Private Operators Push for Access to British Columbia Online Gambling Market
Industry groups representing major global gambling brands are calling on British Columbia to end its online betting monopoly. Citing regulatory models in Ontario and Alberta, lobbyists argue that a competitive framework could offer better consumer protections and deliver greater tax revenue.
Private Firms Seek a Regulated Market in B.C.
British Columbia remains one of Canada’s few provinces operating a single-operator model in the online gambling space. PlayNow, managed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), is currently the only legal platform available to residents. However, lobbying efforts by private-sector groups indicate growing interest in shifting to a more open market structure.
Behind these efforts is the Canadian Online Gaming Alliance (COGA), a nonprofit trade group whose membership includes companies tied to global operators such as BetMGM (via Entain PLC), bet365, and Super Group–affiliated Apricot. Their campaign is aimed at encouraging provincial policymakers to consider a regulatory framework that allows private firms to compete under government oversight.
Lobbying Intensifies as Other Provinces Move Forward
The model being proposed mirrors what has already been implemented in Ontario and recently approved in Alberta. Ontario launched its regulated iGaming market in 2022, while Alberta passed Bill 48 earlier this year to establish a similar system, expected to go live by 2026.
“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”, stated Troy Ross, president of TRM Public Affairs and lead lobbyist for COGA in the province.
According to the provincial lobbyist registry, COGA is focusing its efforts on education and policy advocacy around internet gaming regulation. Their message is clear: monopolies fail to attract the majority of real-money play.
Arguments for Opening the Market
Ross points to international data to back the alliance’s stance, suggesting that regulated markets dramatically outperform monopolistic systems in terms of player engagement and fiscal returns.
“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. 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”, Ross said
Despite the persistent lobbying, British Columbia’s government has not publicly indicated a shift in direction. PlayNow continues to operate as the province’s exclusive legal platform for online gambling.