Licenceswho regulates what

Casino licences at a glance

The points column is from our scoring method; it reflects how much protection we think each licence gives a Canadian player.

Provincial registration: Ontario and Alberta

In Ontario, private online casinos must register with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and operate under an agreement with iGaming Ontario (iGO). In Alberta, private operators are registered through the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC). Registered sites must follow provincial standards on:

• age and identity verification;
• responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion;
• game fairness and certification;
• advertising, including the ban on public bonus offers;
• handling of player complaints.

If you live in Ontario or Alberta, a registered site is the only kind of private online casino you should use. See Ontario online casinos and Alberta online casinos.

Government-run sites

In the other provinces, the online casino run by the province is the provincially regulated option: PlayNow (British Columbia and Manitoba), PlayNow SK (Saskatchewan), Loto-Québec and ALC.ca (Atlantic Canada). They are owned or authorised by the province, so complaints go through provincial channels. See casinos by province.

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)

The MGA is one of the most respected online gambling regulators. MGA-licensed casinos must keep player funds protected, have their games tested, follow anti-money-laundering rules and offer responsible gambling tools. The MGA runs a player support service for complaints that a casino has not resolved. For Canadians outside Ontario and Alberta, an MGA licence is one of the best signs an offshore casino is well run.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is based in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke, near Montreal, and has licensed online gambling operators since the 1990s. Many casinos that target Canadian players hold a Kahnawake licence. It has its own standards and a complaints process. Its status under Canadian law has been debated for years because it is a First Nations regulator rather than a provincial one; for players, it is an offshore-style licence with a long track record.

Curaçao licences

Curaçao has long been the most common licence among offshore casinos, including many crypto casinos. Historically, it worked through master licences that covered many operators, with lighter oversight. Curaçao has reformed its system in recent years, moving towards direct licences issued by a national gaming authority with stronger requirements. For players, a Curaçao licence still generally means fewer protections than the MGA, so check the casino's reputation, terms and payout record carefully.

Smaller offshore licences

Licences from smaller jurisdictions, such as Anjouan, Tobique, PAGCOR or Costa Rica, offer less transparent oversight and fewer realistic complaint routes. Some casinos with these licences are fine; others are not. Treat them with extra caution: small deposits, early verification and a test withdrawal before playing larger amounts.

How to check a casino's licence

1. Scroll to the casino's footer and find the licence statement and regulator logo.
2. Click the seal: a real seal usually links to a validation page on the regulator's own domain.
3. Check the regulator's public register for the operator's company name and licence number.
4. Match the details: the company name and website on the register should match the casino.
5. For Ontario and Alberta, check the provincial list of registered operators.

If the seal does not link anywhere, the licence number is not on the register, or the company name does not match, treat the casino as unlicensed. Our legit online casinos guide lists more warning signs.

What a licence does and does not guarantee

A licence means a regulator has approved the operator and set rules it must follow. It does not guarantee:

• that every withdrawal will be fast;
• that bonus terms are generous;
• that a complaint will be decided in your favour.

What it does give you is a route to complain beyond the casino itself, and a minimum standard of fairness and security. The stronger the regulator, the more that route is worth.

Licences and payment methods

Stronger licences usually come with mainstream payment methods. PayPal, for example, works mainly with operators in regulated markets, which is why it appears mostly at registered Ontario and Alberta sites. Crypto-only casinos are more likely to hold Curaçao or smaller licences. See PayPal casinos and crypto casinos.

Licences in our reviews

Every casino review on North 5 shows the licence we found and the points it earns in our score. Where a brand runs both a registered Ontario or Alberta site and an offshore site, we show the right licence for each market. See all casino reviews.

Which licence should you look for?

• In Ontario or Alberta: provincial registration only. Do not use offshore sites.
• Elsewhere in Canada, best: your provincial government site, or an offshore casino licensed by the MGA, UKGC or Gibraltar.
• Good: Isle of Man or Kahnawake, with a solid reputation and clear terms.
• Use with care: Curaçao, especially for crypto casinos; start small and verify early.
• Avoid unless well known: smaller licences with no clear complaint route.

Multiple licences

Many large brands hold several licences, for example an MGA licence for most markets plus Ontario registration for Ontario players. The licence that applies to you depends on which site you use: a brand's Ontario site and its offshore site can be run by different companies under different rules. Our reviews show the licence for each market.

Licence red flags

• No licence statement at all, or only a vague "licensed and regulated" claim.
• A regulator logo that is just an image with no validation link.
• A licence number that does not appear on the regulator's register.
• A company name on the register that does not match the casino.
• Terms that name a different country from the licence.

How to check a Curaçao gaming licence

Curaçao's reformed system lists licensed operators in a public register run by its national gaming authority, and licensed sites display a validation seal that links to the operator's record. To check:

1. Click the Curaçao seal in the casino's footer; it should open a validation page on the authority's own domain.
2. Compare the details: company name, licence number and the website address.
3. Search the register for the company name if the seal does not work.

Older "master licence" sub-licences may show a seal from the master licence holder instead. If you cannot match the casino to a valid licence, treat it as unlicensed.

Kahnawake Gaming Commission: complaints and licensed casinos

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission publishes a list of its licensed operators and runs a complaints process for players who cannot resolve a dispute with a licensee. Check that the casino appears on the commission's list, and use its complaint procedure only after the casino's own process. See how to complain about a casino.

MGA-licensed casinos

The Malta Gaming Authority keeps a public register of licensees. Many large brands available to Canadians outside Ontario and Alberta hold an MGA licence; our reviews show the licence for each casino, and the licence points in our formula reward it. Compare casinos on our casino rankings.

How do operators get a casino licence in Canada?

There is no single Canadian licence. To serve Ontario players, a private operator must register with the AGCO and sign an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario; in Alberta, it must be registered through the AGLC. In the other provinces, only the government can run online casinos. That is why offshore operators serving the rest of Canada hold foreign licences instead.