By Ralph Edger

January 30th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

 

If you play online casino games in Canada, you’ve probably wondered who actually regulates these sites. You might assume there’s a single national license that covers the whole country. In reality, the system is more layered than that. 

Canada uses a mix of federal law and provincial control. Understanding how those two levels work together helps you make better decisions about where you play, how safe your money is and how much trust you can place in casino bonuses and promotions. So let’s take a closer look at the difference between federal and provincial rules.

At a high level, Canada does not issue a single national online casino license. Instead, the federal government sets the legal boundaries for gambling, while provinces decide how online casinos are actually operated and regulated. This means a casino can be legal in one province, restricted in another, or operating offshore without a Canadian license at all. Understanding this structure is essential before choosing where to play.

Why licensing matters for Canadian players

Licensing is not just a technical detail. It affects your experience in real ways. A licensed casino must follow rules around fairness, responsible gambling and how player funds are handled. It also determines whether a site has clear bonus terms, reliable withdrawals and a proper complaints process. In Canada, knowing who licenses a casino helps you understand what protections you actually have when you sign up.

The Federal role in setting up the legal framework

At the federal level, gambling is governed by the Criminal Code of Canada. This is where the foundation is set, but it’s important to understand what the federal government does and does not do.

The federal government does not issue online casino licenses. Instead, it defines who is legally allowed to offer gambling services in the first place. Under the Criminal Code, only provincial governments are permitted to conduct and manage gambling. This includes lotteries, land-based casinos and online gambling platforms.

It is also important to note that Canadian federal law does not criminalize individual players for gambling online. The Criminal Code focuses on who is permitted to offer gambling services, not on players who choose to participate. This distinction explains why Canadians can legally access a wide range of online casinos, including those licensed outside the country.

Provincial authority is where licensing actually happens

This is where things get more practical for players. Each province has the authority to decide how online gambling is offered within its borders. Some provinces run their own platforms. Others go further and allow private companies to operate under provincial oversight. Because of this, licensing can look very different depending on where you live in Canada.

In general, provinces can:

• Operate their own online casino platforms
• Set standards for responsible gambling
• Decide whether private operators are allowed
• Enforce rules around advertising and promotions

A fully regulated open market in Ontario

Ontario is the clearest example of a modern, regulated online casino market in Canada. Rather than limiting online gambling to a single government-run site, Ontario allows private operators to offer online casinos and sportsbooks, as long as they meet strict regulatory standards.

This system is overseen by iGaming Ontario, which manages the market, and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which handles registration, compliance and enforcement.

For players, this has real benefits:

• Licensed casinos must meet Canadian standards for fairness and security
• Players’ funds must be properly protected
• Bonus terms must be clear and not misleading
• Operators are subject to audits and ongoing oversight

This model also benefits the province itself, as regulated private operators generate tax revenue and market fees that are reinvested into public services like education and healthcare, as well as responsible gambling programs. If a casino is registered in Ontario, it’s legally operating within the province and accountable to local regulators.

Other provinces with government-run platforms

For example, British Columbia operates online gambling through PlayNow, managed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. Quebec offers online casino games via Loto-Québec, while Alberta operates PlayAlberta under the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Atlantic provinces participate through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, which serves multiple provinces under a shared framework.

Outside Ontario, most provinces take a more centralized approach. Instead of licensing private online casinos, they operate gambling through Crown Corporations or provincial lottery agencies. These platforms are legal, regulated and designed to keep gambling revenue within the province.

Examples include provincially run sites in British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta and the Atlantic provinces. While most of these provinces still operate government-managed platforms, Alberta has recently advanced a regulatory framework that will allow private online casino and sportsbook operators to register and compete under provincial rules, and Ontario’s regulated model continues to be closely watched as other policymakers consider how online gambling may evolve in the future.

While these platforms are safe and regulated, they often offer fewer game providers, fewer promotions and less competition compared to open markets like Ontario. This difference explains why many Canadians still explore other options when it comes to online casino play.

Offshore casinos and the Canadian grey area

Here’s where things get a little more nuanced. Many online casinos used by Canadians are licensed by international regulators. These casinos are not licensed by Canadian provinces unless they are registered in Ontario. At the same time, Canadian law does not criminalize players for using offshore sites. The legal focus is on who offers gambling, not who plays.

As a result, offshore casinos operate in a grey area. They are accessible to Canadians, but they are regulated by foreign authorities rather than Canadian ones. This makes research especially important, especially when bonuses and promotions are involved.

How to check who licenses an online casino

Most legitimate online casinos clearly display their licensing information at the bottom of their website. This usually includes the name of the regulator, a license number, and a link to the authority that issued it. Players can verify this information by visiting the regulator’s official website and checking the operator registry.

