In Ontario for example, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation or OLG was established, while in British Columbia, gaming is provided by or through the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (“BCLC”) and in Quebec, primarily by Loto-Quebec. In response to being granted the right to conduct and manage gaming, most provinces established separate government entities (typically referred to as Lottery Corporations), the sole function of which was the conduct and management of gaming in that province.
That restriction was finally lifted in 2021. The other major restriction was that no one, not even a provincial government, could take bets on single games and were thus restricted to offering parlay betting. There are only a few restrictions on their right to do so: for example, horse-racing and betting on horse-racing are addressed separately in the Code and the provinces are prohibited from entering that arena. Section 207 of the Code, however, makes an exception for provincial governments who are permitted to “conduct and manage” gaming within their own province. All forms of gaming are generally prohibited by Canada’s federal Criminal Code (the “Code”).
