After Ontario and Alberta: Another Canadian Province Ponders Online Gambling

Canada’s Nova Scotia province is trying to decide whether to expand its regulated online gambling market, with the government carefully assessing developments in Ontario and Alberta before making a final call. “Those Are Conversations That Are Underway” Finance Minister John Lohr has officially confirmed that discussions are currently underway, openly admitting that the fact that online gambling platforms that operate outside provincial regulation have become so easily accessible has turned into a significant concern. “We’re watching what’s happening in Ontario and Alberta, in particular, very carefully. And obviously, those are conversations that are underway right now,” Lohr said, according to Global News. Ontario launched its regulated online gambling market in April 2022, while Alberta opened its market in July 2026, with both provinces introducing frameworks that enable private operators to provide online casino games and sports betting under provincial oversight. Nova Scotia, by comparison, currently has just a single government-authorized online gambling platform, operated by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. The service gives residents access to both online casino games and sports betting. Nonetheless, players can also access offshore gambling websites that operate outside the province’s regulatory system. Lohr said this creates a difficult situation for authorities, particularly when it comes to monitoring gambling activity and addressing addiction-related problems. The Finance Minister described the challenge as very significant, pointing to the limited ability of the government to oversee activity taking place on unregulated platforms. Opposition Calls for Health Assessment As expected, not everyone is convinced that opening the market to more operators would be the right response. New Democratic Party Leader Claudia Chender has called on the government to proceed carefully, raising concerns about the potential consequences of greater government involvement in online gambling. Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin has also urged officials to conduct a public health risk assessment before considering any legislative changes. There are already concerns about the health effects associated with the expansion of online gambling elsewhere in Canada. A study by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences found that emergency department visits related to gambling disorders in Ontario had doubled since the province regulated online gambling and introduced single-event sports betting. Dr. Peter Selby, a senior scientist at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, has also taken the opportunity to emphasize the risks that younger people face. According to survey findings, the proportion of Ontario high school students reporting online gambling increased from 1% in 2019 to 9% in 2026. Ontario Market, a Model of Growth Ontario’s most recent market figures highlight the size of the industry Nova Scotia is considering entering. According to iGaming Ontario, total wagers reached CAD 9.71 billion ($6.95 billion) in September 2026, up 13.6% compared with the same month in 2025. At the same time, gross gaming revenue before adjustments went up 26.2% on a year-over-year basis, reaching CAD 416.3 million ($298 million). Online casino games generated a total revenue of CAD 340.8 million ($244 million), while sports betting brought in CAD 69.1 million ($49.4 million), signaling a massive 47.3% boost compared with September last year. The province also recorded 1.41 million active player accounts, up 20.1% from September 2025.