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 such as Bet365, William Hill and 888 Sports 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.
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.
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
Aseneskak Casino
Address: Highway 10, Opaskwayak, MB R0B 2J0, Canada
Info: Located just minutes from the Saskatchewan River, this casino features live poker games, table games such as blackjack, Let It Ride and many slots games.
McPhillips Station Casino
Address: 484 McPhillips St, Winnipeg, MB R2X 2H2, Canada
Info: Has slots, table games, bingo and many games in a beautiful building in the heart of Winnipeg.
Club Regent Casino
Address: 1425 Regent Ave W, Winnipeg, MB R2C 3B2, Canada
Info: Many massive names in entertainment play at this venue. From a gambling perspective it features poker games, slots and other table games.
Sand Hills Casino
Address: 777 Sand Hills Drive, Carberry, MB R0K 0H0, Canada
Info: Sand Hills Casino boasts over 300 slots games, variants of blackjack, variants of roulette and live poker games, including tournaments.
South Beach Casino & Resort
Address: 1 Ocean Dr, Scanterbury, MB R0E 1W0, Canada
Info: Has more than 600 slots games and six different table games.
BINGO
Kinsmen Jackpot Bingo
Address: 161 Rue Grandin, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0A8, Canada
Club 373 Bingo
Address: 1685 Notre Dame Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0R4, Canada
HORSE RACING TRACKS
Assiniboia Downs Gaming & Event Center
Address: 3975 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3K 2E9, Canada