Features
How Canada’s Evolving Gambling Laws Are Changing the Online Casino Landscape
Canada has never had a simple relationship with online gambling. The country that gave the world some of the first internet casino licenses — the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has been issuing them since 1999 — spent the next two decades operating in regulatory limbo, with a patchwork of provincial rules, a federal Criminal Code that technically prohibited unlicensed gambling, and millions of Canadians happily playing on offshore platforms that nobody seriously attempted to shut down.
That era of comfortable ambiguity is ending. Driven by Ontario’s landmark regulated market launch in 2022, accelerating provincial legislation, and the tax revenue numbers that follow wherever legal iGaming goes, Canada is undergoing the most significant transformation of its online gambling landscape in a generation. Here’s what’s changing, what it means province by province, and what players and operators should understand about where this is all heading.
The Federal Foundation: A Criminal Code Built for a Different Era
The overarching statute governing gambling activity in Canada is the Criminal Code. Sections 201–206 make all types of gambling, betting, and lotteries illegal throughout Canada, with very limited exceptions — but crucially, the Code grants provinces the exclusive right to conduct and manage gambling activities within their borders.
That division of powers is the key to understanding everything that follows. The federal government sets the prohibitory framework; the provinces determine what is actually permitted inside it. The result is a country where gambling legality isn’t a yes/no question — it’s a province-by-province negotiation.
Canada takes a unique approach by handing authority to individual provinces and territories. Some provinces, like British Columbia and Quebec, maintain government-run monopolies through platforms like PlayNow and EspaceJeux. Others, like Ontario, shook things up by launching competitive, regulated markets and welcoming private operators under strict rules.
Ontario’s Regulated Market: The Numbers That Changed Everything
No single development has done more to reshape Canadian online gambling than the April 2022 launch of iGaming Ontario. Before it, Ontario residents — like Canadians across most of the country — played primarily on offshore platforms operating in a grey zone. After it, a fully regulated competitive market emerged almost overnight.
The results have been extraordinary. As of Q2 of the 2024–25 fiscal year, Ontario’s online gambling market surpassed CA$22.7 billion in total spending — a 32% increase year-over-year. By Q4 2024–25, approximately 997,000 active player accounts were registered, each spending roughly CA$277 per month.
iGO reported that the 50+ Ontario online casinos and sports betting sites earned a total gaming revenue of $738 million in 2024, with operators handling over $18.7 billion in wagers.
Ontario iGaming Market at a Glance (2024–25):
| Metric | Figure |
| Total market spending (Q2 2024–25) | CA$22.7 billion |
| Year-over-year growth | 32% |
| Active player accounts | ~997,000 |
| Average monthly player spend | CA$277 |
| Total GGR (2024) | CA$738 million |
| Total wagers handled (2024) | CA$18.7 billion |
| Sports betting — Q3 2024–25 alone | CA$3.4 billion |
| Licensed operators | 50+ |
Those numbers have made the case for regulation better than any policy paper could. Other provinces have been paying close attention.
Province-by-Province: Where Canada Stands Right Now
Canada’s regulatory landscape is a spectrum, not a single standard. Understanding it requires looking at each major market individually.
| Province | Regulatory Model | Private Operators Allowed? | Status |
| Ontario | Competitive licensed market (iGO / AGCO) | Yes — 50+ licensed | Fully operational since April 2022 |
| Alberta | Transitioning to competitive model | Pending — Bill 48 (2025) | iGaming Alberta Corporation launched June 2025 |
| British Columbia | Government monopoly (BCLC / PlayNow) | Limited | Tightening oversight; 49% market share for BCLC |
| Quebec | Government monopoly (Loto-Québec / EspaceJeux) | No | Closed market; offshore access grey zone |
| Manitoba | Government-run (Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries) | No | No private licensing framework |
| Saskatchewan | Government-run (SIGA / SaskGaming) | No | No movement toward private licensing |
| Atlantic Provinces | Mostly government-run | Limited | Small markets; minimal regulatory evolution |
Alberta: The Next Frontier
Alberta is in the final stages of transforming its online gambling landscape, moving away from its government-run monopoly to embrace a competitive market. Bill 16, passed in May 2024, amended the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act to allow private operators to enter alongside PlayAlberta.ca. Alberta then introduced Bill 48 on March 6, 2025, and a pivotal section took effect on June 4, 2025, marked by the launch of iGaming Alberta Corporation — the new regulatory arm.
