Canadian Online Casino News – New Canadian licensed online casinos pop up outside Ontario

The latest Canadian Online Casino News covering new online casino zones in Canada’s provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Saskatchewan! (Image by Andrea Piacquadio at pexels.com)

In Canada, it seems the Ontario licensing has sparked a frenzy of provincial licensing authorities to try out something similar to the current Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) provincial licensing.

In this latest episode of Canadian online casino news, there are now three provinces in Canada jumping on the bandwagon already bringing localised (or provincialized) licensing for online gambling platforms to their citizens, while Ontario is seeking to increase its online gaming options with land-based venues joining the online gig!

Nova Scotia’s finance minister’s wish has come true after his busy evaluation of the possibility of launching an online casino and sports betting platform came to life. Furthermore, New Brunswick also has an online gambling platform that recently launched. Both these provinces originally operated under the same regulatory authority which is the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC), but Nova Scotia now has a provincial authority in place.

And there’s more. In the province of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) has pioneered a brand-new iGaming and betting site that boasts over CAD 31.8 million in revenue after just two months in action.

Since the legalization of online gambling in Canada in 2014, the Canadian iGaming industry has experienced significant growth. With over 100 operators, the sector generates over CAD$1 billion in annual revenue, making it one of the largest gaming markets in North America. Although the Canadian gambling market is currently dominated by lottery and sports betting, there are opportunities for expansion in online casinos for land-based casinos in Ontario.

Another success story is Ontario’s 71% gambling revenue increase from sports betting showing just how successful and how much potential there is in the country. One thing the government will certainly be happy with is reducing the outflow of revenue to overseas gambling platforms.

New Brunswick Opens a New Online Casino

Atlantic Lotto successfully launched an online casino for New Brunswick residents, offering entertainment options such as slots and table games. Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) is a government-owned organization that operates lottery games in four Atlantic provinces of Canada. Atlantic Lotto is a significant part of the gaming industry in New Brunswick and the other Atlantic provinces, generating revenue for the government while also contributing to various charitable causes and initiatives in the region.

Now the organization has launched a new online gambling platform under the name Atlantic Lotto directly on the Atlantic Lottery Corporation’s website. The platform is available only to residents of New Brunswick at this time.

Nova Scotia Province Online Gambling a Reality

Nova Scotia now has an online casino and spots book in operation after following the advice of its finance minister who came into the gambling headlines in the region after he evaluated the possibility of bringing such an operation to the province. At the time he said the launch could bring in considerable revenue increases through taxes on gambling activities, creating opportunities for local businesses. However, a robust regulatory framework would be needed to ensure responsible gaming practices are followed. The province already has the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC), but also has its own licensing authority, but also has its own framework in place.

Currently, online gambling is allowed in the province, which is regulated by the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation. The Corporation has already has a website called Play Online, which offers online gaming options for residents of the province, such as casino games, sports betting, and lottery games.

First Saskatchewan Regulated Online Gambling Platform Generates 31.8 CAD in 2 Months!

According to recent reports, PlayNow, Saskatchewan first and only online gambling platform recorded gross gambling revenue (GGR) of CAD 31.8 million in its first two months in action. The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) launched PlayNow.com in November 2021, the province’s first regulated website for online casino games and single-event sports betting.

The site had over 8,000 registered users by December, just a month after its launch. Experts in the online gambling industry expressed surprise at the significant revenue generated in what is being dubbed as the platform’s ‘honeymoon period’, which typically experiences a ‘prohibition effect’ due to market regulation. For those not happy about these figures, there is a silver lining to their dark cloud. Fifty percent of any profits made will go directly to the First Nations Communities and the other fifty percent to the Saskatchewan government, which will then go into the fiscal budget to improve the province.

PlayNow provides a safer alternative to offshore gambling websites by adhering to provincial and federal regulatory standards, and it has a health platform that offers support from player health specialists 24/7 through live chat or phone call.

The Rise of a New iGaming Power!

It is clear that Canada is now becoming a significant global contributor to the iGaming industry, with technology solution providers driving expansion. For example, award-winning platform Rootz entered Ontario iGaming and we also recently reported on Conquestador Casino joining the Ontario market. And outside of the Ontario iGaming scene, Atlantic Lotto and PlayNow’s success stories show that vast opportunities are available within Canada’s overall iGaming industry, be it through existing land-based venues or new jurisdictions opening like in Nova Scotia. This growth shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Online casinos in Canada continue to expand, offering more options for players and additional sources of income through taxation and fees collected from operators.