Nova Scotia weighs changes to its regulated online gambling market

Nova Scotia's government is weighing whether to broaden its legal online gambling offering, and it is studying what has happened in Ontario and Alberta before it settles the question. Finance Minister John Lohr officially confirmed that talks on the matter are ongoing. He said the province is watching Ontario and Alberta "very carefully".

At present, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation operates the only government-authorized online gambling platform in Nova Scotia. Residents can use it for online casino games as well as sports betting. Offshore gambling websites that sit outside the province's regulatory system are also open to players. According to Lohr, that leaves authorities in a difficult position over monitoring gambling activity and addressing addiction-related problems.

Ontario opened its licensed online gambling sector in April 2022, and Alberta followed in July 2026. In each of the two provinces, private companies can run online casino games and sports betting under government supervision.

Claudia Chender, who leads the New Democratic Party, asked the government to be careful, citing worries about the consequences of deeper state participation in online gambling. Iain Rankin, the interim Liberal leader, also wants a health risk review by the public sector before any change to legislation is considered.

The Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences reported that Ontario's emergency visits tied to gambling disorders had doubled after the province brought in regulation of online gambling and single-event sports betting. Survey findings show that the share of Ontario high school students who gamble online climbed from 1% in 2019 to 9% in 2026. Dr. Peter Selby, a senior scientist at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, also highlighted the dangers facing young people.

Ontario's market saw total wagers of CAD 9.71 billion in September 2026, which was 13.6% more than in the same month of 2025. Gross gaming revenue before adjustments climbed 26.2% year over year to CAD 416.3 million. Online casino games generated CAD 340.8 million in total revenue. Sports betting brought in CAD 69.1 million. Active player accounts numbered 1.41 million, up 20.1% from September 2025.