Alberta’s Minister of Service and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, was direct about the government’s motivation when introducing Bill 48: “Our goal is not to create new gamblers, but to make existing online gambling safer.”
The commercial logic is equally compelling. Alberta wants to capture at least 45% of the betting money currently flowing to offshore websites. PlayAlberta made $235 million in 2023–24, but an estimated 70% of iGaming activity in the province still happens on offshore platforms. Legalizing and regulating private operators is the only realistic path to redirecting that revenue.
If Alberta’s market follows Ontario’s trajectory — a reasonable assumption given identical structural incentives — the province could generate hundreds of millions in additional regulated gaming revenue within two to three years of full market launch.
The Advertising Crackdown: New Rules for Operators
Regulatory maturity has brought stricter advertising standards, particularly in Ontario where the rules are most developed and most scrutinized.
New rules from the AGCO prohibit ads offering “free spins” or similar online casino bonus promotions. Marketing cannot use athletes or celebrities who are popular among young people. Players must be physically present in Ontario — verified by location tracking — to access licensed platforms. The legal age for online casinos and sports betting is 19.
Ontario requires all gaming operators to allocate at least 0.5% of their gross gaming revenue to responsible gambling campaigns. Gaming sites must provide easy access to responsible gambling tools, settings for time and financial limits, and there is a ban on auto-play features for slot games.
These restrictions aren’t just consumer protection measures — they are competitive filters. Operators who treat compliance as a cost rather than a feature are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain visibility in regulated markets. Those that build responsible gambling infrastructure into their core product offering are the ones that stand out.
For players wanting to understand which platforms currently hold licenses and operate within Canada’s regulated framework, click here to explore a curated breakdown of real-money casino options available to Canadian players.
The Grey Market Problem: Offshore Platforms and the Regulatory Gap
Despite the progress in Ontario and Alberta, a significant portion of Canadian online gambling still happens outside any regulated framework. Across Canada, companies like Betway and Spin control approximately 35% of all unregulated betting, with Stake holding 10% and Bet365 a further 9%. British Columbia’s official lottery corporation holds less than half the provincial market at just 49%.
The legal status of offshore gambling for individual Canadian players remains technically ambiguous. While adults from all provinces and territories may gamble online in Canada, the area of offshore platforms is not strictly regulated by the government and mostly depends on provincial authorities. It remains in a grey zone in most of the country.
Provinces are attacking this problem from two directions: making regulated platforms more competitive and attractive, and pursuing enforcement against unlicensed operators. Ontario is teaming up with international regulators to block unlicensed sites and running campaigns to promote legal options. In Ontario, a strong 93% of betting now happens on licensed platforms — and the province wants to reach 95% by end of 2025.
Federal Movement: Bill S-269 and the Push for National Standards
Provincial regulation has been the engine of change so far, but federal legislators are beginning to stir. Bill S-269 is the strongest piece of federal gambling legislation currently being debated. If passed, the federal government will establish a national framework to regulate sports betting advertising and support responsible gambling efforts across the country — similar to laws already passed at the local level in Ontario.
The bill reflects growing awareness in Parliament that the current patchwork approach — while functional — creates inconsistency for players and compliance complexity for operators working across multiple provinces. A national advertising framework, in particular, would align Canada more closely with regulatory approaches already established in the UK and across the EU.
