Is Online Gambling Legal in New Brunswick?

Key takeaways

1. One legal online channel. Under the Criminal Code, lottery schemes can only be conducted and managed by provinces or by people they license. New Brunswick’s Crown corporation, the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation, is one of the four owners of Atlantic Lottery, which runs alc.ca.
2. 19+, and you must be in Atlantic Canada. To open an alc.ca account you must be at least 19, live in Atlantic Canada and be physically there when you register. You can’t buy games while you’re outside the region.
3. Help is free and runs 24/7. New Brunswick’s addiction and mental health helpline is 1-866-355-5550. alc.ca also lets you lock yourself out for anywhere from 1 day to 36 months.

Why only the government can run online gambling

Section 207(1)(a) of the federal Criminal Code says it is lawful “for the government of a province, either alone or in conjunction with the government of another province, to conduct and manage a lottery scheme in that province …” The same section says games played “on or through a computer, video device, slot machine or a dice game” can’t be licensed to charities, fairs or other private licensees. In practice, that leaves online casino-style games to the province.

New Brunswick’s Gaming Control Act turns this into provincial law. Section 33 says no one except the provincial government, one of its agencies, or a person authorized or licensed under the Criminal Code may “conduct or manage a lottery scheme.” The Act also allows the province’s lottery corporation to run lottery schemes together with other provinces, and to set up a joint body with them. That is the legal basis for Atlantic Lottery.

Websites run from outside Canada aren’t the province’s channel. The Registrar registers casino operators, employees and suppliers in New Brunswick; the government sources we checked list no registration route for private online operators, so the province’s player-protection tools (such as PlayWise on alc.ca) don’t apply to those sites.

Atlantic Lottery’s role in New Brunswick

Atlantic Lottery (legally the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, or ALC) says it was set up by “the four Atlantic provincial governments … on behalf of all Atlantic Canadians.” It lists four shareholders:

• New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation
• Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation
• Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission
• Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

ALC describes its mandate as providing “government regulated and responsible products” and says it delivers “100% of lottery profits to our four provincial shareholders.” New Brunswick’s Gaming Control Act names ALC directly. It defines ALC as a body corporate created under an agreement between the provinces.

What alc.ca offers online. The site’s menus list lottery draws (Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49, Daily Grand and others), instant-win games, a casino section, Proline sports betting, Keno Atlantic and Salsa Bingo. You can also play through a mobile app.

Who can play. Under the alc.ca Terms of Service, you must be “at least 19 years of age, a resident of Atlantic Canada, physically located within Atlantic Canada at time of registration.” You “shall not purchase or attempt to purchase any Game while You are physically located outside Atlantic Canada.” The terms define Atlantic Canada as Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Who regulates gambling in New Brunswick

Two public bodies are involved, and they’re easy to mix up:

Body	What it is	What it does
New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation	Crown corporation, head office in Fredericton. It continues the Lotteries Commission of New Brunswick (created in 1976) under a new name.	Conducts and manages lottery schemes for the province, alone or with other provinces. Its board is chaired by the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board. It is New Brunswick’s shareholder in Atlantic Lottery.
Registrar of Gaming Control (Department of Justice and Public Safety)	An official appointed under section 28 of the Gaming Control Act, working in the branch responsible for gaming control. On the Government of New Brunswick website, this is the Gaming Control and Licensing Services Branch.	Registers casino operators, casino employees and gaming suppliers, and registers video lottery siteholders. Charitable gaming licence applications (raffles, bingo, Texas Hold’em tournaments) go to this branch or a Service New Brunswick office.

The Gaming Control Act has been in force since 2008. Parts 1 and 2 took effect on June 26, 2008 and Parts 3 to 6 on October 1, 2008. The Minister of Finance and Treasury Board is responsible for the lottery corporation part of the Act. The Minister of Public Safety is responsible for the rest.

Legal age

The Gaming Control Act itself doesn’t set an age. The minimum age of 19 comes from the operators’ own rules:

• Online and lottery (ALC): ALC says “You must be 19+ to purchase, play or redeem ALC products,” and its Terms of Service require players to be at least 19.
• Casino New Brunswick (Moncton): the casino’s website says you “must be 19 years of age or older to play.” Great Canadian, the casino group listed on that site, says its casinos “adhere firmly to a 19+ age policy” and that those under 30 must provide valid government-issued ID. This is a company-wide policy.

