Canada gambling licence bodies and what they issue
| Body | Region | What it issues or runs | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario | Ontario | Operator registration (per site), gaming-related supplier registration, testing lab registration | iGaming Ontario operator directory |
| iGaming Ontario | Ontario | Operating agreements with registered operators | iGaming Ontario operator directory |
| Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis | Alberta | iGaming registration classes: operator, critical gaming systems provider, platform provider | AGLC register of gaming registrants |
| Alberta iGaming Corporation | Alberta | Commercial agreements after registration | abigaming.ca |
| Independent Gambling Control Office | British Columbia | Gaming worker registration, charitable gaming and horse racing licences; oversees BCLC | IGCO site |
| Liquor, Gaming & Cannabis Authority of Manitoba | Manitoba | Liquor, gaming, cannabis and horse racing licences; PlayNow holds no operating licence | LGCA site |
| Kahnawake Gaming Commission | Kahnawà:ke | Interactive Gaming Licence, Client Provider Authorization, Key Person Licence, software provider and live dealer studio authorizations | List of interactive permit holders |
| Provincial operators | Quebec, Saskatchewan, Atlantic provinces, territories | Run the online platform themselves, so no private operator licence is issued | Loto-Québec, PlayNow, Atlantic Lottery |
What the table means in practice
Registration in Ontario and Alberta is per operator and tied to an agreement with the province's own conducting body, which is why each Ontario operator has two relationships. In provinces where the government runs the platform, private operators are not licensed at all: Manitoba's PlayNow, for instance, is run by the province itself, because the Criminal Code lets a province conduct and manage gambling itself.
The Kahnawake licence is the one that does not tie into a province. The Kahnawake page covers what the Commission says it licenses.
Foreign licences
A licence from another country, such as Malta or Curaçao, comes from an authority outside Canada and sits outside the table. A casino relying on one appears in the Ontario directory or the Alberta register only if it has also registered there.