Key Regulatory Milestones: A Timeline
- 1999 — Kahnawake Gaming Commission begins issuing online gambling licenses from First Nations territory
- 2021 — Bill C-218 legalizes single-event sports betting nationwide, ending the parlay-only restriction
- April 2022 — iGaming Ontario launches, becoming Canada’s first competitive private-operator online casino market
- February 2024 — AGCO bans use of celebrities and athletes popular with young people in Ontario gambling ads
- November 2024 — Bill 216 makes iGaming Ontario fully independent from AGCO, strengthening market oversight
- May 2024 — Alberta passes Bill 16, opening the door to private operator licensing
- March 2025 — Bill 48 introduced, establishing the Alberta iGaming Corporation framework
- June 2025 — iGaming Alberta Corporation officially launches
- Ongoing — Bill S-269 under federal debate; potential national advertising standards framework
What This Means for Players
The net result of Canada’s regulatory evolution is largely positive for players — but it requires understanding which protections apply where you are.
What regulated market players gain:
- Licensed operators subject to mandatory responsible gambling tools
- Legal recourse through provincial regulators in dispute situations
- Games with independently verified return-to-player rates
- Payment protection and segregated player funds requirements
- Operators prohibited from targeting vulnerable players or minors
What remains unresolved:
- No national standard — protections vary significantly by province
- Grey-market offshore sites remain accessible and widely used
- Federal advertising framework still in legislative debate
- Provinces outside Ontario and Alberta still operate government-run monopolies with limited player choice
The Bottom Line
Canada is mid-transformation. Ontario has proven the model works — that a competitive, regulated online casino market can generate significant tax revenue, protect consumers more effectively than a grey market ever could, and actually capture the activity that was happening offshore regardless of regulatory intent. Alberta is implementing the same blueprint. Other provinces are watching, calculating, and almost certainly next in line.
Canada’s iGaming market is entering a new phase. With the combination of new casino licenses, provincial regulation, and online expansion, the country is setting the stage for a safer, more interactive, and more dynamic gaming environment — one where it’s not just about gambling, but about creating a complete gaming ecosystem that caters to both casual players and serious enthusiasts.
For players, the practical advice is straightforward: know your province’s rules, play only on licensed platforms where available, and use the responsible gambling tools those platforms are now legally required to offer. The regulatory framework being built across Canada in 2025 and 2026 is designed — imperfectly but sincerely — with your interests in mind.
Features
New Opportunities for XRP in the Trump Era: How XRP Holders Can Earn $7,899 Daily in Passive Income Through FTMINING Cloud Mining in 2026
If you’ve always believed that XRP can only be held long-term and wait for its value to appreciate, then FTMINING cloud mining might bring a completely new way to utilize this asset. Today, there is no need to purchase expensive mining machines or master complex mining techniques. You can quickly participate in digital asset mining through cloud computing platforms, giving idle XRP more application value. FTMINING’s cloud mining service, with its convenient operation process, 24/7 computing power service and flexible product solutions, has attracted the attention of many digital asset users, providing a new option for XRP holders who want to obtain continuous mining rewards. The launched cloud computing service supports the participation of various mainstream digital assets such as XRP, helping users to access the digital asset ecosystem in a more convenient way. Users can generate a passive income of up to $7,899 per day.
From holding assets to participating in cloud mining
Traditional mining often requires a significant investment in specialized mining equipment, along with costs for electricity, site access, and maintenance. For ordinary investors, this model presents a high technical and financial barrier to entry. FTMINING adopts a cloud computing power model, which centralizes the operation of mining farms, equipment management, computing power allocation and maintenance, etc., and allows users to choose different cloud computing power products according to their own needs and complete the participation process online, reducing the complexity of operation while still being able to participate.
Features of FTMINING:
● Zero-barrier entry: No need to purchase mining rigs or build a mining farm; even beginners can easily get started.
● Automated mining: The system runs 24/7, with daily automatic settlement of profits.
● Flexible asset management: Profits can be withdrawn or reinvested at any time, supporting multiple mainstream cryptocurrencies.
● Low correlation with price fluctuations: Even during short-term market downturns, cash flow remains stable.
FTMINING: Safe, Transparent, and Trustworthy Investment
FTMINING was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in the UK. It is an innovative platform focusing on digital asset management and cloud computing services. Its operations comply with the regulatory frameworks of the UK and EU. The platform follows the principles of compliance, security and transparency, and is regularly subject to financial and security audits by third-party agencies.