If a casino does not clearly state who licenses it, or if the information cannot be independently verified, that is a strong warning sign. Transparency around licensing is one of the simplest ways to assess a casino’s credibility.

How licensing connects to bonuses and promotions

Bonuses are one of the first things players look at when choosing an online casino. Free spins, deposit matches and welcome offers can all be very appealing. Licensing plays a big role here.

Provincially regulated casinos, especially in Ontario, must follow strict rules about how bonuses are advertised and explained. Terms need to be transparent, and misleading promotions are not allowed. Offshore casinos may offer larger or more aggressive bonuses, but the rules depend entirely on the regulator behind the site.

Because licensing standards vary so widely, many players choose to research casinos beyond surface-level bonuses. Comparing offers only makes sense when you also understand who regulates the site and how disputes are handled. This is why many players begin their research at this website, where casino bonuses are examined alongside licensing, payment practices, and overall platform reliability. This broader context helps players judge not just the size of a promotion, but the credibility behind it.

What licensing means for payments and withdrawals

Licensing also affects how your money is handled. Provincially licensed casinos must follow standards around player fund segregation, identity checks and withdrawal processing. This reduces the risk of delayed or denied payouts.

With offshore casinos, the experience can vary widely. Some operate professionally and reliably. Others may apply unclear terms or slow payment processes. Knowing who licenses a casino gives you insight into how disputes are handled if something does go wrong.

Responsible gambling and player protection

Another key difference between licensing systems is responsible gambling. Canadian provincial regulators require licensed operators to offer tools like deposit limits, self-exclusion options and access to support resources.

These requirements are enforced and monitored. Offshore casinos may offer similar tools, but the level of enforcement depends on the regulator involved. That makes it even more important to understand where a license comes from and what it actually covers.

The bottom line for Canadian players

So who licenses online casinos in Canada? The federal government sets the legal foundation, but provinces control how online gambling is offered. Ontario operates a fully regulated market with private operators, while most other provinces still use government-run platforms, even as some begin to explore alternative regulatory models.

Offshore casinos remain accessible to Canadians, but they operate outside provincial licensing unless registered in Ontario.

By Gazette Staff

January 27th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

The Fraser Institute, a private sector think tank, released a report this morning saying “Government workers on average enjoy a higher wage premium and more generous benefits in Ontario than their private-sector counterparts.

“In fact, government employees across Ontario — including federal, provincial and municipal workers — were paid 7.9% higher wages, on average, than workers in the private sector in 2024.

“Even after adjusting for unionization status, government employees are still paid 6.5% higher wages.

“But wages are only part of overall compensation. Government workers enjoy much more generous non-wage benefits too, such as pensions, early retirement, personal leave, and job security.

“All levels of government in Ontario — municipal, provincial and federal — must find ways to reduce costs as spending and borrowing have continued to ramp up.”

Read the full study here, and be sure to share it with your friends and colleagues!

By Gazette Staff

January 26^th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

State of the City speeches can drone on.  The 2025 statement had a very different tone; it was as much pleading as there were statements.  Worth reading.

Edited for length and clarity

Last Friday, before the snow got serious, Mayor Marianne Meed Ward addressed 300 members of the Chamber of Commerce.

Burlington has a tradition of the Mayor giving a State of the City address at the beginning of each year.  This is a transcript of what the Mayor had to say.

At the end of the formal address Mayor Meed Ward sat with Tim Caddigan, Director of Community Engagement with Cogeco for a short Q&A session.  We report on that in a separate article.

In October a municipal election takes place; the State of the City address was the last time the Mayor would be able to speak to the business community in a formal setting.

Well, good morning, everyone. Are you doing good?  Enjoying  your breakfast?  If you ever needed proof of Burlington’s strength, resilience and creativity, just look around.   Every single business leader, employer, entrepreneur, nonprofit, innovator and educator in this room; you are the people creating jobs, delivering services, supporting families and investing in our city every single day.  The State of our city is strong, not in spite of the challenges we face, but because of how we respond to those challenges. Together. Today, I want to speak truthfully and optimistically about those challenges and how Burlington is meeting them head-on through stable, innovative and collaborative leadership.

We don’t always agree, and we shouldn’t, but behind every single debate is a shared commitment and a responsibility for Burlington’s well being.

Burlington has led the way with the elect respect campaign.

We can disagree, we can debate, and we can do it in a way that respects personal dignity and safety. So thank you for being part of that movement.

I’d like to speak directly and honestly about those challenges and they are significant: 2025 was a year of chaos. Our closest trading partner ignored trade agreements and levied tariffs that hit steel manufacturing, auto and more. This has disrupted supply chains, increased the cost of goods, and created risk and uncertainty, two words that kill business and that have affected everything from the cost of bread to the cost of housing.  2026 promises more of the same,

Our Prime Minister, Mark Carney, speaking in Davoz a couple of days ago said “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, but there is room for optimism. We are not powerless.

