Online in BC
BC and online casinos
Online gambling in British Columbia is run by the province, through BCLC and its site PlayNow.com. The paid link on this site's home page, marked Ad, leads somewhere else: to a private online casino partner.
How the rules work
In British Columbia, gambling is legal only when the provincial government runs it. BCLC, a Crown corporation, runs all commercial gambling in the province, online included. PlayNow.com, run by BCLC, is the only legal online gambling site in B.C. The minimum gambling age is 19, and it applies to casinos and to online gambling alike.
Since April 13, 2026, the provincial regulator has been the Independent Gambling Control Office, or IGCO. On August 28, 2026, the IGCO stated that PlayNow.com is the only regulated commercial online gambling site permitted to operate in BC. The same statement said other online gambling sites accepting BC players operate illegally in BC.
For a player in British Columbia, that leaves one legal online option: PlayNow.com, run by BCLC. No licensed private online market has been announced for the province, and BCLC's February 2026 service plan assumes a continued closed online market.
The paid link on the home page
Only the home page of this site carries paid links, each marked Ad. One sits in the menu, one in a block just below the first screen and one near the end of the page. All three lead to the same private online casino partner. That partner is not PlayNow.com and is not run or licensed by the province. The site earns a commission from it, and the partner can change.
BCLC's GameBreak self-exclusion program does not cover private online sites. A person enrolled in GameBreak is excluded from casinos, community gaming centres and PlayNow.com, but not from the partner behind that link. The link is advertising, not a recommendation.
Questions
Is online casino play legal in BC?
Only on PlayNow.com, which BCLC runs. In British Columbia, gambling is legal only when the provincial government runs it, and PlayNow.com is the only legal online gambling site in B.C.
How old do you need to be?
The minimum gambling age in BC is 19. It applies to casinos and to online gambling.
Who is the gambling regulator in BC?
The Independent Gambling Control Office, or IGCO, has been the provincial regulator since April 13, 2026. BCLC, a Crown corporation, runs all commercial gambling, including online.