PlayNow.com, run by BCLC, is the only legal BC online casino: the provincial government describes it as the only legal online gambling site in B.C. You must be 19+, a BC resident and physically in the province to play. British Columbia has no private licensing system, so any other casino online in BC is an offshore site without a provincial licence.
Who regulates online gambling in British Columbia
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) operates gaming on the province’s behalf, including PlayNow. The Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) of the provincial government acts as the regulator, according to the government’s gambling pages. The structure follows the Criminal Code: only a province may conduct and manage lottery schemes, and games played on a computer or video device, which covers online slots and casino tables, are reserved for the province itself. BC has chosen not to license private online operators the way Ontario and Alberta have.
What PlayNow.com covers
PlayNow went online in 2004, then added casino games in 2010 and poker in 2011, according to published histories of the site. It now covers lottery, casino, sports betting through PlayNow Sports with single-event bets, poker and bingo. The bingo rooms auto-daub numbers unless you switch to manual, play continues until a full card wins, and a game needs at least two players or it is cancelled and refunded. The same platform serves Manitoba and Saskatchewan through their own crown corporations, but the BC version only takes players located in BC.
On poker, industry reports say PlayNow and Loto-Quebec’s online room share a player pool; the sources disagree on dates, so treat that as reported rather than confirmed. Our PlayNow review explains what we could and could not verify about payments and apps, since the PlayNow site could not be reached during our research.
Visit PlayNow19+ (18+ in AB, MB, QC). Terms apply.
Slots and crypto casinos: what BC searches turn up
Searches for BC slots or a BC casino usually lead either to PlayNow’s slot lobby or to land-based casinos operated under BCLC. The games are made by studios that set the return to player and features; a game’s own information screen is the place to read them, and our slots section explains RTP and volatility in plain terms. A BC crypto casino is, by definition, offshore: PlayNow is the only legal online site, and we have no record of it accepting cryptocurrency.
Offshore brands BC players ask about
International casinos that accept British Columbians hold no BC licence and have no role in the provincial system. Readers ask us about three of them in particular, listed below next to PlayNow. Our research found a Malta Gaming Authority licence for each; none is licensed by any province, and all three sit in our caution band.
| # | Operator | Score | Standing | Regulator | Interac | In your province |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  PlayNow | 82 Recommended | Provincial site | BCLC | Not stated | - |
| 2 |  Caxino | 54 Caution | Offshore (no provincial licence) | Malta Gaming Authority | Yes | - |
| 3 |  Wildz Casino | 54 Caution | Offshore (no provincial licence) | Malta Gaming Authority | Not stated | - |
| 4 |  LVbet | 53 Caution | Offshore (no provincial licence) | Malta Gaming Authority | Yes | - |
The practical gap is protection. GPEB rules, Game Break self-exclusion and provincial complaint handling do not apply to an offshore site, and a dispute over a withheld withdrawal goes to a foreign regulator, if anywhere. Whether a BC resident breaks any law by playing there has never been tested in a definitive ruling, and we do not claim it is a crime for the player. Some groups also hold permits from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which is not a provincial regulator; the Kahnawake guide sets out why.
Lotto Max and 6/49 tickets in BC
PlayNow lists lottery among its products, and BCLC also sells tickets through retailers. Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49 and Daily Grand are national draws shared across Canada, so the winning numbers are the same in every region, but add-on games differ by lottery corporation. We could not confirm BCLC’s add-on rules from its own site. Recent national results are collected in our lottery section; confirm any ticket with BCLC or a retailer before you assume a win.
Game Break and free help in BC
Game Break is BCLC’s voluntary self-exclusion programme. It covers PlayNow.com and BCLC’s lottery app, so a single sign-up blocks both. Gambling Support BC runs a free, toll-free line at 1-888-795-6111, open 24 hours a day, with counselling at no cost. Limits on deposits and time are easier to set before a session than during one; our responsible gambling page explains how they work.
Is online gambling in BC likely to change?
We found no announced plan for a private online market in British Columbia as of October 2026. Ontario opened in 2022 and Alberta in July 2026, and both kept their crown site running beside private brands. If BC moves in the same direction, the change will need provincial legislation and a public list of authorised operators, and we will update this page when that happens. Until then, PlayNow is the only option covered by BC rules.
Questions readers ask
- Is there a legal online casino in British Columbia?
Yes, through PlayNow.com, which BCLC runs for the province. The BC government describes it as the only legal online gambling site in B.C.
- Is PlayNow open to 18-year-olds in BC?
No. PlayNow players in BC must be 19 or older, and they also have to be BC residents and physically located in British Columbia while they play.
- Can I play at an offshore casino from BC?
Many offshore sites accept BC players, but none holds a BC licence. Provincial rules, Game Break and BC complaint routes do not cover them, so you rely on a foreign regulator if something goes wrong.
- Does PlayNow have sports betting?
Yes. PlayNow Sports is BCLC's online sportsbook and includes single-event bets, which became legal in Canada in August 2021.