Online Gambling in British Columbia

British Columbia is renowned for its natural beauty, with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and seven National Parks within its borders. But did you know that BC also has 35 land-based casinos and a ton of online gambling opportunities?

Thanks to BC’s official gambling site, PlayNow.com, adults in Canada’s third-largest province have been gambling online for the best part of two decades. Nowadays, the best Canadian gambling sites are also accessible to British Columbians.

It goes without saying that our recommended Canadian gambling sites are ideal for BC residents. Not only do they boast first-rate safety and security, but they also offer generous bonuses and promotions, reliable banking options, and speedy payouts. While PlayNow.com is the province-sponsored site, there are plenty of other legal sites you can use that typically have more gambling options.

We created this page to focus solely on gambling in British Columbia rather than Canada as a whole. All of Canada’s provinces and territories have their own rules, regulations, and trends when it comes to gambling, so it’s important to differentiate.

What better way to start than by examining online gambling in BC?

As long as they are licensed within the country, online casinos and sportsbooks are legal in Canada. That means British Columbians can play their favorite casino games and bet on their favorite sports via the internet.

That said, each province and territory in Canada has its own laws regarding online gambling. While Sports Interaction is the national gambling website, many regions have their own sites governed by their own regulators.

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is a major player in the BC gambling industry. In addition to providing legal online gambling to British Columbians, the BCLC operates land-based casinos, lotteries, and other forms of gambling.

Meanwhile, the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) regulates all forms of gambling in British Columbia. The GPEB ensures the integrity of gambling companies and is responsible for investigating any allegations of wrongdoing.

Unlike Play Alberta in the neighboring province, British Columbia’s PlayNow has a variety of banking methods to choose from. While many province-run gambling sites have limited options, PlayNow allows you to use Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Interac, and other payment platforms.

Ultimately, online gambling in Canada is legal – meaning BC residents can wager on both casino games and sports on the internet. Still, you should always check the laws in your province or territory if you’re unsure about anything.

Be sure to follow the link below if you want to learn more about Canada’s gambling laws and online gambling legislation. You will find a section dedicated to British Columbia on that page.

British Columbia’s first brick-and-mortar casino – Treasure Cove Casino & Hotel – opened its doors in 1986. The following year, Billy Barker Casino Hotel became the second land-based casino in the province.

Since then, casinos, bingo halls, and other gambling venues have continued to open across BC. Let’s go over some of the need-to-know facts about land-based gambling in British Columbia.

Not only can British Columbians make use of the top Canadian online casinos, but they can also take advantage of 35 brick-and-mortar casinos. With more than 13,500 slots and 450 table games on offer, there is no shortage of land-based gambling options in BC.

But what about British Columbia’s mobile gambling options? The following section covers all of the unique mobile gambling opportunities for residents of BC.

In recent years, the British Columbia online gambling scene has been enhanced by the introduction of several high-quality apps. These apps enable BC residents to gamble via their smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.

Notably, PlayNow.com has a dedicated mobile app for its poker members. The app is available to Android, iOS, and Windows users and allows players to participate in real money poker games, search for specific tables, and set limits.

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation has a downloadable app, too. The BCLC Lotto! app enables you to enter lottery contests, check tickets, and more. The app’s ticket scanner works for the following games:

It is also worth noting that British Columbians can access all of the best Canadian sports betting sites and casinos on mobile. If one of our recommendations doesn’t have a native app, they will have a mobile-optimized website that will work seamlessly on your smartphone or tablet. Both native apps and mobile-optimized sites offer the same gambling options, banking methods, bonuses, and overall experience.

As of March 31, 2022, there were approximately 811,000 British Columbians registered to play on PlayNow.com. The province’s estimated population is 5.3 million, meaning around 15% of the population is signed up to PlayNow.

Many PlayNow.com customers use the site to play online casino games like blackjack, slots, roulette, and baccarat. Meanwhile, other gamblers use the site to wager on BC’s nine professional sports teams – and many other sports around the world.

Here are the professional sports teams in British Columbia that you can bet on.

The Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League are the most popular sports team in British Columbia. The province has a Major League Soccer side, too, in addition to teams across other leagues and sports.

There are also facts and figures that highlight the popularity of lottery games in BC. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation sold a record 102 million tickets in 2021, with more than $891 million in total prizes paid out.

British Columbians are fortunate to live in a region that boasts multiple responsible gambling organizations. Residents of BC can take advantage of several programs if they require any help or guidance when it comes to gambling.

The BC Government has a couple of useful resources available, while the British Columbia Lottery Corporation also has a responsible gambling program. You can even exclude yourself from the province’s official gambling site!

Here are the leading responsible gambling resources for BC residents:

Seen as a form of entertainment by millions around the world, gambling is supposed to be fun. But if you find yourself struggling with any aspect of gambling, don’t hesitate to contact the helpful organizations in British Columbia.