Is Online Gambling Legal in Nunavut?

Key takeaways

• Nunavut sells lottery through the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), where it is an associate member. The only official way to play online is to buy single-draw lottery tickets in WCLC’s Lotto Spot app while you are physically inside the WCLC region.
• There is no government-run online casino for Nunavut. The territory has nothing like PlayNow (Manitoba) or PlayAlberta. The licences in Nunavut’s Lotteries Regulations are for charitable or religious organizations, not commercial online casinos.
• WCLC sells lottery to people 18 and over. Nunavut’s Lotteries Regulations set 19 as the minimum age for licensed casino and poker-tournament areas.

What the law says

Gambling is a federal crime in Canada unless the Criminal Code allows it. Section 207(1) of the Criminal Code allows a “lottery scheme” (legally, this covers casino-style games too) in only a few cases. The two that matter here are:

• games conducted and managed by the government of a province, alone or with other provinces, under that province’s own law; and
• games run by charitable or religious organizations that hold a licence issued in the province.

The federal Interpretation Act says “province” in federal laws includes Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. It also treats Nunavut’s Commissioner as the equivalent of a lieutenant governor. So Nunavut has the same powers over gambling as a province.

Nunavut uses those powers through the Lotteries Act, which it inherited from the Northwest Territories. Section 1 lets the Commissioner regulate and license persons or organizations to conduct and manage the lottery schemes that the Criminal Code permits in Nunavut. Breaking the Act or its regulations can lead to a fine of up to $500 for a first offence and up to $2,000 for each later offence.

What this means for online play: the only lawful online option is one the territory itself conducts and manages, and for Nunavut that means WCLC lottery. An offshore online casino that takes Nunavut players is not conducted and managed by the territory and holds no Nunavut licence.

WCLC’s role, and what you can actually play online

WCLC describes itself as a non-profit organization that runs lottery and gaming activities as agent for its members, the governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut take part as associate members. WCLC says its revenue goes back to the governments of the provinces and territories it operates for, and that each government decides how to spend its lottery funds.

In Nunavut, lottery is sold under the Northwest Territories & Nunavut Lotteries name. Its prize claim office is at 480 Range Lake Road in Yellowknife.

What is available online, according to WCLC:

Product	Online in Nunavut?	How
LOTTO MAX, LOTTO 6/49, DAILY GRAND, WESTERN MAX, WESTERN 649	Yes, single draws	WCLC’s Lotto Spot app. You must be within the WCLC region to buy
Advance-play tickets (up to 25 draws; KENO up to 99)	In person	Lotto Spot retail locations
Online subscriptions / multi-draw online play	Not at present	WCLC retired SubscriptionSpot.ca in April 2026 and says subscriptions will come to an upgraded Lotto Spot platform. PlayAlberta and PlayNow serve their own provinces only
Online casino, slots, table games, poker	No	No territorial platform exists

WCLC says the Lotto Spot app “is intended for residents of the Prairie Provinces and Territories aged 18 and older.” To buy a mobile ticket in the app you have to choose one draw only. The app can also scan draw, scratch and sports tickets to check whether they won.

Who regulates gambling in Nunavut

Under the Lotteries Regulations, the Minister issues lottery licences to charitable or religious organizations and can designate a person to act for the Minister (s.2). Since R-010-2025 replaced s.5(1), an application goes on a form approved by the Minister, at least one month before the lottery date, to the person the Minister has designated under s.2, or to the Minister if no one is designated. The old Baker Lake mailing address is no longer in the regulations. Since R-046-2025, every application must come with a fee (see below).

The regulations cover bingo, Nevada (pull-tab or break-open) tickets, casino events, poker tournaments, raffles and sports draft lotteries. They set up licences for charitable or religious organizations only. We found no category for commercial operators, online or offline, in the 2012 consolidation or in either 2025 amendment.

The official consolidation of the Lotteries Regulations runs only to May 19, 2012, so the two 2025 amendments (summarized under “What changed recently”) are not in it yet. Check nunavutlegislation.ca before relying on a specific rule.

Legal gambling age in Nunavut

Activity	Minimum age	Source
Buying or cashing WCLC lottery tickets (incl. Lotto Spot app)	18	WCLC 18+ policy
Casino area at a licensed charitable casino event	19	Lotteries Regulations, s.60
Poker tournament area	19	Lotteries Regulations, s.63.8
Buying or selling Nevada (break-open) tickets	16	Lotteries Regulations, s.48
Buying or selling sports draft lottery entry forms	16	Lotteries Regulations, s.88
Bingo	Set per licence, on the licence holder’s request	Lotteries Regulations, s.28

WCLC says Lotto Spot retailers may ask for proof of age if a buyer looks under 25. Neither 2025 amendment changes the age rules in sections 28, 48, 60, 63.8 or 88.

