Gambling in Manitoba
Gambling is a diverse and regulated industry in Manitoba, but it is not without controversy, and looks set for a shake-up in the coming years as the province pushes for its own licensing regime. While PlayNow.com is the sole licensee of the Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba, residents are able to legally wager at offshore gambling sites. The best Manitoba gambling sites give you access to thousands of real money casino games, sports betting, lotteries and other forms of wagering. The top MB gambling sites can be accessed via both computer and mobile, with the only essential ingredients being an upgraded web browser and decent internet connection. Many do choose to play or wager via gambling apps and many brands active in Manitoba have Android and IOS applications available. Below we will break down the gambling laws in Manitoba, top gambling sites and apps, lottery, sports betting, horse racing and land-based gambling venues.
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
- Outstanding reputation!
- Android and iOS apps available
- Great promotions
- Can restrict winning punters
- Self-described “Kings of Mobile” and we agree!
- Live dealer table limits suit high rollers
- Outstanding customer service department
- Can have overzealous KYC and verification requirements
Since the 2021 law change under Bill C-218, single-event sports betting is now legal in Canada — and yes, PlayNow.com offers these single-event bets, but these do exclude parlays.
The legacy offerings remain too. You can still place multi-leg parlays, pools and prop-style bets via PlayNow (reflecting the old “lottery-style” system), though many bettors now appreciate the flexibility of one-match wagers under the new rules.
Because local legal sportsbooks such as PlayNow still don’t match the breadth and pricing depth of many offshore sites, many Canadians continue using those foreign-licensed platforms — especially if they want exotic markets or more aggressive odds.
What are the best international betting sites for Canadians? is a loaded question, with most accepting players from Manitoba, and no great regulated options available, barring the government backed PlayNow. Major brands like Betway.com and WilliamHill.com offer their wares to Manitoba, while other various UK and Malta-based bookies will also provide a good service.
It’s worth noting that many betting sites accepting Canadians offer bonus bet and free bet deals, with these taking on various forms, and including both existing and new customers. An example of a new customer free bet offer is a 100% matched deposit up to the value of $200 + 100 free spins. The bonus money can be used on sports betting and you can jump over and have a free hit on popular online slots.
For newcomers: there’s now plenty of variety. With hundreds of daily events, a choice between single-event or parlay bets, and markets spanning hockey, basketball, soccer, golf, futures and more — you’ve got a full slate of options.
Online poker in Manitoba
Online poker is perfectly legal in Manitoba and many of the best online poker sites offer their wares to residents of this Canadian province. This means Manitobans can play at GGPoker, Pokerstars and 888Poker, which are all among the best poker website globally.
PlayNow.com is the only province sanctioned online poker website in Manitoba, and they have created their own client, meaning it’s geo-locked to Canadian players in this province and British Columbia.
Despite the decent poker offering at PlayNow.com, many residents of Manitoba still choose to play with offshore poker websites based overseas. These sites have more action and of-course provide you with access to things like satellites into the World Series of Poker and major million dollar 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.
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 laws in Manitoba
Gambling is legal in Manitoba and regulated provincially, with oversight provided by the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA). This agency licenses all forms of gambling — including casinos, lotteries, charitable gaming, VLTs, and sports betting — under the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act. Operations are conducted by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL), a crown corporation that also runs the province’s only legal online gambling platform: PlayNow.com.
Manitobans must be at least 18 years old to gamble — one of the lowest age thresholds in Canada. Online gaming is fully legal through PlayNow, which offers casino games, poker, and as of 2021, single-event sports betting, thanks to changes in federal law.
Interestingly, while PlayNow is the only provincially licensed online operator, there are no laws preventing Manitobans from placing bets with offshore gambling websites. Because these platforms are hosted outside of Canadian jurisdiction, they exist in a legal grey area — not explicitly illegal, but also not regulated by Manitoba’s gaming authority. As a result, many residents use reputable offshore sites, especially when seeking broader game selections or promotions.
It appears as though it as a matter of when, not if, Manitoba rolls out further regulation targeting offshore online gambling sites, following in the footsteps of Ontario, which became the first province to launch a fully-fledged online gambling industry.
Gambling winnings are not taxed in Manitoba unless you are considered a professional gambler earning a living from it.
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
There is one horse racing track that hosts regular meetings in Manitoba with this being Assiniboia Downs.
- Assiniboia Downs Gaming & Event Center
Address: 3975 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3K 2E9, Canada
