Newfoundland and Labrador online sports betting laws
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s easternmost province, sprang a surprise in the summer of 2021. Previously seen as an area unfriendly to gambling, it became one of the provinces to introduce single-game sports betting as soon as the bill C-218 was passed in August 2021 by the national government.
Is sports betting legal in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting is legal through the sole licensed operator, the state-run Atlantic Lottery Corporation.
Is online sports betting legal in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Newfoundland and Labrador online sports betting is legal through the Pro-Line platform run by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.
How old do I have to be to place a bet in Newfoundland and Labrador?
As with the majority of Canadian provinces, to bet in Newfoundland and Labrador you need to be at least 19 years old.
How do I start betting in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Sports fans in Newfoundland and Labrador have been able to place bets for several years. However, until 2021 the only way you could wager was on parlays. These bets tend to be less popular with bettors because you have to make more than one selection – and all your picks have to win for you to see a return. However, it is now possible to place single-game wagers through the Pro-Line service overseen by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.
This is available at many retail outlets, and you can play online by registering using the following steps:
Find the Atlantic Lottery Corporation website and look for the sign-up button.
Verify your age, identity and location in the Atlantic provinces.
Go to the Pro-Line pages, where sports betting is to be found.
Deposit some funds into your new account.
You’re all set for Newfoundland and Labrador online sports betting.
Is sports betting legal in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Sports fans in Newfoundland and Labrador have been able to place bets for many years, with licensed betting available through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. This historically offered online accounts, as well as the opportunity to bet in retail locations such as gas stations and convenience stores. Options were strictly limited until the summer of 2021, however, with only parlay bets permitted. That changed in August 2021 with the passage of bill C-218, which opened the doors for lottery operators in provinces across Canada to offer single-wager bets in person and online for the first time.
The passage of C-218 in August 2021 followed a determined campaign by its supporters to allow single-game wagering. Bosses at the Atlantic Lottery Corporation made it abundantly clear that it would be simple to add single-game wagering to the range of bets permitted through its Pro-Line platform.
As soon as the law was passed on August 27, Newfoundland and Labrador became one of seven provinces to grab the chance to offer online sports bets on single games. However, the only licensed option for Newfoundland and Labrador online betting is the Pro-Line platform. It is unclear whether or not the province, along with the other Atlantic provinces, will open the way for licenses to be issued to reputable international operators in the near future.
As things stand, many of the biggest names in international betting are offering their services to sports bettors in Newfoundland and Labrador, and across Canada as a whole. They are operating in a grey area – while their activities are completely legal, they do not have licenses to trade in Canada.
The offshore sportsbooks tend to offer a wider range of odds, and deliver bonuses and offers to customers, which makes them very competitive against the Pro-Line platform. As a result, millions of betting dollars flow offshore each year as customers take the small risk that, in the event of a dispute, they will have no legal recourse against an unlicensed operator.
The Canadian government believes that the proceeds of gambling do not constitute a form of income. As a result, no tax is levied on winnings from any form of betting. The only exceptions arise if you are a professional gambler who makes a living from betting, or if you accrue interest on your winnings. In such cases, failure to declare the tax you owe could result in a fine. It is also worth remembering that if you visit the US and have a winning bet there, you will have to pay some of it in tax to the US government.
Who is allowed to bet on sports in Newfoundland and Labrador?
While the advent of C-218 in August 2021 heralded a much-changed look to the Canadian sports betting landscape, it did not usher in any major changes to the eligibility requirements. The restrictions around who is allowed to place a sports bet, and how they can do it, remain as follows:
As in the majority of Canadian provinces, if you want to enjoy Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting you will need to be at least 19 years old. This stipulation also applies to the two licensed casinos in the province.
Modern sportsbooks use geo-location technology to verify that customers are physically located in the area covered by their license. That means when you register for an online account with the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, you will have to prove that you are located in Newfoundland and Labrador, or one of the neighboring Atlantic provinces, to be able to proceed with your wagering.
Daily Fantasy Sports in Newfoundland and Labrador
Daily Fantasy Sports are completely legal across Canada and have never been the subject of laws specifically banning them. This has led to leading DFS operators, such as FanDuel and DraftKings, being able to offer games to customers across Canada. As a result, they have built up large and loyal followings who enjoy the opportunity to engage with sports in this way on a daily basis.
Top sports to bet on in Newfoundland and Labrador
The province holds about half-a-million inhabitants, the overwhelming majority in Newfoundland, and the appetite for sporting entertainment – and the opportunity to bet on it – is as keen as anywhere else in Canada.
Hockey
The Newfoundland Growlers are the biggest local players of Canada’s No.1 sport. They are a professional outfit who play in the ECHL. Fans also follow the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Leafs in the NHL; wherever hockey is played and watched in Canada, there will always be significant interest in betting on the action.
Responsible gambling in Newfoundland and Labrador
The fact that sports betting is well established in the province ensures that there is a welcome focus on the need for all forms of gaming to be pursued responsibly by providers and participants. Most people enjoy gambling as a relaxing leisure pursuit. For a small minority, however, it can lead to addiction and a range of social problems. Plenty of agencies operate nationally and locally to provide practical support for such people, as well as well-founded advice that can help gamblers avoid issues.
These include:
The Responsible Gambling Council, seen as one of the leading resources of responsible gambling materials and programs across the nation.
Problem Gambling offers a range of responsible gambling tools to help people, and their families, who are worried about their gambling.
The Canada Safety Council delivers a wealth of information, including access to a number of helplines.
The Atlantic Lottery Corporation runs a program training retailers in the ways they can help gamblers who may develop problems.
Where can you bet in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Several retail outlets across the province, including grocery stores and gas stations, have Atlantic Lottery Corporation facilities where you can bet. Anyone over 18 years old with an internet connection can place a sports bet through the Pro-Line platform provided by the ALC. Newfoundland and Labrador is home to two licensed land-based casinos. Should the sports betting landscape mature further, they would be potential venues for future sports betting.
Single-game online sports betting in Canada
Our interactive map shows the status of betting in each Canadian province and territory. Betting is legal nationwide, but some provinces only allow parlay betting – bets made up of multiple selections, rather than a single one. Other provinces allow single-game online sports betting, as well as parlay betting.
Also note that many licensed offshore websites offer legal alternatives, and our map represents provincially regulated options only.
- Single game betting
- No single game betting
Newfoundland and Labrador betting FAQs
Your choice of licensed Newfoundland and Labrador betting sites is strictly limited. The only way to enjoy sports betting online here is through the Pro-Line platform operated by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. Only time will tell if the Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting landscape matures in future years and allows competitors to become licensed.
There are many Newfoundland and Labrador betting sites available – but only one is licensed to operate in the province. Offshore sportsbooks operate in a grey area where they are fully legal, but unlicensed. The best betting sites have a range of competitive odds, good customer experience and generous bonuses.
Esports have become increasingly popular with sports betting fans and it is legal to place bets on them in Canada. The Pro-Line platform run by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, the only one of the Newfoundland and Labrador betting sites that is licensed, offers odds on esports.
There are many Newfoundland and Labrador betting sites where it is perfectly legal to bet. However, the only outfit that is actually licensed to operate in the territory is the Pro-Line platform offered by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. There is a small risk, when betting with an unlicensed operator, in that you may not have any legal recourse in the case of a dispute.