British Columbia

British Columbia is one of Canada's most structured provinces with a clear division of roles: GPEB is responsible for regulation and market integrity, and BCLC "runs and manages" all commercial games (lotteries, casinos, online) on behalf of the province. The online game is only legally available through PlayNow, owned and operated by BCLC. The minimum age for participation is 19 +.

Who regulates and who "leads" the market

GPEB (Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch) regulates the entire gaming sector in British Columbia: it ensures the integrity of companies, personnel and equipment, investigates violations and approves the technical suitability of gaming software and devices. BCLC (BC Lottery Corporation) for its part conducts & manages all commercial forms of gambling in the province, including online casinos and PlayNow betting. This model is fixed on the official resources of the province.

Channels and Products

Lotteries: circulation, instant, Keno, etc. managed by BCLC.

Land sites: casino network and community gaming centers (operators under contract with BCLC). According to the industry association, BC has about 20 casinos, 16 CGCs and 1 bingo hall.

Online game: PlayNow. com is the only legal provincial site (lotteries, casinos, poker, betting).

Age and tolerance

In law, a BC "adult" is a person 19 or older, effectively determining the age of access to casinos and online gaming in the province.

Responsible play (Player Health)

BCLC develops the GameSense program: educational materials "how games work," deposit/time limits, self-exclusion and other tools on PlayNow and offline. These practices are built into the customer journey both on the site and in the halls.

Economics and income distribution

The BCLC transfers net income to the provincial budget and shares a portion of the proceeds with host municipalities and First Nations. In 2024/25 Fin. year, BCLC generated $1.408 billion in net revenue for BC; $86.6 million was allocated to host municipalities (usually 10% of the no-income of objects in their jurisdiction). The province also secured a 7% share of net income for First Nations governments.

What is important for the player and content operator to know

Legality of online play in BC = PlayNow. com. Other sites may be available online, but are not provincially licensed and do not return revenue to the BC budget.

The role of the GPEB is to oversee and ensure integrity; BCLC's role is operational product management and allocation of funds to benefit communities.

Responsible game integrated at the level of standards and UX (GameSense, limits, self-exclusion).

Brief chronology and facts

1985 - founding of BCLC (Kamloops HQ; today, BCLC operates lotteries, casinos, and online gaming).

PlayNow is the official online portal of BC (lotteries, casinos, poker, sports).

2023/24-2024/25 - record/high transfers to the budget: over $1.4-1.6 billion in net income for the year (according to BCLC reports).

The BC model rests on the regulator GPEB (rules and control) and the operator BCLC (product supply and return of income to society). The combination of the only legal online PlayNow channel, age 19 + and the GameSense system program makes the BC market understandable for the player and sustainable for the budget. If you are writing or updating materials about BC, refer to the official resources of the province and BCLC reports - up-to-date numbers, site maps and rules are published there.