Can International Students Do Sports Betting
In 2023, people in Canada from coast to coast will be able to bet on a single game. The best sports betting sites in Canada are open to people in 10 provinces and three territories who want to play online.
The interactive map on this page shows which government-regulated sports betting choices are available in each area. Save this page to get the latest news about single-game sports betting in your state or territory.
Canada's legal sports betting news:
There are many legal internet sportsbooks in Canada that people who bet on sports can lock in their bets with in 2023.
For the most recent news and reports on legal sports betting in Canada, keep reading:
Two bills about sports betting are introduced by senators in Canada on June 21, 2023. In Bill S-268, Indigenous First Nations would be able to offer both in-person and online sports betting on their reserves. In Bill S-269, a national platform for sports betting ads would be created.
Is sports betting legal in Canada?
Yes, Canadians have been able to legally bet on sports since 1985. But now that single-game betting is coming, the level of betting on sports in the Great White North will be unmatched. Before August 27, 2021, the only ways to bet on sports in the country were combo bets, which combine two or more bets into one, and pari-mutuel gambling. Plus, you can only place these bets through the lottery methods in each province. Canadians are looking for better online choices because of this, and they put about $14 billion a year into offshore gambling websites.
Why legalize single-game sports betting in Canada?
Canada's decision to legalize single-game betting was mainly motivated by the loss of money from sports betting. A lot of people who were against legalizing sports betting south of the border have changed their minds since it has been put into place so well. This includes a number of major sports leagues.
It's still not clear how most Canadian provinces will handle this new legal form of sports betting in 2023. Aside from Ontario and Alberta, no other state has shown any sign that they would be open to third-party operators. BC might add commercial casinos to its sports betting options in the future, but bettors shouldn't think this will happen any time soon.
Still, Canadian bettors no longer have to make multiple bets, which are too hard to understand. Now it's up to each province and region to make regulated sports betting in Canada appealing enough to keep people from leaving the country to bet on sports on sites and books in other countries.
When did betting on a single game start?
The rule in Canada that lets people bet on a single game started on August 27, 2021. On August 12, 2021, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Justice Minister David Lametti revealed the plan.
It's interesting that not many Canadians know about betting on single games. A study done by Deloitte Canada in the fall of 2021 found that only 19.2% of Canadians know they can bet on a single event.
Single-game sports betting is now available in all of Canada through systems run by the provincial lotteries. However, retail sportsbooks will take longer to open. Some provinces might choose to keep using the tools they already have and not make big changes to how they offer sports betting. As of January 2023, Ontario is the only Canadian state that has a sportsbook that is only for sports betting.
Canada's best places to bet
If you want the best offers, great customer service, or an app, we break down the five best sportsbooks in Canada.
Provinces that allow betting on a single game
Right from the start, seven provinces—British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec—let people bet on single sports games online. Soon after, Alberta did the same. In November 2021, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon all made single-event sports betting legal in stores. Nova Scotia was the last state to let its citizens bet on a single game. The Atlantic Lottery Corp. said on Feb. 11, 2022, that it would start taking bets on single events.
Bill C-218 lets each province decide when and how to control sports betting. Authorities in each province decide who can legally offer sports betting, which sports can be bet on, and the kinds of bets that can be made.
As was already said, this will be different in each state. Such as, big companies have already put their mark on the ON sports betting market because Ontario wants an open market. On the other hand, areas with fewer people may only let people bet on their own lottery games. Just because of this, grey market casinos may continue to bring in a lot of money from people who bet on sports in the country.
Here's what you need to know about sports betting in each Canadian province and region right now:
Can people in Alberta bet on sports?
In Alberta, you can now bet on a single game of sports. On September 1, 2021, online betting controlled by the provincial government began on PlayAlberta.ca, an online gambling site regulated by Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC). On November 1, 2021, WCLC started letting people bet on single games in stores. Now, Albertans can check their single-event picks in person at Sport Select.
The Alberta Lt.-Gov. didn't say anything about controlled gambling. Salma Lakha's throne speech, which she gave on Premier Danielle Smith's place on Monday, November 2, 2023.
AGLC is getting ready for two more sportsbooks to open in Alberta in 2023. On December 10, 2021, the crown company started taking applications from outside vendors. They wanted to find two operators that could work with the province's casinos to offer betting in person and online.
When it comes to online and mobile sports betting, PointsBet Canada has already shown that it wants to be one of the first private digital companies in the province.
