino payments, will enable the technology for the benefit of Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, and is the first time that such a functionality has been possible in the U.S. regulated casino market.
Catering to the growing demand for greater cryptocurrency and digital asset integration within the casino industry, the collaboration between Bitline and Everi’s forms a transferable blueprint that offers casino operators and their patrons an alternative way to manage funds, access liquidity, and leverage the benefits of cryptocurrency and other digital assets.
This milestone reflects a strategic shift in how casino operators view and manage financial interactions with their guests. The introduction of cryptocurrency as a liquidity solution provides additional options for guests and lays the foundation for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts as it looks to the future of gaming sector finance, setting a new standard in financial accessibility and convenience.
“Working with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts and Everi to make this a reality is a historical moment for both the casino and blockchain industries. Bitline was conceptualized to advance the gaming sector and offer a wider variety of financial options for the casino industry,” said Richard Jones, CEO at Bitline. “We’re entering an era where digital assets can fundamentally enhance the gaming experience, providing casino operators with a future-ready financial framework that can expand and evolve as the industry does. This collaboration is just the beginning of our vision to modernize casino payment capabilities on a global scale.”
Victor Newsom, SVP Product Management, Payments Solutions at Everi comments “This unique integration combines BitLine’s additional payment accessibility options with Everi’s ability to enable seamless, secure, and regulatory compliant financial transactions for casino patrons. Designed from the ground up to exceed the rigorous compliance demands of the industry as well as the discerning expectations of gaming VIPs around the world, Choctaw’s patrons are now no longer limited to the access, times, amount, and speed constraints of the legacy financial systems. This also significantly reduces risk for our casino customers, such as Choctaw.”
“We are excited to be the first casino in North America to offer our guests another way to play,” said Thomas McDonald, Senior Director of Cage and Credit at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts. “Through our long-term relationship with Everi, a leader in fintech solutions, we will continue to invest in innovative offerings that provide the discerning gaming VIP access to funds in a safe and secure manner.”
The Choctaw Casinos & Resorts integration represents only the first phase of Bitline’s broader mission to bring cryptocurrency solutions to casinos and casino patrons worldwide. As cryptocurrency and digital assets continue to gain traction in the gaming sector, Bitline’s easy to integrate and patented payment model stands poised to become a key player in transforming gaming finance. Future plans include expanding services across other major casinos and gaming markets, both domestically and internationally, establishing cryptocurrency as a new standard feature of the gaming experience.
The solution is to be formally rolled out on March 7, 2025, with the first transaction taking place at Choctaw’s Durant, Oklahoma, location.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has taken decisive action against five offshore online casinos, sending cease-and-desist letters for violating state gaming laws. These websites offer a variety of casino games, such as slots, poker, blackjack, Keno, bingo, and game show games, in addition to sports betting.
The following unlicensed operators are now under scrutiny following the MGCB’s action:
BetWhale Casino, Curaçao
Black Lotus Casino, owned by TD Investments Ltd., Belize
Coins Game Casino, Curaçao
Love2play Casino, Curaçao and Costa Rica
Orion Stars 777 Players, Sichuan Province, China
“These illegal platforms not only violate Michigan’s gaming regulations but also put consumers at risk by offering unreliable withdrawal options and lacking essential consumer protections. Our top priority is safeguarding Michigan residents by ensuring that all online gaming activities are conducted legally and safely. These operators must stop their activities or face additional legal consequences,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said.
Investigations into these illegal activities have revealed that the operators are in violation of multiple Michigan state laws.
Despite offering various payment options like Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin and Ethereum), these illegal operators impose strict withdrawal conditions, often requiring players to wager their initial deposits multiple times before they can access their winnings.
The MGCB has given these operators 14 days from the date of receipt of the cease-and-desist letters to halt their illegal activities.
Cryptocurrency
Bitline and Everi Announce Crypto Liquidity for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts in Industry First Development
Bitline, the only provider for casino chip access directly from cryptocurrency, has announced its first major collaboration in the U.S. casino market, teaming up with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts through its collaboration with Everi’s CashClub, the leading financial access services suit for casino payments. This collaboration introduces cryptocurrency and digital assets as a new source of liquidity for casino patrons and marks the first time that such a functionality has been enabled within the American gaming industry.
Leveraging Everi’s CashClub’s comprehensive payment infrastructure, Bitline’s solution is able to efficiently board, screen and verify patrons looking to leverage their digital assets whilst also allowing patrons to move screened assets into custody within minutes. Bitline’s integration with Everi’s CashClub, will enable the technology for the benefit of Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, and is the first time that such a functionality has been possible in the U.S. regulated casino market.
The collaboration works to cater to the growing demand for greater cryptocurrency and digital asset integration within the casino industry. The collaboration between Bitline and Everi’s CashClub forms a transferable blueprint that offers casino operators and their patrons an alternative way to manage funds, access liquidity, and leverage the benefits of cryptocurrency and other digital assets.
This milestone reflects a strategic shift in how casino operators view and manage financial interactions with their guests. The introduction of cryptocurrency as a liquidity solution provides additional options for guests and lays the foundation for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts as it looks to the future of gaming sector finance, setting a new standard in financial accessibility and convenience.
“Working with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts and Everi’s CashClub to make this a reality is a historical moment for both the casino and blockchain industries. Bitline was conceptualized to advance the gaming sector and offer a wider variety of financial options for the casino industry,” said Richard Jones, CEO at Bitline. “We’re entering an era where digital assets can fundamentally enhance the gaming experience, providing casino operators with a future-ready financial framework that can expand and evolve as the industry does. This collaboration is just the beginning of our vision to modernize casino payment capabilities on a global scale.”
“We are excited to be the first casino in North America to offer our guests another way to play,” said Thomas McDonald, Senior Director of Cage and Credit at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts. “Through our long-term relationship with Everi, a leader in fintech solutions, we will continue to invest in innovative offerings that provide the discerning gaming VIP access to funds in a safe and secure manner.”
The Choctaw Casinos & Resorts integration represents only the first phase of Bitline’s broader mission to bring cryptocurrency solutions to casinos and casino patrons worldwide. As cryptocurrency and digital assets continue to gain traction in the gaming sector, Bitline’s easy to integrate and patented payment model stands poised to become a key player in transforming gaming finance. Future plans include expanding services across other major casinos and gaming markets, both domestically and internationally, establishing cryptocurrency as a new standard feature of the gaming experience.
The solution is to be formally rolled out on March 7, 2025, with the first transaction taking place at Choctaw’s Durant, Oklahoma, location.
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