New Brunswick explores legalizing commercial iGaming
The province is considering following Ontario and Alberta by opening its market to private operators.
New Brunswick is exploring options to legalize commercial iGaming, potentially following Ontario and Alberta in opening its market to private operators.
Finance Minister René Legacy confirmed that Premier Susan Holt's administration is considering changing the province's iGaming regulatory model.
The government is reportedly concerned the province is losing millions in annual gambling revenue.
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iGaming in Canada's eastern province is currently offered exclusively by the government-owned Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC).
The ALC operates lottery, sports betting and online casino games on behalf of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, and splits its profits with the member provinces.
ALC president and CEO Dallas McCready said in October 2025 that unregulated online gambling sites draw approximately $200 million in revenue away from Canada's Atlantic provinces every year.
The objective was to reach 50% of the gaming market over the next five years.
He said during the 2024-25 fiscal year the ALC increased its market share of total online betting and gaming activity in the region to 34%, up from 22% the previous year.
According to market channelization research by TRM Public Affairs, 25% of the $921 million available market in Atlantic Canada has been channeled, while 75% remains in the unregulated space.
TRM estimated that $167.6 million in government revenue has been lost in Atlantic Canada.
Ontario launched its regulated iGaming market in 2022 and reported $396.3 million in total non-adjusted gross gaming revenue for August, with 49 operators currently licensed and operating.
Alberta's iGaming market launched in July and currently has 51 operator sites live and accepting wagers within the regulated market.
Players in New Brunswick who try to access Ontario sites are geo-blocked but are often redirected to international domains run by the same operators.
In Quebec, the newly elected Parti Québécois minority government said during the campaign it favoured private online gaming under a regulated provincial framework.
The opposition Liberal Party has made a similar commitment.
The Coalition Avenir Québec, which governed while the province kept its online gaming monopoly, was wiped out in the Oct. 5 election.
The Parti Québécois government is committed to balancing the province's budget by 2028-29.