The province of New Brunswick offers its citizens an abundance of opportunities to gamble. These options include paper-based lotteries, online and offline sports betting games, as well as land-based casinos, poker rooms and video lottery terminals (VLTs). Here’s everything you need to know about gambling in New Brunswick and the options available to you.
Gaming Laws in New Brunswick
Gaming in all of Canada, including New Brunswick, is governed by the Criminal Code of Canada. Under this code, gambling is considered unlawful unless it is conducted and managed by the province or a body authorized by the province to license gaming on its behalf. The legal age for an individual in New Brunswick to gamble is 19 years old.
The New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation & The Atlantic Lottery Corporation
Under the Gaming Control Act, the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC) is the body responsible for the conduct and management of all provincial gaming. The Gaming, Liquor and Security Licensing Branch of New Brunswick oversees the NBLGC.
The Atlantic Lottery Corporation is a joint partnership of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada: New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The ALC operates the lottery games in Atlantic Canada on behalf of those provinces. The ALC headquarters is located in Moncton, New Brunswick.
New Brunswick Sports Betting
In Canada, betting on a single sporting event is considered illegal. Therefore, all bets must consist of a two- to eight-team/leg parlay. The odds of winning a parlay are not as good as a single wager as all legs of the parlay must be correct in order to win. Since the odds are not as good, however, the payout on a winning parlay is much higher.
Sports Betting Options
New Brunswickers can bet on sports via the sports products offered by the ALC. Its product offering includes Pro-Line, Pro-Line Fantasy, Pro-Line Futures and Stadium Bets. The games are offered online at ProlineStadium.com.
Pro-Line is your standard regulated sports betting service in Canada similar to Mise-O-Jeu in Quebec.
Pro-Line Fantasy is similar to Pro-Line, but instead of betting on the spread, moneyline or total, you can bet on multiple team and player props.
With Pro-Line Futures you can wager on an event that will take place in the future, such as who will win the Stanley Cup or the Super Bowl. This is the only option in Canada where you can legally bet on one single event. You do not need to parlay two or more events. Odds are associated with each selection depending on the likelihood of its outcome.
Pro-Line Stadium Bets is a product only available online and includes two-outcome moneyline events and adjustable spreads.
Alternatively, New Brunswickers can bet with offshore operators. These operators allow single-event wagers and are therefore more popular with players. There are a number of offshore operators that offer their services to Canadians, including Bodog, Bet365 and BetOnline.
New Brunswick Lotteries
The NBLGC is also a part of the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation (ILC), which is a partnership of the 10 Canadian provinces and operates the national lottery games. Its products include Lotto Max, Lotto 6-49 as well as instant-win scratch tickets.
New Brunswick Casinos
There are two land-based casinos in New Brunswick. Casino New Brunswick has been in operation since 2010 in Moncton, which is the largest city in the province. The other casino is Grey Rock Casino, which is located on First Nations land. The casinos offer your standard suite of games including table games, poker and slots. Both casinos are privately owned and are licensed by the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC).
Other Gaming Options in New Brunswick
There are gaming licensed establishments such as bars scattered throughout the province. These establishments are equipped with a number of Atlantic Lottery products such as video lottery terminals, Pro-Line, scratch tickets and lottery games.
In New Brunswick, charitable and religious organizations are able to obtain a license to offer gambling events such as raffles and “casino night” events. Proceeds from these events must be used for the benefit of the community.
Parimutuel betting on horse racing is also available in New Brunswick but is regulated at the federal level. The NBLGC is not directly involved in this form of gaming.