At the technical level, the platform adopts multiple security mechanisms, including bank-level firewalls, cloud security certification, multi-signature cold wallets and asset isolation systems, to provide multi-layer protection for user funds.
Its security infrastructure includes:
●Platform operations comply with the European MiCA and MiFID II regulatory frameworks
● Annual financial and security audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
● Digital asset custody insurance provided by Lloyd’s of London
How to participate in FTMINING
Step 1: Register an Account
Visit the official FT MINING website: https://ftmining.com
Create an account by entering your email address and password. Receive a $15 sign-up bonus and a $0.75 daily login bonus.
Step 2: Deposit Cryptocurrency Assets
The platform supports a wide range of cryptocurrencies—including BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT, USDC, XRP, SOL, DOGE, and BCH—eliminating the need for cumbersome currency conversions and making deposits and withdrawals convenient.
Step 3: Select and Purchase a Mining Contract
FT MINING offers various contracts to suit different budgets and goals. Whether you are seeking short-term gains or long-term returns, FT MINING has the right option for you:
Examples of popular contracts:
Starter Contract: $100 — 2-day term — Total profit approx. $108
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Premium Contract: $25,000 — 30-day term — Total profit approx. $39,250
(Please visit the official website for more contract details.)
Contracts take effect immediately upon purchase, with earnings settled daily.
Real User Feedback
Michael, an XRP holder from Texas, USA:
“I’ve held XRP for years, but for the most part, it just sat there. Since using FTMINING, I’ve been generating steady monthly returns—with daily earnings consistently reaching as high as $7,899—so I no longer worry much about short-term price fluctuations.”
Thomas, an XRP investor from New York:
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Industry Perspectives
Industry observers point out that the attention FTMINING cloud mining model has garnered reflects investors’ growing demand for “stable returns” and “automated asset management.” With the continuous improvement of compliance, security and automation technologies, the FTMINING cloud mining model provides cryptocurrency holders with a new asset management approach and makes “passive income” a realistic and feasible goal.
Conclusion
XRP holders are entering a new phase of digital asset application, moving from simply holding assets to participating in the blockchain ecosystem. FTMINING cloud mining provides users with a more convenient path to explore value. With the help of cloud computing power, users can participate in mining services without purchasing professional mining machines or undertaking complex operation and maintenance processes, allowing idle XRP to play a greater role. With the continuous development of blockchain technology, cloud mining is becoming an increasingly important focus for digital asset users, enabling XRP holders to manage their assets more flexibly and efficiently, and helping them explore new opportunities in the digital economy era.
If you wish to explore more revenue opportunities while holding XRP, the FTMINING cloud mining model is worth further understanding and attention.
Official Website: https://ftmining.com
app: https://ftmining.com
Customer Support Email: info@ftmining.com
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Musings from Dizengoff Street – by Bruce Brown
(August 8, 2026)
Outside Basimta Café in Central Jerusalem. Love the red shirt against a tiny sea of black. Not sure I am shrugging because of the ultra-orthodox uproar over a Jerusalem café operating on Shabbat or the lack of an ultra-orthodox uproar over a Jerusalem café operating on Shabbat. For the last six weeks Israeli headlines shouted about the cafe chaos. With the ultra-religious blocking entrances and storming the café. While shouting ‘Shabbos! Shabbos!’ Upsetting the secular amongst us just wanting to enjoy our Saturday iced matchas. So the wife and I thought we would check it out. And. Yes. Buy something to support the business. Uproar. Not. Blocked entrances. Not. Storming the café. Not. Albeit there were police barriers separating the devout protesters from the coffee drinkers. The protesters being just a few dozen black clad, pious Jews. Mostly teenagers. And yes. Shouting ‘Shabbos! Shabbos!’ Certainly underwhelming in its reported mayhem. Reminds me of the famous saying misattributed to Mark Twain – “If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do, you’re misinformed.” But I did enjoy my iced matcha.
(August 6, 2026)
Here we go again. Another round of forever negotiations. As someone who negotiates for a living. The way things are going in the straits. If I had to recommend a book on the subject to a new hire. Between The Art of the Deal, A Presidential Edition by Donald J. Trump or The Real Art of the Deal by the Mullahs of Iran with a special forward by the IRGC. Well. I would choose the latter.