What changed recently

• April 2026: WCLC retired both its Mail subscription service and its online SubscriptionSpot.ca service (final draw April 2). WCLC says subscriptions “will soon be available on the upgraded Lotto Spot platform”, which will include a desktop experience with subscriptions and advance play.
• September 2025 (R-046-2025): Chase the Ace raffles are now expressly provided for, with a new definition of “raffle”. Every licence application must include a fee: $75 if received a month or more before the lottery, $175 if received less than a month before. Asking to amend a licence costs $50. The separate Lottery Licences Fees Regulations were repealed, and Chase the Ace licences have their own expiry rules. The amendment took effect 14 days after it was registered on September 18, 2025.
• February 2025 (R-010-2025): replaced the application rule in s.5(1). Applications now go to the Minister’s designate, or to the Minister, on a Minister-approved form. The Baker Lake mailing address was removed from the regulations.
• No change to the core position: Nunavut still has no territorial online casino, and its licences remain limited to charitable or religious organizations.

Practical next steps

• Want to play lottery online legally? Use WCLC’s Lotto Spot app. It is the only official online channel for Nunavut. Official information is at wclc.com and ntnulotteries.ca.
• Won $1,000 or more? NT & NU Lotteries’ prize claim office in Yellowknife handles claims and general inquiries at 867-767-9166 ext. 21118 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 3:00pm).
• Running a raffle, bingo or charity casino night? Only charitable or religious organizations can get a licence, from the Government of Nunavut Minister responsible for lotteries (or the Minister’s designate). Apply on the approved form at least a month ahead: the fee is $75 on time, or $175 if your application arrives less than a month before the lottery. Changing a licence later costs $50.
• Worried about your gambling, or someone else’s? The Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut Help Line is a free, 24/7 general crisis and counselling line (not gambling-specific): 1-800-265-3333, or 867-979-3333 in Iqaluit. GameSense NT & NU (gamesensent.com) is the responsible-gambling program of NT & NU Lotteries.
• Online sites: Nunavut has no territorial online casino, so there is nothing territorial to self-exclude from online. If you play on offshore sites, don’t count on protections that regulated Canadian platforms are required to offer.

FAQ

Is online gambling legal in Nunavut?

Only online lottery is. Nunavut residents can buy single-draw WCLC lottery tickets in the Lotto Spot app. The territory does not operate or license online casinos, slots or poker. Under the Criminal Code, lawful gambling has to be run by the province or territory, or by a licensed charity.

What is the gambling age in Nunavut?

It depends on the game. WCLC lottery tickets are 18+. Nunavut’s Lotteries Regulations set 19 as the minimum age for the casino area at licensed casino events and for poker-tournament areas. Nevada tickets and sports draft entry forms are 16+.

Does Nunavut have its own online casino like PlayNow or PlayAlberta?

No. PlayNow (Manitoba) and PlayAlberta serve their own provinces only. For Nunavut, the official online option is the Lotto Spot app. WCLC retired its SubscriptionSpot.ca online subscriptions in April 2026 and says subscriptions and advance play are coming to an upgraded Lotto Spot platform.

Who regulates gambling in Nunavut?

Lottery licensing is done under Nunavut’s Lotteries Act and Lotteries Regulations, by the Minister and the Minister’s designate. Since R-010-2025, applications go to the person the Minister designates, or to the Minister, on a Minister-approved form. Lottery games themselves are run by WCLC, with Nunavut as an associate member, under the Northwest Territories & Nunavut Lotteries name.

Is it illegal to play on offshore casino sites from Nunavut?

Offshore sites are not run by the territory and hold no Nunavut licence, so they fall outside what section 207 of the Criminal Code allows. The Code has a player-side offence: section 207(3)(b) makes taking part in an unauthorized lottery scheme punishable on summary conviction. Sites licensed by the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission in Quebec are no different here, because Nunavut has not authorized them. None of these sites comes with the oversight or dispute handling of a Canadian regulated platform.

Where can I get help with gambling in Nunavut?

Call the Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut Help Line at 1-800-265-3333 (867-979-3333 in Iqaluit), free and 24/7. It is a general crisis line, not a gambling-specific service. In the Northwest Territories, call 811 (the Mental Health and Wellness Support Line) or 1-844-259-1793, 24/7. GameSense NT & NU lists support options at gamesensent.com/get-support.

Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. This page is general information about the law and is not legal advice. iGamify News does not promote gambling operators.