British Columbia’s online sports betting sector is facing intense competition from private operators, even though these platforms remain illegal in the province. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) currently controls only a slim majority of the online market through its PlayNow platform.
Finance Minister Brenda Bailey shared updated figures during budget estimates, noting the growing influence of unregulated operators. “We estimate that BCLC has captured half – 51 per cent is our estimate – of the online gambling market in B.C.,” Bailey said according to Pique News Magazine. She added that aggressive marketing by illegal operators has allowed many to reach players across the province. “We know there has been a significant increase in illegal operations attempting to enter B.C. through aggressive marketing and acquisition efforts, much of it being successful entering B.C.”
Private Platforms Draw Players Away from PlayNow
PlayNow is the only legal online sports betting option in British Columbia, but it struggles to match the depth and variety offered by multibillion-dollar private companies. Star-studded advertising campaigns promoting Ontario-licensed operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and Bet365 have reached B.C. audiences through sports broadcasts like NHL hockey and NBA games, influencing consumer behavior across the province.
BCLC estimates that roughly $441 million flows annually through unregulated online platforms, compared with $454 million legally wagered on PlayNow. Bailey observed that Ontario’s move to open its online market in 2022 has had a direct effect on B.C. players. “Since the Government of Ontario opened its market, there’s been this influx of advertising for sites which are regulated in Ontario but operate illegally in other provinces, including our own,” she said. “This really blurs the line between those sites and provincially regulated gambling like PlayNow that creates revenue and jobs for respective provinces.”
Although technically prohibited, private sites often find ways to bypass restrictions, giving BCLC and other illegal operators competition from both domestic and international sources. The corporation acknowledged the challenge in its service plan: “PlayNow competes with these sites as well as illegal gambling operators from outside of Canada, hindering BCLC’s market share and revenue growth in the iGaming space.”
Implications for Revenue and Regulation
BCLC anticipates generating $1.4 billion in net income for the province in fiscal 2026-27 through online gambling. Opposition Finance Critic Peter Milobar warned that the growth of unregulated platforms could threaten brick-and-mortar casinos and gambling venues, which contribute jobs and community funding through gaming grants. “The worry is the government will say we’re losing so much revenue to unregulated [gambling] that we might as well regulate it and get a piece of it,” Milobar said. “But the jury is out in some of those other jurisdictions if that’s actually been effective or not.”
Bailey confirmed that the PlayNow platform will undergo a major upgrade this fall to better compete. “The platform for PlayNow is being replaced in the fall to better compete in the market,” she said. “It will also include a new offering which is a sports betting platform that will come out as part of this new platform.”
While British Columbia has not signaled any interest in allowing private online betting, neighbouring Alberta is preparing to regulate private iGaming, with a launch set for mid-July. Companies including BetMGM, Bet99, and BetNova have already registered in Alberta. “With unregulated iGaming widely available in our province, it is our responsibility to step in, regulate the market, and hold private providers to the highest standards to protect Albertans, particularly our youth,” said Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally.
BCLC describes the upcoming sports betting product as “highly competitive,” but the province’s substantial budget deficit highlights the consequences of nearly $441 million in wagers leaving the legal market. For now, a large portion of British Columbians continue to place bets on platforms that do not contribute to responsible gambling programs or provincial revenues.