Fans of sports in Alberta can already legally bet on games both online and off. Play Alberta is the only web platform, and Sport Select, which is a product of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), is the only retail platform. You can bet on single games, parlays, point spreads, and props with Sport Select. It became possible to bet on the future in November 2021.
Since the province doesn't have any brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, bets must be made at a gas station or convenience store that is part of the program. Stores might be able to move into any of Alberta's more than twenty casinos in the future. There are many trustworthy online sportsbooks for Albertans to choose from if they decide to go that way.
Is it okay to bet on sports in British Columbia?
The most western state of Canada started letting people bet on single games on sports on PlayNow.com on August 27, 2021. The BCLC said on November 1, 2021, that PlayNow had taken in more than $25 million in single-game sports bets in the two months after single-game betting became allowed.
You can legally bet on sports in British Columbia, both in person and online. It made sense for the Pacific Province to offer single-game bets through PlayNow.com, which is run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and is Canada's biggest online sportsbook. In February 2021, the BCLC said that if single-event betting was legalized, the state could make an extra $125 million to $175 million from sports betting.
Genius Sports Limited was named the BCLC's official data provider on August 3, 2021. This was done to get ready for Canada's new betting environment.
Even though B.C. now lets people bet on just one game, most of the sports betting on the west coast happens at bookies overseas.
Can people in Manitoba bet on sports?
In Manitoba, you can now bet on just one game. Since August 27, 2021, the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation (MBLL) has let people bet on the result of a single event on PlayNow.com. Since November 1, 2021, WCLC's Sport Select platform has let regular people bet on single games.
Like people in British Columbia, people in Manitoba can legally bet on single games online with PlayNow.com. At the moment, it's the only online choice for sports bettors that is regulated by the provincial government. Manitoba doesn't have any brick-and-mortar bookies, but people can use Sport Select to place single-game bets at some stores. "Friendly Manitoba" has a government agency called the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation (MBLL) that oversees both internet and real-life gambling.
People in Manitoba who want to bet on sports can do so on PlayNow and many other legal foreign sports betting sites. Better bonus deals, odds, and betting options make these sites better for both new and experienced bettors.
Manny Atwal, president and CEO of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, talked about the need for the state to offer more online games at a legislative committee hearing on January 11, 2022. Still, PlayNow.com should make between $50 and $60 million in sales in fiscal year 2021.
Is it okay to bet on sports in New Brunswick?
Sports betting on a single game became allowed in New Brunswick on August 27, 2021, thanks to the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC).
All gaming in New Brunswick is controlled by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC), and Pro•Line is the only legal place to bet on sports. At an ALC store, you can bet on Moneyline, Over/Under, point spreads, and more. The Pro•Line Stadium website lets you settle online bets.
As things change in New Brunswick when it comes to sports betting, one of the two casinos in the province could become home to a retail sportsbook. New Brunswickers can now bet on single games with Pro•Line at the very least.
New Brunswickers can get the most for their money, though, at legal foreign sports betting sites. These sportsbooks do better than provincially regulated ones because they offer better odds, promotions, and betting choices.
Is it okay to bet on sports in Newfoundland and Labrador?
On August 27, 2021, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) made it legal in Newfoundland and Labrador to bet on a single sports game.
Once it comes to legal sports betting, the Atlantic Lottery takes care of both New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. On The Rock and in the heart of the Big Land, you can buy Pro•Line both online and off.
Offshore sportsbooks also let people from Newfoundland and Labrador legally bet on sports. These sites have better chances and more types of bets than Pro•Line. There are also fewer limits on how much you can bet.
Is it okay to bet on sports in Nova Scotia?
New Brunswick got single-game betting on February 11, 2022, just in time for Super Bowl 56. In August 2021, single-event betting began in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and P.E.I. The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) finally got the all-clear in "Canada's Ocean Playground."
Nova Scotia got its first online casino from ALC on July 21, 2022.
The ALC oversees and offers sports betting services to people in Nova Scotia. In Nova Scotia, you can legally bet online with Pro•Line Stadium or in person at an ALC outlet, which is usually a gas station, convenience store, or grocery store.
Nova Scotians who want to bet on sports legally would be better off using one of the many legal offshore sites that are already running in Canada. These sportsbooks have better chances, fewer rules, and tempting bonuses for people who are new to betting.
