Online in BC
Online gambling in BC, explained
No online gambling site other than PlayNow.com is legal in British Columbia, and the provincial regulator tells the public to play there alone. The guide accepts no wagers, and its home page is where paid links to a private online casino appear, each labelled Ad.
By the Ledger Desk · Checked October 7 and 8, 2026
What the law says
Gambling in British Columbia is legal only where the provincial government itself operates it. On the government's behalf, BCLC manages all commercial gambling, including casinos and online gambling. It is a Crown corporation, incorporated in 1984. No other online gambling site besides PlayNow.com is legal in the province.
Starting April 13, 2026, the role of provincial gambling regulator has belonged to the Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO). On August 28, 2026, the office declared every other online gambling site that admits BC players to be illegal in the province. The office tells the public to play on PlayNow.com and no other site.
BCLC's February 2026 service plan assumes BC's online market stays closed to private operators. The IGCO's June 2026 action plan stated that it will pursue amendments to the Gaming Control Act. Its goal is a smaller presence of unregulated online operators in BC.
PlayNow and self-exclusion
PlayNow is BCLC's online and mobile channel. It offers lottery, sports betting, slots, table games and bingo. Players need to be at least 19, online just as in a casino.
Game Break is BC's voluntary self-exclusion program, offering a term of 6 months or a term of 1, 2 or 3 years. Self-exclusion from a BC gambling facility also bars that person from PlayNow.com for an equal length of time.
That link has limits. The Gaming Control Act defines online gaming as play on PlayNow, the platform BCLC itself runs. A Game Break agreement covers that platform and not other online sites.
Questions
Which online gambling site is legal in British Columbia?
No online gambling site in British Columbia is legal apart from PlayNow.com. It is BCLC's online and mobile channel, and the IGCO advises the public to play only on PlayNow.com.
Does a Game Break agreement cover other online sites?
No, a Game Break agreement does not reach other sites. The Gaming Control Act defines online gaming as play on PlayNow, the platform BCLC itself runs. The agreement covers that platform and not other online sites.
Do the inner pages of this guide carry paid links?
No. Inner pages carry none; every paid link is confined to the home page, where an Ad tag identifies it. Links to casinos, operators, owners, BCLC, the province and help services are never paid, on any page of the guide.