The History of Gambling in Canada

Gambling in Canada travelled a long road from near-total prohibition to a legal, multi-billion-dollar activity run by the provinces. In 1892 the country’s first Criminal Code banned almost every form of betting; today Canadians can play in licensed casinos, buy lottery tickets and wager on sports in every province and territory. This page is the overview hub for that story — a plain-language tour from the Victorian-era ban through a series of Criminal Code amendments to the first legal casinos. It is part of the wider Casinos of Canada reference and hands off to more detailed pages on the legislative timeline, the first casinos, and the history of lotteries and horse racing.

Gambling in Canada before 1892

Games of chance existed in what is now Canada long before any statute addressed them. Indigenous nations played dice and guessing games for social, ceremonial and wagering purposes for centuries. European settlers brought card games, dice and informal betting, and by the 1800s horse racing and lotteries were common features of colonial life. Several pre-Confederation lotteries even helped raise money for public works and churches.

There was no single national rule because criminal law was fragmented across the colonies. That changed after Confederation in 1867, when Parliament gained authority over criminal law and began working toward one uniform code for the whole country.

Why gambling was banned: the 1892 Criminal Code

Canada’s first Criminal Code, enacted in 1892, made almost all forms of gambling illegal. The new code reflected the Victorian moral climate of the young Dominion, in which organised betting was widely viewed as a vice that bred crime, idleness and poverty. In practice the ban covered common gaming houses, bookmaking, most lotteries and public betting.

The prohibition was sweeping but never absolute. Within a few years Parliament began carving out narrow exceptions, and those exceptions — not a single repeal — are what gradually reopened gambling in Canada over the following century.

How the ban was chipped away: the key amendments

Rather than lifting the 1892 ban all at once, Parliament amended the Criminal Code repeatedly, each time permitting one more tightly controlled activity. Five amendments stand out.

1900 — Charitable raffles and bingo

The first crack appeared in 1900, when an amendment allowed small raffles and bingo-style games provided the proceeds went to charitable or religious causes. The sums involved were modest and the purpose had to be a recognised good cause, but the principle mattered: gambling could be acceptable if it served the community rather than private profit.

1910 — Pari-mutuel betting on horse racing

In 1910 Parliament legalised pari-mutuel betting on horse racing across Canada. “Pari-mutuel” is a system in which everyone’s bets on a race go into a shared pool and the winnings are paid out from that pool after the track takes a fixed cut, so the odds depend on how the public bets rather than on a bookmaker. This made the racetrack the first place where Canadians could legally and openly wager cash on an event.

1925 — Games of chance at agricultural fairs

A 1925 amendment permitted certain games of chance at agricultural fairs and exhibitions. These were the familiar wheel-of-fortune and midway games tied to annual community events — again a limited, supervised exception rather than a general relaxation of the law.

1969 — Lotteries and the modern turning point

The pivotal change came in 1969, when the Criminal Code was amended to let the federal and provincial governments run lotteries, and to let the provinces license charitable and religious organisations to hold “lottery schemes.” The reform was framed as a way to fund public goods, and the appetite for it was sharpened by the need to pay for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, financed in part through lottery draws in the early 1970s. The 1969 amendment is the moment government-run gambling truly began in Canada.

1985 — The provinces take control

In 1985 the federal government agreed to withdraw from lotteries entirely and amended the Criminal Code to hand the provinces exclusive authority to conduct and manage gaming within their borders. Crucially, the 1985 changes confirmed that a province could run a lottery scheme on a computer, video device or slot machine — the legal basis for video lottery terminals (VLTs, electronic gaming machines found in bars and casinos) and for province-run casinos. In return, the provinces agreed to make payments to Ottawa. This settlement created the provincial-monopoly model that still governs Canadian gambling today.

When did gambling become legal in Canada?

There is no single date on which gambling “became legal” in Canada — it was legalised activity by activity over nearly a century. The clearest turning points are 1969, when governments were first allowed to run lotteries, and 1985, when the provinces were given exclusive control over gaming and could operate casinos and gaming machines. Charitable gambling dates back to 1900, horse-race betting to 1910, and the first permanent government casino opened in 1989. In short, Canada moved from a near-total 1892 ban to a fully regulated, province-run industry between 1969 and the early 1990s.

When did the first casinos open in Canada?

Canada’s first permanent, government-run casino was the Crystal Casino, which opened in Winnipeg’s Hotel Fort Garry in 1989 (some sources date it to 1990). Manitoba operated it as a full continental-style casino, a first for the country.

