What Happened

British Columbia operates through the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), a Crown corporation that is the sole entity authorized to offer online gambling services to BC residents. The PlayNow.com platform, operated by BCLC, offers sports betting, online casino games, and lottery products. Private iGaming operators are not licensed in BC, and residents using offshore platforms are outside the regulated framework.

Why It Matters

BC has one of Canada’s largest populations and is home to a significant gambling market. The Crown monopoly model means that all authorized online gambling revenue flows through BCLC to the province. The trade-off, as critics of the model argue, is that the product range and user experience on Crown platforms may lag behind competitive alternatives, potentially driving consumers to offshore sites.

BCLC’s approach has included ongoing investment in PlayNow, including mobile apps and expanded sports betting offerings following the 2021 federal Criminal Code amendment. The BCLC also administers the province’s self-exclusion program, GameSense responsible gambling program, and retailer training.

The offshore question: BC residents who use offshore gambling platforms are not protected by BC’s regulatory framework and have no consumer complaint mechanism. The scale of this offshore activity is difficult to measure precisely; estimates vary and methodologies differ.

Policy discussions: BC has not publicly committed to following Ontario’s competitive model. The province has commissioned reports and held discussions about gambling modernization but has not announced structural changes. The BC government receives gambling revenue as part of BCLC’s remittances, which fund public services.

What’s Next

Pressure from industry, comparisons with Ontario’s revenue performance, and the ongoing reality of offshore competition are factors that BC policymakers are reportedly monitoring. No formal announcement of regulatory reform has been made.

Sources