Gambling Laws in New Brunswick: A Review
Hello and welcome to this article, which is going to discuss in detail the gambling laws in New Brunswick. As you might know, Canadian gambling law differs from province to province, so we advise you to read a review of the gambling laws before you go to any Canadian province.
What Are New Brunswick Gambling Laws Like
New Brunswick is a small province in Canada, but this doesn’t stop it from offering top-class gaming. Today we are going to discuss all your gambling options, which are plenty, so you know what to expect when you get there.
We’ll naturally discuss gambling laws in New Brunswick, as well as Canadian gambling law in general. We encourage you to get acquainted with New Brunswick gambling laws, because gambling law differs in Canadian provinces. Enjoy reading!
A Brief History of Canadian Gambling
Gambling is thought by many to have existed in Canada for many centuries now. Some people even argue that gambling has always been a part of indigenous culture as First Nations people would wager on games involving sticks and dice like Slahal, along with bets on races.
Then the Europeans came and in their turn, they brought games from their own countries like roulette and blackjack. For a while, gambling remained an unregulated activity that was enjoyed by many but that changed soon after Canada gained its independence.
In 1892, the first piece of Canadian gambling law was enacted through the Criminal Code. This Canadian gambling law essentially banned all sorts of gambling under the pressure of anti-gambling activists and organisations. The ban was not very effective as whole underground networks for illegal gambling would emerge.
However, the Canadian government changed its tune, perhaps because it realised that people would always gamble. First, they legalised bingo and raffles as long as the profits were benefitting a charity. Then, In 1910 after a long parliamentary debate, pari-mutuel betting, or betting on horse races, was legalised.
Canadian gambling law kept liberalising in the next few decades. The lottery was finally made legal in 1969, but it would be in 1970 that the biggest change would come. Canada decided then to hand (most of) the executive power over gambling to provinces, allowing them to regulate their own industries.
In the 1980’s, the first casinos opened as well, bringing in large profits for the provinces. In 1985, Canada legalised sports betting on a federal level, albeit only for parlay bets. It wouldn’t be until 2021 that Canada legalised single bets as well.
A Look Into Gambling Laws in New Brunswick
Following the amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada, New Brunswick quickly opened to new opportunities in gambling. Before we delve deeper into a discussion of the gambling laws in New Brunswick, let’s remind you that the legal gambling age in the province is 19 years, which applies to all forms of gambling.
The New Brunswick gambling law that governs gaming is the Gaming Control Act of 2008. This document outlines the legal forms of gaming, who is allowed to conduct it, and which agency is responsible for regulating it. The act established the legal framework for gambling in New Brunswick and the charity model it was going to operate in.
Similar to other Canadian provinces, New Brunswick gambling laws work under the charitable gambling model whereas all gambling activities are conducted and provided by the state and thus all profits are turned to the state to benefit local services and organisations.
There is a slight difference to this model in New Brunswick, however. The two casinos in New Brunswick, namely Casino New Brunswick and Grey Rock Casino, are operated by private operators on behalf of the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation, one of the organisations that watches for the New Brunswick gambling regulations in the province.
So, you now know that you can go to a casino in New Brunswick, what else? Well, gambling laws in New Brunswick also allow for a lottery, bingo and raffles, as well as sports betting. Basically, anything you want to wager on, you will be able to, as long as you’re over 19 years old.
Online Gambling Laws in New Brunswick
Apart from land-based venues, you can also play casino-style games and bet on sports online. Again, similar to other Canadian provinces, New Brunswick has a state-operated gambling website called ALC.ca, short for the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. Along with casino games and sports betting that are allowed by the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation, you can also play online bingo or get digital instants. Live casino games with real dealers is one of the new trends.
This is currently the only legal casino site that offers New Brunswick online gambling services, but things might change. Recently, Ontario legalised the best casino sites in Canada and since New Brunswick has already licensed private companies to operate the land-based casinos, it’s not a big stretch to commercial online operators.
Regulators of New Brunswick Gambling
There are a couple of regulators of New Brunswick gambling. Their most important task is ensuring that everyone is abiding to New Brunswick gambling laws. Each agency has its own regulatory tasks, which sometimes overlap with those of other agencies.
Let’s start with the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC). This is actually a regulatory agency and gambling provider owned collectively by four provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. It provides a wide variety of lottery games, as well as online gambling under the handle ALC.ca.
The New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Commission (NBLGC) is the shareholder in the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, and the ALC technically provides gambling on behalf of the NBLGC. The NBLGC is responsible for managing the agreements with third parties (online and land-based gambling) and for ensuring the implementation of New Brunswick gambling laws.
The Gaming Control Branch is the last of the regulators to cover. It’s part of the Department of Justice and Public Safety and it regulates casino gaming, which includes following the requirements set forth by the Gaming Control Act of 2008 for gaming suppliers and gaming assistants.
Popular Questions
Thank you for reading our article on gambling laws in New Brunswick and how they work. We hope you found this article to be informative and interesting. We also wanted to answer some of the most popular questions regarding this topic, you can find them below. If you have any other inquiries, please contact us.
1️⃣ Is gambling in New Brunswick legal?
Yes, you can and the legal gambling age according to the gambling laws in New Brunswick is 19 years. This applies to all sorts of gambling, not just casino-style gaming. Canadian provinces have different gambling ages though, so make sure you check that before you gamble in another province.
2️⃣ Is sports betting legal in New Brunswick?
Yes, sports betting is legal and is allowed by the law for gambling in New Brunswick. The Canadian government legalised parlay bets on sports in 1985, and most recently, in 2021, it legalised single bets as well, so you now have more betting options.
3️⃣ What forms of gambling are legal in New Brunswick?
Basically, all forms of gambling are allowed by the New Brunswick gambling laws. This includes bingo and raffles, the lottery (there are many lottery options), all types of casino games, sports betting, pari-mutuel betting, keno and more.
4️⃣ Is New Brunswick online gambling allowed?
Yes, New Brunswick online gambling is among the gaming activities that are legal. This includes playing online bingo, lottery, betting on sports, and casino games. There is just one website where you can do that for now – ALC.ca, but this might change soon if gambling laws in New Brunswick expand to allow commercial operators.
5️⃣ How are the New Brunswick gambling regulations organised?
There are two main agencies that manage the New Brunswick gambling regulations. These are the NBLGC and the GCB, short for the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Commission and the Gaming Control Branch, respectively. They ensure that everyone abides by gambling laws in New Brunswick.