Single-Event Sports Betting in Canada: The Law Since Bill C-218
By StakeReferralCode.ca Editorial Team · Updated
Short answer: since August 27, 2021, it has been legal in Canada for provinces to offer betting on a single game or event, thanks to Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act. Before that, the Criminal Code only allowed provincial lotteries to offer parlays, where you had to combine several outcomes on one ticket. The change didn't create a national sportsbook. It handed the decision to each province, which is why the rules in Ontario, Alberta and the rest of Canada now look quite different.
This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Laws and provincial policies change, so check official sources for your province.
Who this affects
If you're reading this because you're considering Stake.com, note that it is not available in Ontario or Alberta. Ontario is listed as a prohibited jurisdiction in Stake.com's terms (a VPN workaround breaches them and can lead to frozen funds), and Alberta now has its own regulated market with a separate Alberta-licensed Stake site. Elsewhere in Canada, Stake.com is licensed in Curaçao, not by your province, which is a grey area.
Before 2021: the parlay-only era
Gambling in Canada is governed by the Criminal Code. Most forms of gambling are prohibited unless an exception applies, and the most important exception is section 207, which lets provinces "conduct and manage" lottery schemes, including gaming and betting.
For decades, the Code carved out sports betting with a key limit: bets on a single sporting event were excluded. In practice, provincial lotteries could only offer parlays. That's why products in the Sport Select / Pro-Line style required you to pick multiple games on one ticket. If you wanted to bet on just the Toronto Maple Leafs beating the Montreal Canadiens on a given night, a legal provincial option didn't exist.
Many Canadians who wanted single-game bets turned to offshore websites instead, which is part of what pushed lawmakers to act.
Bill C-218: what changed
Bill C-218 was a private member's bill. It became law in 2021 and took effect on August 27, 2021. Its core change was simple: it removed the ban on single-event sports betting from the Criminal Code, so provinces could now conduct and manage betting on individual games and events.
What it did:
- Allowed provinces to offer single-event betting on sports such as hockey, basketball, baseball, soccer, football and combat sports.
- Left it to each province to decide how, and whether, to offer it, and through which operators.
What it didn't do:
- It didn't create a federal regulator or a national licence.
- It didn't make offshore sites licensed in Canada.
- It didn't change the basic rule that gambling must be conducted and managed by a province (or fall under another Code exception) to be clearly legal.
How provinces responded
| Province / region | Approach after C-218 | Key dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Opened a regulated market for private operators, overseen by the AGCO with iGaming Ontario | Market opened April 4, 2022 |
| Alberta | Opened a regulated market, AGLC as regulator, Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) as commercial partner | Market opened July 13, 2026; unlicensed operators had to leave by October 13, 2026 |
| Other provinces and territories | Single-event betting offered mainly through the provincial lottery's own platform (e.g. PlayNow in BC, Loto-Québec in Quebec) | Varies by province |
Ontario's model
Ontario was the first province to open a competitive, regulated market. Private operators can apply to the AGCO and, once approved, offer betting to Ontario residents. Stake Canada has applied to the AGCO, but as of November 2026 there's no licensed Stake site for Ontario, and Stake.com lists Ontario as prohibited.
Alberta's model
Alberta followed with its own regulated market on July 13, 2026. Before then, residents mainly had PlayAlberta, the province-run site, plus offshore options. Under the new framework, operators needed to be registered with the AGLC, and unlicensed ones had to exit by October 13, 2026. Stake Canada Ltd received AGLC registration (announced October 6, 2026) and planned a separate Alberta-licensed site. Alberta players should use that regulated site; the Stake.com offer and code SHIMA on this page don't apply there.
The rest of Canada
In the remaining provinces and territories, the provincial lottery is the legal single-event option. These sites operate under section 207 and offer provincial protections.
Where offshore sites fit: the grey area
Offshore sportsbooks, such as Stake.com with its Curaçao licence, accept players in many provinces but aren't licensed by those provinces. That creates a grey area:
- Players are generally not prosecuted for using them.
- The sites aren't conducted and managed by a province, so they don't carry provincial regulator protection.
- In regulated markets like Ontario and Alberta, provinces expect operators to be licensed, and unlicensed operators are pushed out.
We never describe offshore betting as "fully legal". If legal certainty and a Canadian complaint route matter most to you, a provincial or provincially licensed site is the clear choice. For Stake specifically, see is Stake legal in Canada.
What single-event betting means for bettors
Being able to bet on one game makes it easier to keep bets small and understandable, but it also makes betting faster and more frequent. Some practical points:
- Learn the odds formats. Decimal odds are common in Canada; implied probability equals 1 divided by the decimal odds. Our guide to reading betting odds covers decimal, American and fractional formats.
- Parlays still exist. You can still combine bets, but each extra leg adds risk. See parlay betting explained.
- Budget per bet, not per mood. More markets means more temptation to chase losses.
- No strategy guarantees profit. Sportsbooks build a margin into their prices.
FAQ
When did single-event betting become legal in Canada?
Bill C-218 took effect on August 27, 2021, allowing provinces to offer betting on single games and events.
Is betting on offshore sites illegal for players?
Offshore sites not licensed by your province sit in a legal grey area. Players are generally not prosecuted, but they don't get provincial protection. This isn't legal advice.
Can I bet on Stake.com in Ontario or Alberta?
No. Stake.com lists Ontario as prohibited, and Alberta players should use the Alberta-licensed site, where code SHIMA doesn't apply.
Did Bill C-218 create a national betting regulator?
No. It left regulation to the provinces, which is why rules differ across Canada.
Are parlays still allowed?
Yes. Provinces and operators can offer both single bets and parlays.
Conclusion
Bill C-218 moved Canada from parlay-only provincial tickets to single-event betting, but it left the details to each province. Ontario and Alberta built regulated markets; the rest of Canada relies mainly on provincial lottery platforms, with offshore sites in a grey area. If you're in an eligible province and choose Stake.com, the Claim button on this page takes you to sign-up, where you can enter code SHIMA.
Related Guides
- Ready to sign up? Start with the Stake.com sign-up code for Canada.
- How to Set Gambling Limits on Stake (Canada)
- Is Stake Legal in Canada? Provinces, Ontario, Alberta and Age Rules
- Stake vs Provincial Gambling Sites in Canada
- All Stake guides for Canada
Play responsibly
Set a budget before you play and use Stake's deposit limits, loss and wager limits, cooling-off and self-exclusion tools in your account settings. If gambling stops being fun, free confidential help is available through your provincial helpline (for example, BC 1-888-795-6111 or Quebec 1-800-461-0140). See our responsible gambling page for every province's number and more support options.
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