Online casinos in British Columbia

British Columbia runs a provincial monopoly online: one official site, run by the province's lottery corporation. If you live in B.C. and want to play online casino games under provincial rules, that site is PlayNow. This guide explains how it works, the protections attached to it and what changes at casinos licensed outside Canada. It is part of our online gambling law guide.

PlayNow: the provincial site

The Government of British Columbia describes BCLC's PlayNow.com as the only legal online gambling site in the province, a position that rests on Criminal Code section 207, which gives provinces control over online casino games. PlayNow describes itself as available exclusively to players located in B.C. It offers slots, table games, live dealer games, bingo, keno, lottery and sports betting.

Two product details from PlayNow's own pages:

• Bingo. Rooms include Moonlight Diamonds, Suite 75, Stardust and Coast to Coast; Suite 75 and Coast to Coast use the traditional 75-ball format. The online bingo guide explains the formats.
• Keno. Pick up to 10 of 80 numbers, with 20 drawn per game.

How big PlayNow is

BCLC's annual report breaks out its iGaming business:

The same report says competition from sites operating illegally in B.C. affected PlayNow's growth, and that advertising for Ontario-licensed brands pushes B.C. players toward international sites of the same brand.

Who regulates

The Independent Gambling Control Office has replaced the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch as B.C.'s gambling regulator. BCLC operates; the regulator oversees.

Age

You must be 19 or older to gamble in B.C., online included.

Paying in and out at PlayNow

PlayNow's deposit page lists debit cards, credit cards (which your card issuer may treat as a cash advance), Interac e-Transfer, PayPal, prepaid web cash vouchers and online bill payment. BCLC's annual report notes that prepaid credit cards were removed as a deposit method in 2024/25. The Interac casinos guide explains how e-Transfer works at casinos generally.

Self-exclusion: Game Break

BCLC's Game Break program lets you exclude yourself for six months, one, two or three years. It covers B.C. casinos, community gaming centres, bingo halls and PlayNow.com. It is free and cannot be cancelled early. GameSense, BCLC's responsible gambling program, runs alongside it.

GameSense

GameSense is BCLC's responsible gambling program. In B.C. casinos it is staffed by GameSense Advisors, and online it shows up as information on how games work, the odds of winning and how to keep play within a budget. PlayNow account tools let you set limits on deposits and play; check the account settings after you register, before your first deposit. GameSense is also used on PlayNow in Manitoba.

Why B.C. sees offshore offers here

B.C. has no open market, so offshore casinos are outside the provincial system rather than replaced by registered alternatives, as in Ontario and Alberta. BigBadBonus.com shows offers from casinos licensed outside Canada to B.C. visitors, with each casino's licence stated on its review. That is not a statement that they are authorised in B.C.; they are not. It is a comparison of their terms for readers who choose to play there. If you prefer the provincial route, PlayNow is the site.

Help in B.C.

Offshore casinos and B.C. players

Casinos licensed outside Canada, by bodies such as the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, the Curaçao Gaming Authority or the Malta Gaming Authority, accept players from B.C. BigBadBonus.com lists some of them for players outside Ontario and Alberta. Before choosing one, understand what changes:

• No provincial authorisation. Their licences do not make them authorised in B.C.
• No Game Break coverage. Provincial self-exclusion does not reach them. Use their own deposit limits and self-exclusion, and consider device-level blocking software.
• Different complaint route. Disputes go to the casino, then to its licensing body. The casino licences guide explains each route.
• Bonuses with wagering. Offshore welcome offers are larger than provincial promotions and come with playthrough; see the wagering requirements guide and the wagering calculator.

Same brand, different provinces

B.C. players see a lot of advertising for casino brands that are registered in Ontario. BCLC's own annual report makes the point that such advertising sends B.C. players toward international sites of the same brand. Those international sites are not the Ontario-registered sites: the terms, bonuses, licence and complaint route are all different. If an ad mentions Ontario regulation, that protection does not travel with you to the international version. Check the footer of the site you actually land on.

PlayNow vs an offshore casino

If you choose an offshore site

Check the licence, verify your account early, use Interac e-Transfer or another method that also pays out, and set limits before your first deposit. The casino withdrawals guide covers the cash-out process, and the responsible gambling tools guide lists the tools to set. We never explain how to get around a casino's location or identity checks.

Neighbouring provinces with similar set-ups: Manitoba, which runs PlayNow on BCLC's platform, and Saskatchewan, covered in the main law guide. Alberta has moved to a regulated open market.