Best British Columbia Online Casinos in 2025

British Columbia is home to a thriving gambling market, steered by strong provincial regulation to admit only high-quality, reputable casinos powered by industry-leading responsible gambling programs. From the top online casinos to dozens of land-based casinos, gamers are spoiled for choice in British Columbia! 

British Columbia is one of Canada’s hotspots for casinos, with Vancouver, the Okanagan Valley, and Vancouver Island each growing into gambling hubs over the years. After legalizing gambling in 1969, the provincial industry opened up to online casino gambling in 2010. 

BC has many land-based and online casinos and has for many years, since the very first ventures opened here back in the 1980s. My guide is here to help you make heads and tails of gambling in British Columbia, from mobile apps to legal regulations to taxation.  

I’ve also put together recommendations for the top casinos in the province worth checking out, so join me and let’s explore what makes British Columbia so great to gamble in! 

British Columbia Gambling at a Glance

Online gambling has been legal in British Columbia since 2010, and is primarily regulated by the government-owned British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), which was founded in 1985 to oversee traditional lotteries in the province. 1997 saw the first slot machines in the province as land-based casinos expanded. 

In 2004, the BCLC launched its own online gaming platform called PlayNow.com. in 2010, when online gambling was legalized in British Columbia, this became North America’s first website for legal, regulated casino games. 2018 marked another milestone as the BCLC spearheaded the introduction of live online casino games in North America. 

The BLCL is supervised by the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) of the provincial government, which is the top-level gambling regulator in British Columbia, also overseeing other licensed gambling in the province (like non-profit fundraisers or horse racing). 

British Columbia is home to Canada’s first permanent land-based casinos, which both opened in 1986: The Great Canadian in Vancouver, and Nanaimo Casino in the namesake city. Nowadays, British Columbia is home to over 36 land-based casinos and boasts over 1.2 million accounts registered at PlayNow. 

Several First Nations territories in British Columbia operate casinos, including the Ktunaxa, Squamish, and Cowichan Nations. The provincial government recently committed to sharing 7% of the BCLCs yearly revenue from gambling with First Nations communities, through to 2045. 

In regard to online casino gambling, provincial law means PlayNow is the only online casino that can legally be based in British Columbia, though others can operate in the province. Gamblers must be at minimum 19 years old. 

Historical Timeline 

British Columbia has been home to legal gambling operations in some form since 1969, and the years since have seen big steps forward in the province’s gaming industry—always closely controlled by government regulators. 

Gambling Taxes in British Columbia 

Good news—your casino winnings are non-taxable in British Columbia! Whether from online casinos, land-based casinos, or other betting like lotteries or horse racing, the province doesn’t consider winnings to be a regular source of income, and they are therefore exempt from income tax. 

There are a few niche cases where taxes still apply to gambling: when you opt to invest your casino winnings, you’ll still need to report that money as investment income. Also, professional gamblers declare their winnings as regular income. 

You’ll also need to report any interest you collect from casino winnings, which is taxed somewhere between 5.06%–20.50% (depending on tax bracket). 

Free Play in British Columbia

You can legally enjoy free games anywhere they’re offered in British Columbia—in both land-based and online casinos.

Many casinos offer demo play of their games, including slots, blackjack, roulette, and others, so you’ll be able to try out new game mechanics to find the perfect fit for you without wagering real money.

British Columbia casinos also offer free spins and other free play promotions, so even with real-money play, you can enjoy a few rounds on the house. 

There are a few indicators of quality that you can look for when considering a new online casino. No casinos will tick every box, but I always look for a few make-or-break factors when I tackle a new casino. For every one of my reviews, I’ll open a new account, scour the games library, sort through banking methods and, of course, annoy the customer support staff at odd hours. These considerations are at the top of my list: 

Does the games library deliver on both quality and quantity? 

You know your own favourite games best, so check if the casino offers them. A good variety of games is always a good sign, mixing slots with table games, including a live casino that uses live croupiers to up the ante. 

Are the bonuses and promos tempting offers with minimal requirements? 

Look for high-value bonuses that shower you in free spins or bonus credit. The best casino websites will have low or no wagering requirements on these bonuses! The most important bonus is the welcome bonus, which should kickstart your gambling session with a big, splashy reward. This is a good indicator of whether a casino will be generous or stingy with future bonuses. 

Is banking fast and secure, with a good selection of payment methods? 

When it comes to banking, the more payment options the better. Interac is often the easiest method for players in British Columbia, but also having the choice of using credit cards, e-wallets, or cryptocurrency is always nice. Also, check that you’re getting instant withdrawal, so you can access your winnings sooner— and, if you don’t want the casino to charge for transactions, read up and ensure there are no banking fees. 

What’s the overall customer experience, with a focus on ease-of-use and aesthetic appeal? 

Particularly for players in British Columbia, 24/7 customer support is crucial. Many casinos operating out of Europe close their support service mid-afternoon in PST, so round-the-clock access to support helps you easily resolve any issues. 

While most online casinos in British Columbia are mobile-friendly, a dedicated mobile app is worth looking for. Only the biggest casinos have their own apps, so this can help you pick out the industry leaders. 

