Criminal Code 207 and Canadian Gambling Law Explained

This page breaks down section 207 of the Criminal Code of Canada — the statute that defines who can legally operate a lottery scheme in this country and under what conditions. You will see how one phrase in that section built the entire provincial gambling framework, why it still governs online casinos in 2026, and what it does and does not say about offshore operators like RocketPlay Casino. Nothing here is legal advice; for a binding interpretation, consult a qualified Canadian lawyer.

Where Section 207 Sits in the Criminal Code

The Criminal Code (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46) treats gambling as a criminal matter by default. Part VII of the Code covers “Disorderly Houses, Gaming and Betting.” Section 206 lists the general offences — operating a lottery scheme, selling chances, and related conduct — and makes them indictable. Section 207 then carves out a set of lawful exceptions. Understanding criminal code 207 gambling law means reading both sections together: 206 sets the prohibition; 207 defines who escapes it and why.

The Key Phrase: “Conducted and Managed by a Province”

Everything flows from four words. Section 207(1)(a) states that it is lawful for a province to conduct and manage a lottery scheme in accordance with the terms of a licence issued by the Lieutenant Governor in Council of that province. That phrase is not decorative. Courts and provincial regulators have consistently held that a province must exercise genuine, ongoing control over the scheme — not merely issue a piece of paper and step back.

This is why provincial lottery corporations exist. BCLC (British Columbia), OLG (Ontario), Loto-Québec, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, SaskGaming, and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation are all instruments of their respective provinces, created specifically so that the province itself can be said to be conducting and managing the activity. The province is not licensing a private company to run a scheme on its behalf in the full commercial sense; the province is the operator, with a private party contracted to provide a service under close supervision.

For a fuller picture of how these bodies fit together, the Canadian gambling law explained overview on this site is a useful starting point.

The 1985 Amendment and Why It Still Matters

The current statutory text dates to the 1985 consolidation, but the amendment that really shaped modern gambling — and online gambling in particular — came incrementally through the 1980s and early 1990s as provinces pushed for broader authority. By 1985, the Code had consolidated provincial authority clearly enough that each province could expand its lottery and casino operations without returning to Parliament each time.

The significance for online gambling is this: Parliament has never passed a separate statute regulating internet-based casino games. The criminal code 207 gambling framework from 1985 is the same framework that governs a digital slot session in 2026. Provinces rely on the conduct-and-manage doctrine to extend their authority online, and no federal amendment has been required because the original language is broad enough to encompass any medium the province chooses to use, provided the province genuinely controls the scheme.

What “Conduct and Manage” Means in Practice — Ontario and Alberta

Two provinces have used the conduct-and-manage doctrine to build open, competitive markets rather than single-operator monopolies, and the way they did it illustrates what the doctrine actually requires.

Ontario opened its regulated online market in April 2022. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is the regulator; iGaming Ontario (iGO), a subsidiary of iGO’s parent entity, is the conduct-and-manage entity. Private operators — including international brands — sign an operating agreement with iGO. Under that agreement, iGO remains the legal operator of the scheme for the purposes of s. 207; the private company provides the technology and customer-facing experience under contract. This structure satisfies the doctrine because the province, through iGO, retains genuine control.

Alberta followed a similar model. The iGaming Alberta Act came into force and the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) became the conduct-and-manage entity on July 13, 2026. The AGLC (Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis) acts as regulator. Operators had until October 13, 2026, to complete a full launch or exit the Alberta market. The minimum gambling age in Alberta is 18+. For province-by-province detail, the online casinos by province section of this site covers each jurisdiction.

Outside Ontario and Alberta, provinces maintain single-operator models. Residents of British Columbia access provincially operated games through BCLC’s PlayNow platform; Quebec players use Loto-Québec’s Espacejeux; Manitoba and Saskatchewan have equivalent provincial services. None of these provinces have opened their markets to private operators as of July 2026.

What Section 207 Does Not Say — and Common Misreadings

Two misreadings come up frequently among Canadian players, and both matter for how you understand an offshore site like RocketPlay Casino.

Misreading 1: “If it is not explicitly banned, it is legal.” Section 206 makes operating an unlicensed lottery scheme a criminal offence. Section 207 creates exceptions for provinces and their licensees. A private operator that does not hold a provincial registration is not in an exception, and the Code does not need a specific clause saying “offshore casinos are prohibited” — they simply are not covered by any exception. The enforceability against foreign operators located outside Canada is a separate, complex question that the Code does not answer, and no Canadian court has resolved it definitively. Where interpretation is unsettled, it is unsettled — this page will not resolve it for you.

Misreading 2: “A Kahnawake licence makes a site legal in Canada.” The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is a licensing body in Mohawk Territory, located geographically within Quebec. It issues its own licences under Mohawk law. It is not a provincial regulator, not a federal regulator, and holding a Kahnawake licence does not bring an operator inside the s. 207 exception. The Kahnawake licence explained page on this site sets out exactly what that licence does and does not mean.

RocketPlay Casino publishes its licence information in the footer of its official website at rocketplay.com. As of July 2026, RocketPlay is not registered with iGaming Ontario, iGO, the AGCO, the AGLC, or the Alberta iGaming Corporation. This page does not draw a legal conclusion from that fact; for a comparison of how offshore and registered sites differ in practice, the offshore versus registered sites explainer covers the practical differences a player encounters.

Where to Read the Full Text and Official Commentary

The authoritative text of the Criminal Code, including section 207 in its current form, is published by the Department of Justice Canada at laws-lois.justice.gc.ca. That site is the official consolidated source and is updated when amendments come into force. The AGCO publishes its Registrar’s Standards — including Standard 2.05 on advertising — on agco.ca. The Alberta iGaming Corporation publishes its regulatory framework on aigc.ca. Provincial lottery corporations publish their governing legislation links on their respective home pages.

These are primary sources. When a review site, a forum post, or an operator’s own FAQ makes a claim about the legality of online gambling in Canada, check it against the primary sources before relying on it. The is online casino legal in Canada page on this site applies the s. 207 framework directly to the question Canadian players ask most often.

Responsible Gambling and Age Requirements

The minimum gambling age is 19+ in most Canadian provinces, including Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and the Atlantic provinces. The minimum is 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec. No single age applies across Canada — it depends on where you are located.

If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, contact the helpline in your province:

Self-exclusion programs are operated by provincial regulators and apply to provincially registered operators. If you are playing on a site that is not registered in your province, ask the operator directly what self-exclusion tools it offers, and check its responsible gambling page before you play.

Frequently Asked Questions