Quebec followed with the Casino de Montreal in 1993, which remains the largest casino in Canada. Ontario opened its first commercial casino, Casino Windsor, in 1994, and more casinos spread quickly through the mid-1990s as each province used its new 1985 authority. Before these permanent venues, temporary “charity casinos” — short-run tables operated on behalf of non-profits — had already introduced many Canadians to casino-style play.

First Nations gaming in Canada

First Nations gaming became a significant part of the picture in the 1990s. In Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) was incorporated in 1996 and opened a series of casinos that year, including the Bear Claw Casino on the White Bear First Nation — widely described as the first casino in Canada located on reserve land. In Ontario, Casino Rama opened on the Chippewas of Rama First Nation in 1996 and became the largest First Nations casino in the country.

These ventures were negotiated within the provincial framework set by the 1985 Criminal Code amendments, with revenue-sharing arrangements intended to fund employment, services and economic development in First Nations communities.

How gambling is regulated in Canada today

Gambling in Canada is regulated at the provincial and territorial level, not by a single national body. Each province runs or oversees its own lotteries, casinos, gaming machines and — since a 2021 Criminal Code change that legalised single-event sports wagering — sports betting. Provincial Crown corporations such as the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, Loto-Quebec and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation operate much of this activity directly.

The minimum gambling age is 19 in most provinces, but 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. Rules on online gambling, advertising and self-exclusion also vary from one province to the next, which is why the legal picture looks like a patchwork rather than one national system.

The online and single-event sports-betting era

The most recent chapter is digital. For decades the Criminal Code only allowed betting on the outcome of two or more events combined (a “parlay”), which pushed single-game bettors toward unregulated grey-market and offshore sites. That changed with Bill C-218, which came into force on 27 August 2021 and removed the ban on wagering on a single sporting event, letting each province decide how to offer it.

Ontario moved first. On 4 April 2022 it launched a regulated, open online market in which private operators can offer internet casino games and single-event sports betting under provincial oversight — the first arrangement of its kind in Canada. Other provinces have expanded their own government-run online platforms, continuing the long pattern in which Parliament sets the outer limits of the Criminal Code while the provinces decide what is actually offered.

Common misconceptions about Canada’s gambling history

Several myths cloud this story, so it helps to correct them directly.

• “Gambling was always banned until recently.” Charitable raffles have been legal since 1900 and horse-race betting since 1910 — exceptions existed for most of the twentieth century.
• “One law legalised gambling.” There was no single legalisation. A chain of Criminal Code amendments (1900, 1910, 1925, 1969 and 1985) each permitted a specific activity.
• “The federal government runs the casinos and lotteries.” Since 1985 Ottawa has stepped back; the provinces hold exclusive authority over gaming.
• “Casinos have been around for generations.” Canada’s first permanent government casino only opened in 1989 — more recent than many people assume.
• “The gambling age is the same everywhere.” It is 19 in most provinces but 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.

A note on responsible gambling

This page is an informational history and is not gambling advice or encouragement. Gambling in Canada is restricted to adults — 19 and over in most provinces, and 18 and over in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. No historical fact, system or strategy changes the odds of any game, and legal gambling is designed so that the operator keeps an edge over time. If you or someone you know is affected by gambling, free, confidential help is available across Canada through provincial support services and the Responsible Gambling Council.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When did gambling become legal in Canada?

Gambling was legalised gradually, not on one date. Charitable raffles were allowed in 1900 and horse-race betting in 1910, but the modern framework began in 1969, when governments could first run lotteries, and solidified in 1985, when the provinces gained exclusive control over gaming and casinos.

What was the first legal casino in Canada?

The Crystal Casino in Winnipeg’s Hotel Fort Garry, which opened in 1989, is generally recognised as Canada’s first permanent, government-run casino. The Casino de Montreal followed in 1993 and Casino Windsor in Ontario in 1994.

Why was gambling banned in Canada in 1892?

The 1892 Criminal Code reflected Victorian-era moral views that organised betting encouraged crime, idleness and poverty. The ban was broad, but Parliament soon began adding narrow exceptions rather than keeping gambling entirely prohibited.

Who regulates gambling in Canada today?

The provinces and territories regulate and largely operate gambling, through Crown corporations such as the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and Loto-Quebec. There is no single national gambling regulator, which is why rules differ from province to province.

What is the legal gambling age in Canada?

The minimum age is 19 in most provinces, including British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces, but it is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.