Sites to Avoid

When you’re playing at a casino, you want personal info secure and your deposits and wagers honoured. Dishonest casinos can set unfair odds to hike their profits, and often delay or deny withdrawal requests so players can never cash out. 

To avoid this, be sure you don’t play in unlicensed casinos. In real money casinos, you want to know the casino won’t rip you off or sell your private data, and a valid license is proof of a casino’s legitimacy and security. Canada has several trusted bodies that issue licenses, including the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. 

A legitimate license also proves a casino had been investigated and cleared of illegal practices—unlicensed casinos can serve as fronts for money laundering or tax evasion schemes, so always read reviews and check for proper licensing! 

A good bonus promises extra cash and free games for players, starting with a big welcome bonus to draw you in. The recommended British Columbia on this page offer the best bonuses around, but here’s what I recommend looking out for when scoping out a casino’s bonuses:

Free spins

These bonuses let you play slots games for free, which can mean a tidy profit for lucky players. I try to look for casinos that let me use free spins on whatever slots I choose, instead of limiting me to a select few games. 

Deposit matching

Featured in many welcome bonuses, deposit matching rewards you with bonus credit scaled to your deposit. The best deposit matching bonuses match 100% or more of your deposit to double or triple your cash!

Cashback

I know how much a losing streaks can bite, so I love a good cashback that pays back some of the money I’ve lost. Many casinos hide these behind the upper tiers of their VIP program, but some casinos guarantee weekly cashback payouts to all players 

Reload bonus

Reloads help you top up your account with some bonus deposit matching as a treat. You’ll typically see around 50% matching on reload promos redeemable on a certain day or on the weekend.

VIP programs

These are what really make deluxe casinos stand out. Showering loyal players with generous bonuses is a great way to build the player-casino relationship and allow players to rack up dozens of bonuses throughout a year. Many VIP programs also reward high rollers with higher wager limits, personalized bonuses, and priority service. 

Canada, including British Columbia, typically shies away from casino apps. What you’ll find plenty of are sportsbook apps, which are readily available on both Apple and Android from recognizable casino brands. 

British Columbia’s premier sportsbook app is through PlayNow, though it’s only available on iOS. The PlayNow app carries the same promises as the site—legal, regulated betting for the province. 

If you want to play slots or table games on mobile, there are still optionsm, though only big-name casinos get their apps listed on the official app stores. Trusted casinos in British Columbia like Spin Casino and PlayOJO offer high-quality mobile apps for you to take your gaming on the go. 

Almost all casino websites operating in British Columbia have mobile-optimized website layouts and games collections. This means you can play from the web browser on any Apple or Android device while also saving on storage space by skipping the app download. 

British Columbia has a thriving responsible gaming program run by the BCLC, called GameSense. This evolved from a province-wide self-exclusion program during the 90s before expanding in 2009. Since then, many other gambling organizations including Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and MGM Resorts International have adopted GameSense, a testament to the program’s quality. 

GameSense program (1-888-795-6111) 

Game Break self-exclusion tool (1-866-815-0222) 

GameSense info resources 

Through “Game Break” via GameSense, players in British Columbia can self-exclude from all gambling in the province, online and offline, choosing a period between 6 months to 3 years for their exclusion. 

The GameSense site also has many excellent resources to self-test for addiction, strategies for honest gambling, and bookable advisors who work with players to sketch out an addiction treatment plan. 

Most responsible gaming tools in British Columbia are multilingual for added accessibility. Across the province you can find a mix of solutions, so everyone can find the right tools for them. These include in-person or online resources, religious or secular support groups, anonymous consultations, and filtering tools to limit access to gambling websites. 

Brick-and-mortar casinos bring a host of amenities to spice up your gambling, like world-class restaurants or live stage performances, and of course—I can’t ignore the thrill of scooping up handfuls of coins from a slots jackpot as fellow players stare with jealousy. Here are some of the premier land-based casinos I recommend you try in British Columbia: 

Grand Villa Casino 

Located in Burnaby, this is one of the closest casinos to Vancouver, and naturally draws in tons of Vancouverite players. Grand Villa hosts 67 live table games, plus video table games, slots, and lavish high-limit private rooms dedicated to each game. You’ll also find the Atlas restaurant here, a surf-and-turf eatery famous for their mesquite coal oven that imbues every dish with smoky goodness. 

Playtime Casino 

On the east shore of Okanagan Lake in sunny Kelowna, Playtime Casino has one of several locations across Canada. Featuring over 400 slots, you have a range of stakes to pick from as well as a mid-arcade bar for snacks and drinks. Poker is also popular at Playtime, which awards a $500k jackpot for losing with a four-of-a-kind or better, taking the sting out of a frustrating loss. 

Elements Casino 

With several locations in British Columbia, but the largest in Surrey, Elements Casino is a provincial staple. The Surrey venue includes the Homestretch bar, an expansive restaurant with huge bay windows overlooking the casino’s horseracing track. Other ways to play include live and video table games, alongside 500 slots machines and hosted Bingo eve.