Gambling in Manitoba

Gambling in Manitoba

Manitoba is the fifth-biggest province by population in Canada and has both land-based gambling options and a limited range of regulated online wagering available.

The Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba was formed in 2014 to regulate gambling in the province, forming from the ashes of the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission and Manitoba Gaming Control Commission.

This body ensures businesses in the gambling and liquor spaces abide by the Liquor and Gaming Control Act, while they also police the Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act.

In 2004 PlayNow.com was launched in British Columbia to offer a legal gambling platform, with Manitoba getting on board with this website on January 23, 2013. This government-condoned gambling site offers sports betting, online casino games, lottery services, poker, keno and bingo.

Many Canadians, though, still prefer to gamble with offshore websites, with no laws currently existing that make them illegal.

Online casinos in Manitoba

While there is that government-condoned option – PlayNow.com – available for players, most choose to gamble at offshore online casinos, which means they are licensed in other countries, with some of the most popular licensing jurisdictions being the United Kingdom and Malta.

Obviously Canada is also home to the Kahnawake Gambling Commission, although this licensing body has copped some heat from those who question its legality. However to this day Canadians are free to sign up at casinos accepting locals at their discretion.

There are thousands of different games available to those wishing to play on the web, with everything you will find at land-based casinos available in a digital version, including popular live titles, which mirror table games played at offline casinos.

Many of the biggest software companies, including Microgaming, Net Entertainment and Playtech, which have many of the biggest online slots titles and table game variations in their catalogues, do service the Canadian market. Many online offshore casinos will boast titles from multiple software providers.

Betting on sports in Manitoba

Much like the rest of Canada the types of bets that you can place locally on sports is limited, with the general rule of thumb being that you must put your wagers in a parlay for them to be accepted. You can, on top of land-based retail outlets, also place these “Sports Select” bet types — Pro Line, Point-Spread, Pro Picks Pools and Pro Pick Props — on the internet.

Because of the limited range of bet types available at locally licensed sportsbooks most people turn to offshore operators for their sports betting product, with these sites that are legislated elsewhere not obliged to abide by local laws. Until legislation tightens they will continue to service the Canadian market.

If you are new to the sports betting scene it’s fair to say most people will be catered to, with 100s of events daily being put before the odds-makers, while there is also an abundance of futures markets on various upcoming and distant events.

The top online betting sites feature markets on everything from the Canadian Football League, right through to tennis, golf, basketball and basically anything else you can think of, including if Scott Gillingham will get thrown out on his arse.

Horse racing in Manitoba

Opening for business in 1965, the Manitoba Horse Racing Commission looks after everything horse racing in the province, including the operation of race tracks and different types of racing.

The major race track in Manitoba — home to the Manitoba Derby — is Assiniboia Downs which holds thoroughbred racing on most Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from May through to September. Simulcast racing from North America and right around the world is also available at the venue to wager on.

There are also many rural tracks scattered around Manitoba which hold different standards of race meetings in the warmer months of the year.

You can learn more about Canadian horse racing in our extensive guide.

Lottery in Manitoba — Provided by BCLC

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation runs major games of lottery in Manitoba in conjunction with the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation.

Some of the biggest National lotto draws in Canada are LOTTO MAX, DAILY GRIND and Lotto 6/49 which are all accessible from Manitoba. The beauty of these draws is they have increased liquidity because people are buying them right across Canada, rather than just the limited pool of players in one province.

The two methods of purchasing lottery tickets when in Manitoba are via one of the 1000 or so retail outlets scattered throughout, or online via the BCLC-condoned PlayNow.com website.

Gambling venues in Manitoba

Like much of Canada, Manitoba has plenty of land-based gambling establishments, including bingo halls, poker rooms, casinos and lottery retail outlets. This section will run you through some of the more popular gaming establishments in the province.

CASINOS

BINGO

HORSE RACING TRACKS