Online in BC
Online casinos in BC, explained
In British Columbia, the province runs the only legal online casino site, PlayNow.com, through BCLC. This page sets out what that rule means and where the paid link on this site's home page fits.
The rule in BC
In B.C., gambling is legal only when the provincial government runs it. BCLC manages all commercial gambling for the government, casinos and online play included. Online, that leaves one legal site: PlayNow.com, run by BCLC.
April 13, 2026: the Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO) began regulating all gambling in BC. It replaced the former provincial regulator, and the Gaming Control Act came into force the same day. August 28, 2026: the IGCO said PlayNow.com is the only regulated commercial online gambling website permitted to operate in BC. Every other online gambling website that lets BC players in, it said, operates illegally in the province. The IGCO advises the public to play only on PlayNow.com.
Age is a separate rule: 19 or older, for online gambling as for casinos, lottery tickets and charitable events.
Other provinces, and what comes next
Mid-July 2026: Alberta opened a regulated private online gambling market. It was the second province to do so; Ontario was the first. In British Columbia, no such market has been announced.
June 2026: the Independent Gambling Control Office said it will seek amendments to the Gaming Control Act. The stated aim is to reduce the presence and impacts of unregulated online gambling operators in the province.
The paid link on this site
This site is an independent guide, not a casino. It takes no bets and has no accounts. Its home page carries paid links marked Ad: one in the menu, one just below the first screen and one near the end. All three lead to the same online casino partner. Inner pages, this one included, carry no paid links.
That partner is a private online casino. It is not PlayNow, and it is not run or licensed by the province. It has no connection with BCLC, the IGCO or any casino in this guide. A BC resident who plays there has none of the provincial protections. PlayNow limits do not apply, a Game Break agreement does not cover the site, and complaints cannot go to the IGCO.
The site earns a commission on those links, and the partner can change.
Questions
Is online casino play legal in BC?
Only on PlayNow.com, which BCLC runs. On August 28, 2026, the IGCO said all other online gambling websites that let BC players in operate illegally in the province.
Does Game Break cover other online sites?
A Game Break agreement covers entering and playing at BC gaming facilities and playing on PlayNow.com. Other online sites fall outside it.
Is this site's partner licensed in BC?
The partner is not licensed by the province. It is a private online casino, not run by the province, and it is not PlayNow.