Online Casinos in Manitoba

The Legal Position

The federal provision the provinces work from is the Criminal Code's s. 207(1)(a), which makes it lawful "for the government of a province … to conduct and manage a lottery scheme in that province … in accordance with any law enacted by the legislature of that province". Manitoba's gaming statute picks up that exact phrase: it defines "provincial gaming" as "a lottery scheme referred to in paragraph 207(1)(a) of the Criminal Code (Canada)", which is the category PlayNow sits in.

Two provincial Acts do the work, and they are easy to confuse: the province cites them as Schedule A and Schedule B of one chapter, SM 2013, c. 51. The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act lists the corporation's objects, and the gaming one is third: "The objects of the corporation are (a) to sell liquor; (b) to buy liquor, and bring liquor into Manitoba, for sale in Manitoba; (c) to conduct and manage lottery schemes …". The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act sets the rule for everyone else: "Except as authorized by a licence issued under section 79, a person must not (a) conduct and manage a gaming event; or (b) act as (i) a gaming operator, (ii) a gaming centre provider, (iii) a siteholder, (iv) a lottery ticket retailer, (v) a gaming supplier, or (vi) a gaming service provider."

Who Regulates It, and Who Runs It

The regulator is not the operator here, and the statute keeps them apart. The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act continues the Authority under its present name — "The Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba is continued under the name 'Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba'" — requires that it "must act independently and in the public interest in exercising its powers and carrying out its duties", and gives it, in gaming, the duties "(a) to regulate gaming events and persons who are involved in gaming; (b) to regulate the gaming integrity of lottery schemes conducted and managed in Manitoba; (c) to provide information and advice to the minister about gaming."

We could not read the Authority's own website: it refused this machine with a 403, in this sprint and the one before it. Everything above is from the Act rather than from the regulator's description of itself, which is the better source in any case, and MBLL's own footer lists the Authority under "Regulatory Links" alongside both statutes.

What Is Available to a Player in Manitoba

PlayNow arrived by agreement with another province. Manitoba Lotteries — the corporation's name at the time — announced on 5 April 2012 that "Manitoba Lotteries will partner with British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) to deliver online gambling for Manitobans on a Manitoba site, based on BCLC's online platform", and expected it "to be operational in the first quarter of 2013". It was: MBLL's tenth-anniversary release of 20 March 2023 records that the site launched "in January 2013", and its backgrounder states that MBLL "has a service provider contract with BCLC (British Columbia Lottery Corporation) to offer PlayNow in Manitoba using BCLC's platform and service".

On what is actually there, we are quoting MBLL's own backgrounder and taking only the casino lines from it: "Casino games such as slots, roulette, blackjack and video poker" and "Live casino where real dealers deal to players for blackjack, roulette and baccarat". MBLL also says the site "operates 7 days per week, 24 hours per day" and that, as of January 2023, "more than 139,000 Manitobans have created player accounts on PlayNow.com". Its anniversary release adds that "all net profits from PlayNow stay in Manitoba".

This page lists no operator of its own, because this site lists an operator only where its own records place one in a market.

Age, Self-Exclusion and Getting Help

The age is 18, and it takes two instruments to say so. The gaming statute bars the person rather than naming a number: "A minor must not participate in provincial gaming", and it puts the duty on the operator too — MLLC, as the Act spells the corporation, together with the WCLC and licensed gaming operators, siteholders and lottery ticket retailers "must ensure that a minor does not participate in provincial gaming". That Act never defines "minor", so the number comes from Manitoba's Age of Majority Act, which provides that "Every person attains the age of majority, and ceases to be a minor, on attaining the age of 18 years." MBLL's own rule matches: players "must be registered and be confirmed Manitoba residents of age of majority".

Self-exclusion covers the website as well as the buildings, and MBLL sets out both routes. "Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) allows Manitobans to take a break from the Casinos of Winnipeg and the Shark Club Gaming Centre in Winnipeg, on PlayNow.com, or all of these." For the site alone it is done inside the account: "If you wish to exclude yourself from PlayNow.com only, you will need to log into your account. Select 'My Account' and from there select 'Self-Exclusion'." MBLL adds: "Once complete your account will be cancelled and any unredeemed player cash will be paid out." That is worth knowing before you start.

On help, MBLL publishes the line itself and gives its hours: "The Gambling Helpline provides help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-463-1554". It also names free counselling, and records a change of name worth noting if you are searching: "Shared Health (formerly the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba): Shared Health provides professional counseling services free of charge if you or someone you know has a problem with gambling."