New Brunswick Proposes Bill to Regulate Online Live Casino Games

The government of the Canadian province of New Brunswick has introduced a bill amending the Gaming Control Act that would give authorities the power to regulate online games with live dealersЖивой дилерLive Dealer is a format of online casino where card or roulette games are run by a real dealer in a studio and streamed to the player in real-time video.. According to Legal Sports Report, the bill was introduced on Tuesday, one week after officials said they were exploring whether to open the province's online gambling market to private operators. Legal online gambling in the province is currently under an Atlantic LotteryЛотереяA lottery is a gambling game in which the win is determined by a random draw of numbers or combinations, and the player pays for a ticket or stake in advance. monopoly.

What the proposed legislation changes

Current law does not give New Brunswick the authority to regulate live casinoЛайв-казиноA live casino is an online casino format where the game is played with a live dealer in real time: video from the studio game table is streamed to the player, and bets are placed through the website or app interface. games. The concept was proposed by Atlantic Lottery, with regulations to be developed later. The bill would close that gap. Live casino games are defined as online table games played in real time with human dealers and other players. The Public Safety Ministry's statement does not mention slotsСлотA slot is an online casino game in which the player places a bet and spins reels with symbols. The outcome is determined by a random number generator, not by the player's actions. or other online casinoОнлайн-казиноAn online casino is an internet gambling platform where users place bets on casino games with payouts in money or its equivalent, usually via a website or app. games.

Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin said that the growing popularity of live formats makes regulating them a safer alternative to unregulated offeringsОфферAn offer is an advertiser's proposal to partners: the product together with payout terms, geos, and traffic requirements, for which the partner receives a reward. in the province. The Finance Ministry stressed that the new powers would allow safeguards to be created through regulation as the industry evolves.

Why the market opening question is being raised

Finance Minister René Legacy told Brunswick News that the government is exploring options for regulating private online operators. Neighboring Canadian provinces have already opened their online casino and sports betting markets to private companies: Ontario launched in 2022, and Alberta followed in July.

Because the proposal comes from Atlantic Lottery, which provides lottery services in four provinces, including Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, the publication believes it could prompt other provinces to take similar steps.

Revenue losses and the illegal market

According to Brunswick News, since Ontario and Alberta opened their markets, advertising from operators licensed in those provinces has reached New Brunswick residents, especially through national broadcasts. Those operators cannot legally serve the province, nor can local bookmakersБукмекерA bookmaker is a company or service that accepts bets on the outcomes of sporting and other events and sets odds, earning its profit from the margin built into those odds.. However, users searching for these brands are often redirected to the companies' international sites. Betting on such sites or on offshoreОфшорAn offshore jurisdiction is a place where a company or bank account is registered, chosen for light taxation and regulation, often outside the country where the owners or clients are based. platforms is not a crime for province residents.

Atlantic Lottery estimates the province loses about C$250 million a year to illegal online gambling. Government documents show provincial lottery revenue has fallen by C$8 million over the past two years. Atlantic Lottery spokesperson Greg Weston said the growth of illegal online gambling has fundamentally changed the competitive landscape. Finance and Treasury Board spokesperson David Kelly added that the province is monitoring approaches in other markets to maintain a safe, responsible and appropriately regulated gaming environment.