Burlington has what businesses, visitors and residents want, talent, infrastructure, partnerships and stability.  Burlington’s strength is our stability, and stability is what businesses rely on during uncertain times, and what the Prime Minister said about Canada is true here at the local level, too.

We have the capacity to name reality, build our strength at home and act together. So let’s talk about what we’re doing together. When we heard about the tariffs, we acted immediately for our businesses in the face of these threats.  I formed a tariff task force with my colleagues, Councillor Sharman and Councillor Galbraith and key industry partners, some of you in the room today, including the chamber, thank you for being a part of that to respond directly to the economic pressures that you’re facing.  We delivered a six month interest free property tax deferral for industrial properties impacted by us tariffs. And some of you in this room have taken us up on that we advocated for Buy Ontario Act to allow us to prefer Canadian and local businesses which trade agreements didn’t allow us to do in our procurement. We advocated for that, and Ontario delivered. I joined a delegation with many others in Washington to meet US senators and congressional members, sending a unified message that tariffs hurt both countries.

We also work to keep their costs down locally. We were the first municipality in Ontario to reduce development charges with a potential two-year freeze that we’ll be discussing later this year.  The provincial and federal governments have promised they would do. We approved surety bonds to keep cash flow free. It up for housing amid rising costs, and we partner with builder agencies and residents on our MADE IN BURLINGTON Pipeline to Permit Committee, which I co-chair with Councillor Stolte, and this collaboration leads to better decision making. And we’re also reviewing our Burlington Economic Development and Tourism services. And thank you all the board members for being here to ensure that our outcomes match changing business landscape.

We’re also investing in what matters to you as businesses. Our 2026 budget focuses on inflation, infrastructure and core services that our community relies on resulting in a property tax increase to you of 4.49%, which is the second lowest in the region. We’ve made investments in fire emergency response.

We’re tackling Burlington’s $454 million infrastructure gap head-on with a dedicated infrastructure levy to close the gaps between needed repairs and the funding available, because we know if our roads are crumbling or water banks spill into the streets.  Delaying repairs creates emergencies, and emergencies disrupt business. So we’re planning ahead, investing early and reducing risk. I want to recognize Councillor Paul Sharman, the Deputy Mayor for strategy and budgets, for being side by side through this budget journey with me for the entire term.

We’re tackling traffic congestion and safety, because traffic affects every single business, from employees getting to work to goods getting to customers. We’re working with regional and provincial partners to improve communication and coordination during planned closures of the Skyway Bridge, and we’ve proposed a pilot project to better manage traffic that spills onto our streets when there are when there’s trouble on the QE W.  We’re advocating to our provincial partners, including recently at the rural Ontario Municipal Association Annual Conference for funding for traffic safety measures. Now that speed cameras are gone, and that’s shifted the cost back to taxpayers, not speeders, where they belong.  I’m optimistic we’ll get speed cameras one of these days, we’ll just have to wait a little longer. We also know that giving people alternatives to the car helps congestion, so we’re exploring options to improve public transit, including on-demand service. To advance this work, I am announcing today that I will be convening a traffic and safety round table here in the city. This will bring together business community leaders to discuss our current road safety challenges, review data driven solutions and recommend meaningful action to solve traffic congestion and improve safety.

I’ve learned, that when we bring the experts and our community members and businesses together with council and staff, we make better decisions. We’re also taking action on public safety. Safe Communities are business-friendly communities. Halton Region has been ranked the safest region in the country 17 years in a row, with the lowest violent crime severity index and the lowest non violent crime rates. That safety has come at a cost. Police budgets increased in double digits last year and over 8% this year, those investments are enabling us to put new boots on the ground to serve you.

The Ontario Big City Mayor’s caucus, (OBCMC) which I chair, has advocated for funding to Regional Police services similar to OPP funded communities across Ontario. OBCMC also advocated for bail reform to keep violent repeat offenders behind bars.

On April 21, mark, the date, I will be hosting my Spring Speaker Series focused on community safety, connection and well-being.

We’re also attracting post-secondary and entrepreneurs who train and employ the next generation of workers.

2025 saw the opening of Robert Bateman Community Center, Burlington’s largest facility; it brought under one roof Brock University, Burlington Public Library, Tech Place and the Halton District School Board. This hub connects education to workforce development, innovation to entrepreneurship and community to lifelong learning.

Mohawk College is expanding with a future health care campus, (understood to be part of the Alinea 1200 King Road development) partnering with local health teams, hospitals and the region of Halton.  It will be much more than an academic space. It will strengthen our health care system, support workforce development in high demand professions, and reinforce Burlington’s role as a city that plans ahead. We’re very excited around this expansion, so watch for more details in coming months.