In Nova Scotia, there are no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. However, the state has two casinos, Casino Nova Scotia Halifax and Casino Nova Scotia Sydney, which could one day have sportsbooks.
Can people in Ontario bet on sports?
On August 27, 2021, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. launched PROLINE+, a brand-new online product that lets people legally bet on single games. On February 1, 2022, OLG said that offline single-event betting had also begun on the province's PROLINE app.
On April 4, 2022, Canada's most populous state opened its new sports betting market to the public. So far, the AGCO and iGaming Ontario have cleared more than 60 online gaming sites, 30 of which are sports betting sites. These sites include DraftKings, FanDuel Ontario, BetRivers Ontario, bet365 Ontario, PointsBet Canada, and theScore Bet.
People who live in or visit Ontario can now legally bet on sports at 30 sites controlled by the province, four Great Canadian Sportsbooks, and Caesars Sportsbook Windsor.
There is now a full-service sportsbook in Windsor, Ontario called Caesars Sportsbook. The first bet was made by NHL Hall of Fame goalie Grant Fuhr on January 11, 2023.
Great Canadian Entertainment said on October 28, 2022, that 10 of its casinos had started taking bets on sports in person. Full-fledged sportsbook rooms opened at the Great Blue Heron Casino and Hotel, the Shorelines Casino Belleville, and the Elements Casino Brantford.
The AGCO said on October 4, 2022, that operators in the grey market who wanted to join Ontario's regulated market would have to shut down on October 31, 2022, if they hadn't signed operating agreements with iGaming Ontario.
DraftKings, a giant in the business, opened its online gaming and sportsbook on May 18, 2022. Before, on November 4, 2021, the sportsbook became an official partner of the NBA in Canada along with FanDuel.
Third-party operators run all internet gambling for iGaming Ontario, which is a branch of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
Is it okay to bet on sports in Prince Edward Island?
On August 27, 2021, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) made it legal to bet on a single game of sports in P.E.I.
It is controlled by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) in Prince Edward Island. People who live in P.E.I. can bet online with Pro•Line Stadium or in person at an ALC store.
On Prince Edward Island, there are two casinos, Red Shores Charlottetown and Red Shores Summerside. These could be great places for future retail betting, but there aren't any yet.
P.E.I. sports bettors can only use offshore gaming sites besides Pro•Line. These bookies have licenses to work in other places, which means they can also work in Canada.
Is it okay to bet on sports in Quebec?
People in Quebec (see this page for Québec for the English version) can bet on single games online with Mise-o-jeu+ and in stores with Mise-o-jeu, which is Loto-Quebec's sports betting app, since August 27, 2021.
Mise-o-jeu lets people in Quebec bet on single games both online and in person. You can bet online at the Mise-o-jeu+ website or app, or you can place bets in person at certain places across the state. Mise-o-jeu also lets you bet live, which isn't common at Canadian sportsbooks. Québec does not have any brick-and-mortar bookies. But the state does have a few casinos, like the aptly named Casino de Montréal in Montreal, that might be able to offer sports betting in the future.
Single-game sports betting is now legal in La Belle Province, but most of the betting will still happen at bookies outside of Canada.
Can people in Saskatchewan bet on sports?
the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) said that PlayNow.com was live in Saskatchewan on November 3, 2022.
On November 1, 2021, Western Canada Lottery Corporation quietly added single-game sports betting through a new-look app called Sport Select. People in Saskatchewan can now bet on a single sports event, but all picks must still be confirmed in person at a participating store.
Bettors on sports in Saskatchewan can only use PlayNow.com to bet on sports online and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation's (WCLC) Sport Select app to bet in person. People in Saskatchewan who want to bet on sports without a computer can do so at WCLC retail locations like gas stations and convenience shops. Of course, Saskatchewanians can bet online at any of the best offshore casinos that are legal in Canada, just like everyone else in the country.
There are nine casinos in the Land of the Living Skies, but none of them have their own bookies. Seven of the casinos are owned and run by SIGA. Should SIGA decide to open stores in the future, they will be able to choose from many brick-and-mortar stores.
The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) and the British Columbia Lottery Corp. (BCLC) made a deal on June 6, 2022, so players in the province will be able to use PlayNow.com. Adding PlayNow will help make more legal sports betting possible in Saskatchewan.
