New Brunswick online sports betting laws

When Canada’s legislature passed bill C-218 in August 2021 after a sustained campaign by its supporters, the way was clear for provinces to permit single-game wagering at last. Some provinces seized this opportunity immediately and began to offer online sports betting on single outcomes, with some notable results. In the countdown to legalization, leading officials at Atlantic Lottery stated that it would be extremely easy to add single-game wagering to the parlay offerings offered through its Pro-Line platform.

New Brunswick was one of three Atlantic provinces to allow single-game wagering as soon as C-218 passed on August 27 2021. However, this is still solely through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and Pro-Line. There are no indications as to whether New Brunswick will give licenses to reputable external sportsbooks in the near future.

New Brunswick online betting fans have been able to bet on sports for many years with hundreds of sportsbooks based outside the province – and technically unlicensed to operate there. This is known as the grey market. There is no law specifically prohibiting sportsbooks from offering their services to the people of Canada, and nobody has ever been prosecuted for betting with them.

Nevertheless, they are operating without a license. That means you are legally unprotected in the event of a dispute with one of them. The fact that such sportsbooks offer the attractions of single-game wagering on a wide variety of sports means millions of dollars will continue to flow in their direction.

The simple answer is no. When you enjoy a win from your New Brunswick sports-betting activity, the national government allows you to keep all your winnings. The government’s view is that this is not a constant form of income – the exception is if you are a professional gambler making a living from sports betting.

It’s worth noting, however, that if you accrue interest on your winnings, that is taxable and you should declare it on your T5 form. Similarly, any winnings you collect while visiting the United States are subject to tax by the US government.

As in the majority of Canadian provinces, the minimum age for any form of gambling in New Brunswick is 19. This also applies to the six licensed land-based casinos in the province.

When you register for an online account with the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, you will have to verify that you are located in New Brunswick to be able to sign up and place bets. Sportsbooks normally use geo-location technology to make sure you are in a region where online sports betting is permitted.