1200 King Road, stretches from Aldershot GO station east to King Road.  This area is going to be the model for how we build and plan complete communities, not just housing around and adjacent to our Go stations. It’s also a model of a partnership developers working with our staff, community and Council, to plan the vision before an application ever comes forward or a shovel gets put in the ground.

We opened the Skyway community center in the east end of the city. The NHL-sized rink, multi use community rooms that are big enough for pickable, and the indoor walking track and many meeting spaces.

There is now a ceremonial fire circle at Sweet Grass Park; we provided dedicated space for indigenous-led programming and cultural learning at Mountainside Recreation Center. All of this led by members of the Mayor’s Indigenous Advisory Circle. We’ve  planned upgrades to parks and trails across Burlington in 2026

We are also enabling housing so people can live and work here. We’re encouraging gentle and affordable density in neighborhoods through our (ARU) Additional Residential Unit Program, also known as the basement apartment plan. You don’t have to put it in the basement. Can be out in the shed, where we sometimes think about housing our adult children when they’re ready to leave the house. They haven’t taken us up on that yet, up to $95,000 per unit as a grant for people that are providing affordable rental use and rental units for a period of time. We were able to provide that grant through our partnership with the federal government and the housing accelerator fund. When I started as a Councillor in 2010, we had maybe one or two applications for ARU use per year. This year, we have 58 so it’s working.

We’re also working on a digital permit solution that will allow you to submit your plans and get an instant review of how they line up with their zoning by law and the building code. This allows you to get answers in minutes, not weeks. Burlington is now partnering with the province of Ontario to roll this out across Ontario. It’s an example of innovation right here in Burlington. And all of our efforts on housing. Burlington earned a B rating from RESCON for the missing middle initiative. We were only one of four municipalities in Ontario to get C or better. 22 out of 34 got an F. It is not easy to provide housing, and we don’t do it alone at the city. We have a role to play, but we do it with you to make sure that people have an affordable place to live here. So we are attracting talent, universities, entrepreneurs, investors. We’re building a city that offers opportunity, innovation and quality of life. We don’t do any of this without each of you in this room. Burlington, success and prosperity has always depended on partnership.

When I look back on 2025 I believe partnership coupled with stable leadership will be the defining thread that carried us through this chaotic period, partnership across government, with business and nonprofits, with educators, innovators and communities. That’s what keeps Burlington going. As Mayor, I represent Burlington at the Ontario Big City Mayor’s caucus, as you know as Chair, I’m part of the auto mayor’s caucus, while we don’t have an auto making factory here in Burlington, we have many businesses that are auto-adjacent, providing supplies to the auto sector. I sit on the Great Lakes St Lawrence Cities Initiative; Burlington is a member, and through that, we are protecting the economy around our Great Lakes and partnering with our friends in the United States who agree with us that tariffs are not the way to do business.

I sit on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario board, where we have advocated collectively for what we need in the sector, on your behalf. And as noted, I attended the Rural Ontario Municipal Association. Burlington is half rural, and we can’t forget the incredible economic driver that our farms and our businesses in the rural area provide. They always tease me when I come as mayor of the big cities, but they welcome me with open arms, as the rural folk often do.

What that tells you is I am committed to being at every single table in every single room in every conversation to bring your needs and your voice to the table to get results for Burlington.

And I’ll come to your table too. So I encourage you to connect with me at drop-ins. We’ve planned Town Halls for spring, in person, over the phone. We do it all. I’m happy to come and visit your business or your organization. Please stay in touch with me.  Sign up for the newsletter. All of the council has a newsletter. And if you’d like me to bring this presentation, modified and customized to your audience and your needs. We do that too. Please email me at mayor@burlington.ca

I’m not quite done yet.

To conclude, Burlington thrives because we plan ahead, we invest wisely and we act collaboratively. We will debate with respect, commit with care and work together as team Burlington, we will continue to succeed through stable leadership, innovation and partnerships through these incredibly chaotic times, that stability is what we can lean on during uncertain times. And I want to leave you with a story. I have so many that I can tell, but I want to leave you with this one, just from yesterday.

I had the opportunity to drop by the Harvest Table, it is run that’s a family-run business here in Burlington. The family have been running this for decades, and they partnered with Burlington East Community Church this Christmas to serve a free Christmas dinner to nearly 200 people in our community. And I tell you that that’s  us yesterday, that the family and some of the volunteers that came out to to meet with me and just talk about what they were doing.  That is the story of Burlington business, of Burlington nonprofits and of Burlington residents. And when you see and hear that story, I hope you feel the way I do, that we are strong. We stand together and because of that, we will get through the difficult times ahead.

So thank you for your leadership, your ideas, your investment in Burlington. Together, we will continue to make this city strong, resilient, ready for whatever the future has in store. Thanks everyone.