On September 23, 2021, SIGA said that they would be launching a new gaming website and app in 2022 that would allow people to bet on single games of sports online. The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority will give the new app five years of market protection. This means that no other sports betting sites will be able to enter the SK market until at least 2027.
Can people in the Northwest Territories bet on sports?
In the Northwest Territories, you can now bet on a single game of sports. You can now bet on the outcome of a single event with Sport Select as of November 1, 2021. People in the Northwest are still waiting for fully online gaming, though.
It is allowed to bet on sports in the Northwest Territories. They use the same Sport Select platform as Alberta, Manitoba, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. Northwesters can bet at gas stations, convenience shops, and other participating stores, but they can't bet online with Sports Select.
As expected, the NWT does not have any brick-and-mortar casinos. People in the north who want to bet on sports can also do so with legal overseas sportsbooks. These websites let you bet in a less limited way, and they let you place more bets at more reasonable prices.
Is it okay to bet on sports in Nunavut?
WCL launched a new version of Sport Select on November 1, 2021. People in Nunavut can now use the app to bet on single games at local stores. People in the area can make their tickets online, get a QR code, and then check their choices in person.
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) is in charge of Sport Select, the only platform that works in Nunavut. People who bet in Nunavut are limited in the same ways that people in other provinces and territories are. Since there are no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks or online betting choices, people can only place bets in person at a few stores.
Offshore bookies are the best option for people in Nunavut who want to bet on sports. You can place much better bets online with these approved operators.
Is it okay to bet on sports in Yukon?
Single-game sports betting came to the Land of the Midnight Sun on November 1, 2021, which was good news for people who bet on sports. Residents can now use Sport Select to place bets on single events at stores that participate.
Putting money on sports in Yukon is allowed, and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation oversees it. The WCLC doesn't offer any other legal online sports betting options, so Sport Select is the only one you can use for offline betting. Yukoners can do study and make their picks online, but they have to make all of their bets at a certain WCLC store.
Offshore bookies are still the only way for people in Yukon to bet on sports online. People can bet on a single game on these websites, and they don't put many restrictions on their users.
A gaming organization in Quebec signs a deal to work with GeoComply.
Together, the QOGC and GeoComply will use collected data to get a picture of Canada's new game market.
Even though a legislative officer has concerns and suggestions, Canada's most populous province is moving forward with its preferred method for online sports betting and online casino gambling.
Canada's safest sports betting sites for 2023
It is legal for Canadians to bet with offshore sportsbooks, but to have the safest online sports betting experience possible, you should only use officially approved sites. Betting on offshore sites could put your personal and financial information at risk.
Covers's team has spent hours trying and studying each sportsbook to make sure that Canadians who bet online have the best experience possible.
From 2023 to now, these are the five most reliable casinos in Canada:
1. Sports Interaction
Canadians who bet on sports can feel safe using Sports Interaction. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission in Canada has given the online service a license. It is also known as SIA. There are good odds to bet at Sports Interaction, as well as many ways to bet and bonuses for new users that you can get even without a Sports Interaction promo code. They are at the top of our list of the best sportsbooks in Canada because they have great customer service and safe payments.
2. BetVictor
BetVictor is a trusted casino on both sides of the Atlantic, and it has also become one of the best options for sports bettors in Canada. BetVictor has a mobile app that lets you bet while you're on the go. They also have great welcome bonuses for new customers that don't need a BetVictor promo code, and payments are free and safe. BetVictor's main office is in Gibraltar, and the Government of Gibraltar and the UK Gambling Commission have given the company licenses.
3. Betway
Betway's mobile app is one of the best ones you can get in Canada. This, along with its loyalty program, bonus deals, and live chat feature, makes it a good choice for Canadians who like to bet on sports. Betway is a well-known internet sportsbook that has licenses from both the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gaming Commission.
4. bet365
For more than 20 years, bet365 has been the world's best place to bet on sports online. The platform is based in the UK and has a mobile app, a full library of bet types, and big welcome bonuses for new Canadian bettors. There are licenses and rules for bet365 from both the Malta Gaming Authority and the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.
5. Pinnacle
Canadians who bet on sports can get some of the best chances at Pinnacle right now. The online sportsbook has a low-margin, no-frills business plan that lets it offer good odds and quick withdrawals. Pinnacle also has a lot of banking choices, great customer service, and good coverage of the major leagues. Pinnacle is still one of the best places to bet on sports in Canada. It has licenses from both Curacao and Malta.