Manitoba Judge Explains Order Blocking Bodog from Local Market, Cites “Incalculable harm”

A Manitoba judge has explained why offshore sportsbook Bodog was hit with a sweeping court order that forces it to block access for residents of the province. The injunction, originally issued on May 26, came at the request of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corp. (MBLL) and was part of a broader push by Canadian lottery groups to rein in unauthorized online gambling.

Good to know

• Bodog was ordered to stop offering gambling services in Manitoba.
• The ruling followed a request from MBLL and the Canadian Lottery Coalition.
• Bodog did not appear in court and has already restricted access in response.

The full reasoning behind the decision was released a month later, on June 26. Court of King’s Bench Justice Jeffrey Harris sided firmly with MBLL and said Bodog’s illegal operations were causing “ever-increasing and incalculable harm” to the lottery corporation.

“Bodog’s ongoing operation of its illegal gambling platforms in Manitoba inflicts new and ever increasing and incalculable harm on MBLL each day,” Harris wrote. He also noted that the company being located offshore makes it “highly unlikely” that any monetary judgment against it could be enforced.

Although Bodog has taken steps to limit its availability in Manitoba, Harris emphasized that the injunction was narrowly tailored. It only applies to Bodog’s operations in the province and specifically targets the platforms and media channels used to offer gambling products to Manitobans.

The Canadian Lottery Coalition, which includes other government-run lottery agencies like Loto-Québec, British Columbia Lottery Corp., Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan, and the Atlantic Lottery Corp., welcomed the decision. They called it a meaningful win in their ongoing effort to challenge offshore operators.

Canada’s legal gambling framework gives provinces exclusive authority under the Criminal Code to “conduct and manage” gambling. Offshore sportsbooks, even if regulated in another country, do not fall under that authority.

Online betting through “grey market” sites has been common in Canada for years, but provincial regulators are starting to push back more forcefully. Ontario’s launch of a regulated iGaming market in 2022 provided a legal path for private operators to enter the province under provincial rules. Some companies that previously operated without approval are now licensed, while others have been pushed out.

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