Self-exclusion and taking a break

On alc.ca (PlayWise tools). ALC offers:

• Deposit limit: caps how much you can add to your account each week.
• Session limit: caps how long you can play on alc.ca in a day.
• Daily wager limit: caps how much you can spend in 24 hours, including money you’ve won.
• Break in Play: a short break of 1 to 90 days, or a longer one of 6, 12, 24 or 36 months. During the break you can’t sign in, and ALC says “a break cannot be reversed by you or by Atlantic Lottery.” Future subscriptions are cancelled and marketing emails stop. Lottery and Proline wagers you’ve already placed still play out.

You’ll find a “Take a Break” button on every wager screen and in the My Account menu on alc.ca.

At the casino. The Gaming Control Act allows regulations “respecting the self-exclusion of individuals from a casino or other gaming premises.” Great Canadian’s responsible-gambling page describes a Voluntary Self-Exclusion program that lets people ban themselves from its casinos for a set period. Ask Casino New Brunswick directly how to enrol there.

Where to get help in New Brunswick

• Provincial addiction and mental health helpline (free, 24/7): 1-866-355-5550. This is the number the Government of New Brunswick lists on its addictions pages.
• Suicide crisis line: call or text 988.
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868.
• Addiction services near you: the Government of New Brunswick’s addictions page lists local services for substance use and gambling. Its How to help page is written for families and friends.
• Peer support: Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon, for people affected by someone else’s gambling. The province recommends both.

What changed recently

• July 10, 2026: Atlantic Lottery said the federal anti-money-laundering agency FINTRAC fined it $212,025 for three compliance violations. ALC said it paid the penalty rather than appeal, which ended the examination, while also saying it has “full confidence” its compliance program meets its obligations.
• No move toward an Ontario- or Alberta-style open market. As of September 30, 2026, the official sources we checked show alc.ca as New Brunswick’s only legal online channel. We will update this page if the province announces a change.

Practical next steps

1. Only play on alc.ca or the official Atlantic Lottery app. If a site isn’t run by Atlantic Lottery, it isn’t New Brunswick’s regulated channel.
2. Set limits before you play. Use the PlayWise deposit, session and daily wager limits in your alc.ca account.
3. Need to stop? Use “Take a Break” on alc.ca. Choose a break long enough to matter, because you can’t cancel it early.
4. Worried about yourself or someone else? Call 1-866-355-5550 at any time. It’s free and confidential.

Frequently asked questions

Is online gambling legal in New Brunswick?

Yes, but only through the province. Atlantic Lottery’s alc.ca and its app are the legal online option. They are run for New Brunswick’s Crown corporation and the other Atlantic provinces. The province has not opened its market to private online casino or sports betting operators, unlike Ontario and Alberta.

What is the gambling age in New Brunswick?

You must be 19 or older. That is the minimum set by Atlantic Lottery (for its products and alc.ca accounts) and by Casino New Brunswick. The Gaming Control Act doesn’t set an age itself.

Who regulates gambling in New Brunswick?

The New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation conducts and manages provincial gaming, largely through Atlantic Lottery. The Registrar of Gaming Control in the Department of Justice and Public Safety (the Gaming Control and Licensing Services Branch) registers casino operators, casino staff and suppliers, and handles charitable gaming licence applications.

Can I use alc.ca if I’m travelling outside Atlantic Canada?

No. The alc.ca Terms of Service ban buying or trying to buy games while you’re physically outside Atlantic Canada. ALC can also hold back prizes won that way.

Can I be charged for using an offshore gambling site in New Brunswick?

The Criminal Code allows it: section 207(3)(b) makes taking part in a lottery scheme that no province authorizes a summary conviction offence, while running one carries up to two years in prison. Offshore and Kahnawà:ke-licensed sites are not New Brunswick’s authorized channel, so the province’s rules and Atlantic Lottery’s complaint process don’t reach them.

How do I self-exclude from gambling in New Brunswick?

Online, use “Take a Break” in your alc.ca account to lock yourself out for 1–90 days or for 6, 12, 24 or 36 months. For Casino New Brunswick, ask the casino about its Voluntary Self-Exclusion program.

Where can I get help for problem gambling in New Brunswick?

Call the free 24/7 provincial helpline at 1-866-355-5550. You can also find local addiction services through the Government of New Brunswick’s addictions page. In a crisis, call or text 988.

This page explains the law and isn’t legal advice. Last reviewed September 30, 2026, against the Government of New Brunswick, Justice Laws, Atlantic Lottery, Casino New Brunswick, Great Canadian and AGLC sources listed below.