(August 3)
Bravo Yoav Segalovitz, Liberal Yesh Atid MK and Monsour Abbas, United Arab Ra’am MK and party head. For breaking a glass ceiling where a Jewish lawmaker joins an Arab political party. No less a political earthquake in my little shtetl. Which can significantly impact coalition block arithmetic and posturing and strategy in the upcoming elections. Now Ra’am can be considered a legitimate ‘Zionist’ partner when forming coalition blocks and potentially pushing the ‘center left/right’ party over the 60 seat majority threshold. In our crazy parliamentary democracy defined by a multi-party (about fourteen!!), proportional representation system. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Israel’s proportional representation model of governance is the best parliamentary democracy system except for all other forms of working democracies. Stay tuned for more amateurish political musings as we move towards Israel’s 26th national election – five of them held since 2019.
(August 1)
Although both sides say they are open to diplomacy. Neither really trusts the other. And American military action, or its threat, continues. I read headlines in the middle of the night -it’s a nervous habit lately– that the Dynamic Duo of Trump and Netanyahu may again strike in unison. Possibly this weekend. Yikes! Prompting me, at 2:30 AM, to dash around the house stocking my safe room. Bottled water. Canned food. Medicines. Documents. The beat goes on….
If it’s crazy here. It’s insane in Italy. With a recent online ‘Jew Hunt’ in the Milan area. Before being removed, the digital forms urged reportings of Israelis and Italian Jews staying in local hotels. The infamous Global Sumud Movement -yes, the one coordinating ‘peace and humanitarian’ flotillas to Gaza- was somehow connected. Although they deny involvement?! This deranged decree was looking to identify Zionist tourism and Zionist neo-colonization in Italy. I’ll stick with stocking the saferoom.
Then there’s New York Mayor Mamdani, a Global Sumud Movement supporter, threatening to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu if he comes to New York. But since discovered he has no legal right for such a grandstanding, antisemitic, anti-Israel, anti-Western, anti-democratic antic. Maybe Mandami should be arrested! Or at least impeached. For being a grandstanding, antisemitic, anti-Israel, anti-Western, anti-democratic mayor.
Here’s a post Bruce sent us Friday, July 31:
WARTIME MUSINGS
Should credible threats against FLOTUS and ‘FSOTUS’ (first son..) not be justification to attack first.
As for yesterday’s summit. Netanyahu really can’t win. Explainer. If Trump now attacks without victory its ’cause of Netanyahu. If Trump now attacks with victory its ’cause of Trump. And, in Israel, if Trump doesn’t attack -victory or not- Netanyahu failed in his eighth meeting with Trump. And if Trump does attack -victory or not- half the country will vilify Bibi anyway. Missing a permutation?
Ya. I know. Kinda’ need a definition of victory for that musing to work.
And here in my little shtetle. We go to sleep unsure if there will be a code red in the middle of the night. And if not. We wake up thinking it will be tonight. How do you define stress?
Seemed like an appropriate way to end this musing.
Bruce Brown is a former Winnipegger who made aliyah to Israel over 35 years ago. Bruce first began writing for us – in his own inimitable style, in 2012, during what was known as “Operation Pillar of Defense.” His occasional musings on aspects of life in Israel that were far from what you’d typically read in other reports from Israel were hugely popular – both in the print Jewish Post & News and on this website.
We’re now glad to report that Bruce is back writing for us – this time on a regular basis. We will post Bruce’s reports as they arrive – with the date of each post at the beginning of that post.
Here’s some information about Bruce – and awards he’s received for his writing:
Bruce Brown. Canadian born. Now living in Israel (for a long time). Bruce works in Israel’s hi-tech sector by day and, in spurts, is a somewhat inspired writer by night. He received the American Jewish Press Association’s award for writing excellence in 2019 and 2025. And wrote the 1998 satire, “An Israeli is….” Bruce’s musings are political, social, economic and personal. With lots of biting, contrarian, sardonic and irreverent insight.
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