Private online gambling firms are putting pressure on British Columbia to consider a new direction. Industry groups want the province to allow private-sector operators to compete in a regulated iGaming market, similar to what exists in Ontario and what Alberta has just approved.
Good to know
- B.C. currently operates under a monopoly, with PlayNow as the only legal platform.
- Lobbying efforts in the province involve companies tied to BetMGM, bet365, and Super Group.
- Ontario and Alberta have already moved toward opening their markets to private firms.
So far, the British Columbia government has not shown public interest in opening the market. The British Columbia Lottery Corp.’s PlayNow remains the sole legal online gambling platform available in the province.
Still, lobbying activity throughout 2025 shows that conversations are happening behind the scenes. The Canadian Online Gaming Alliance (COGA), a nonprofit trade group, has been actively pushing the government to consider a regulated model that includes private operators.
Troy Ross, president of TRM Public Affairs, is leading the charge on behalf of COGA. “Our objective is to engage British Columbia policymakers in a discussion about benefits of a proper regulatory regime that channels the vast majority of online play through a regulated model rather than the sliver of activity captured by the monopoly-only system,” Ross said.
COGA’s membership includes companies linked to major players like Entain PLC (which jointly owns BetMGM), bet365, and Apricot, a firm associated with Betway-owner Super Group. According to the provincial lobbyist registry, the alliance is focused on “educating [officials] about the internet gaming industry and advocating for the creation of a regulatory regime for internet gaming.”
The group’s efforts have already shown results elsewhere. Ontario launched its competitive iGaming system in 2022. Alberta just passed its own legislation—Bill 48—to establish a regulated market, expected to go live by 2026.
Ross argued that allowing private competition delivers stronger outcomes for both consumers and governments. “The evidence from Europe, the USA, South America, and the province of Ontario is clear: regulatory regimes are infinitely superior to monopoly alone because they capture close to 100% of the play compared to the 20% market capture by lotteries,” he said.
He added, “Regulation provides consumer choice, consumer protections, and responsible gaming features for nearly 100% of the players. That much larger market capture drives hundreds of millions of dollars of new tax revenues to provincial treasuries.”
Whether British Columbia follows the path taken by Ontario and Alberta is still unclear. For now, lobbyists continue making their case—and hoping the province takes notice.
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