Stick with us as we will also cover the subject of tax on gambling wins and even review the online gambling options in the Picture State. Many more interesting details await, so let’s not waste any more of your time and start with the official NB gambling laws.
Details on the Gambling Laws in New Brunswick
Let’s first start by giving you a quick overview of the gambling laws in New Brunswick. In general, the residents of this province can freely gamble at any venue as long as it is licenced and regulated by the local authorities. The official gambling regulator in New Brunswick, according to the Gaming Control Act is the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC).
Of course, there is even a higher level than the NBLGC, which is the Gaming, Liquor and Security Licensing Branch, which oversees all of the provincial regulators and manages the licensing procedures. So, as long as an operator has a Canadian licence, NB punters can enjoy both land-based and online venues, such as casinos and sportsbooks.
The NBLGC
As we mentioned earlier, according to the Gaming Control Act and specifically section 207, each provincial government can manage gambling activities on a local level. In the province that we are covering today, the main regulatory body is the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC).
New Brunswick Legal Gambling Age
In general, the age required to gamble in Canada can range between 18 and 19, depending on which province is in question. In order to enjoy any form of gambling, even social gambling, in New Brunswick, you will have to be at least 19 years old.
History of the NB Gambling Laws
New Brunswick is a Canadian province with a relatively short history regarding gambling and its legislation. The first major regulation that was accepted in NB was the New Brunswick Lotteries Act in 1976. Under this act, all lotteries were organised, conducted and regulated by the New Brunswick Lotteries Commission.
Up to 2007, all other forms of gambling were either illegal or strictly regulated. In 2008, the Gaming Control Act was accepted. With it, new regulations were introduced to the Canadian gambling laws and the responsibility of regulating gambling activities was passed down to the local governments. This gave New Brunswick the opportunity to take full advantage of these changes and legalise all forms of gambling.
Along with the Gaming Control Act, the New Brunswick Lotteries Commission was split into two entities. They are the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC) and the Gaming, Liquor and Security Licensing Branch (GLSLB). The management of lotteries was passed over to Atlantic Lottery, which is a crown company formed by four different Canadian gaming agencies.
Gambling Activities That Are Legal
As we have mentioned multiple times up to this point, according to the gambling laws in New Brunswick, nearly all forms of gambling are legal in the province. You can go to one of the brick-and-mortar casinos or sportsbooks and play as much as you want. Of course, you will need to be at least 19 years old to do so.
| 🎰 Gambling Activity | ⚖️ Legal Status |
|---|---|
| Land-Based Casinos | Legal |
| Online Casinos | Legal |
| Tribal Gambling | Legal |
| Horse Racing | Legal |
| Dog Racing | Legal |
| Poker | Legal |
| Bingo | Legal |
| Lottery | Legal |
| Sports Betting | Legal |
| Charitable Gambling | Legal |
| Social Gambling | Legal |
| Online Gambling | Legal |
As you can see, nearly all forms of gambling are legal in NB. There are four land-based casinos in the province, which can provide gamblers with various opportunities to win great rewards. A great example is the popular Casino New Brunswick. There are also various Canadian First Nation casinos in New Brunswick that can also be visited.
Taxes on Winnings in New Brunswick
There are no taxes on winnings in New Brunswick. The only exception is the professional gamblers. This is excellent for players in NB, as long as they are not professional gamblers, they will be paying no national taxes on their wins. Of course, the province itself can apply their own taxes, but that is not the case for New Brunswick.
The New Brunswick Online Gambling Laws
Although we have mentioned earlier that online gambling is legal in the province, we would like to elaborate more on the subject. Only licensed and regulated by the state online gaming activities are legal. This would suggest that off-shore operators are out of the picture, but that is not the case.
The New Brunswick online gambling laws are not specific regarding off-shore online casinos and sportsbooks. NB players can still join them and play and take advantage of the no-tax-on-winnings policy. Here is a short list of the online gambling activities that you can partake in:
- Online Casinos
- Online Sports Betting
- Online Lottery
- Online Bingo
- Online Casino Poker
- Online Poker
- Live Dealer Casinos
The New Brunswick online gambling laws state that an operator must be licensed and regulated. This means that you should ensure that the gambling site you are joining has a licence and the appropriate certificates before joining. Of course, you can pick any of the best online casinos in Canada, but we would still like to give you some hints.
If you like an operator, you should confirm that it is licensed by a reputable international organisation, such as the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority or even Kahnawake Gaming Commission. They have strict regulations that will ensure your safety. Speaking of that, you should also double-check if the website has SSL encryption and secure payment options.
Future Changes of Gambling Laws in NB
Unfortunately, there are no future updates to talk about. All provincial governments that have been given the opportunity to manage their own gambling laws as per section 207 of the Criminal Code have mostly legalised all forms of gambling. This is the case for New Brunswick, where an official regulator and a licensing organisation exist. Of course, if anything changes with the gambling laws in New Brunswick, we will cover it as an update.
Final Thoughts
In order to finalise our overview of the gambling laws in NB, we will shortly summarise the information. In Canada, each provincial state has the opportunity to manage its own gaming legislation. According to the New Brunswick gambling laws, all forms of gambling are considered legal, as long as they are regulated, and the operators hold a licence.
We would also like to mention the New Brunswick online gambling laws, which do not specifically exclude off-shore operators. This allows NB players to enjoy some of the best New Brunswick casino sites. Always ensure that an operator is licensed and regulated.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we would like to showcase the most popular questions that players from the Picture Province have regarding the gambling laws in NB. Checking out each answer will help you further improve your knowledge on the subject. If there are any other questions that you may have, feel free to contact us.