The British Columbia Lottery Corporation is in the midst of a significant modernization of its PlayNow.com online gambling platform, with investments in mobile technology, product range, and user experience intended to improve BCLC's competitive position against offshore operators that continue to attract substantial volumes from BC residents.
Unlike Ontario, which launched a competitive multi-operator online gambling market in April 2022, British Columbia maintains a single-operator model under which BCLC is the sole authorized provider of online gambling services to the province's residents. PlayNow.com offers online casino games, sports wagering, poker, and lottery products, operating under the oversight of the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB), BC's provincial gambling regulator.
PlayNow Market Position and Revenue
BCLC's annual reports indicate that PlayNow generated approximately $386 million in net revenue in FY 2022-23, representing growth of approximately 18 percent over the prior year. This growth, while encouraging for BCLC, must be viewed against the backdrop of substantial grey-market activity: industry research consistently estimates that BC residents place a large proportion of their online gambling on offshore platforms that operate outside BCLC's framework and without the consumer protections that PlayNow mandates.
The technology modernization program announced in 2024 focuses primarily on the mobile experience. BCLC's data indicates that mobile now accounts for over 60 percent of PlayNow sessions, a figure that has grown steadily since smartphones became the dominant access device for online content. The existing platform, which was initially designed for desktop use, has been criticized by players for a mobile experience that compares unfavourably to the dedicated mobile applications offered by offshore operators.
Grey-Market Competition
The grey-market challenge is the central policy tension in British Columbia's online gambling landscape. Major offshore operators including Bet365, DraftKings (in states bordering the US), and various European-licensed operators actively market their services to Canadian audiences, including BC residents. While these operators are technically unlicensed in British Columbia, no federal or provincial law effectively prohibits individual residents from accessing their platforms.
BC attempted an ISP-blocking program in 2018 that would have required internet service providers to block access to unlicensed gambling sites, but the initiative was challenged on constitutional grounds and ultimately suspended. The provincial government's current position is to compete on product quality and user experience rather than attempt to restrict access to offshore platforms — a strategy that requires PlayNow to close the significant product and experience gap that currently exists relative to international operators.
Technology Modernization Program
BCLC's modernization program involves partnerships with established gaming technology vendors to deliver a rebuilt front-end platform with improved mobile responsiveness, faster load times, and a more intuitive navigation structure. The program also includes expansion of the live casino product — a category that has experienced particularly strong growth on offshore platforms and where PlayNow's current offering has been limited.
The live casino category, in which players interact with real dealers through streamed video, is dominated internationally by technology companies like Evolution Gaming and Playtech. BCLC's negotiations with potential suppliers for PlayNow's live casino expansion have been complicated by the regulatory requirements applicable to BCLC suppliers under the Gaming Control Act (BC), which requires that technology vendors meet specific certification and background check standards.
GPEB Oversight
The Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch operates as BC's gambling regulator with broad oversight powers. GPEB is responsible for licensing gaming facilities, gaming service providers, and gaming workers, as well as enforcing compliance with the Gaming Control Act and Regulations. For online gambling, GPEB's oversight of PlayNow is focused on ensuring that BCLC operates within its statutory mandate and meets consumer protection obligations.
GPEB does not currently have a framework for licensing or registering private online gambling operators — a deliberate policy choice by successive provincial governments that have maintained the single-operator approach. Any move toward a competitive model would require legislative amendments to the Gaming Control Act and the development of a new regulatory framework for private operator oversight.
Indigenous Gaming Partnerships
BCLC has established relationships with a number of First Nations gaming operations in British Columbia. The First Nations Major Lottery Agreement provides a mechanism for First Nations-operated lottery products to be distributed through BCLC's retail network, generating revenue that flows to participating First Nations. Similar arrangements in the online space have been discussed but not yet implemented, reflecting the complexity of extending online gaming rights to Indigenous entities within the current legislative framework.
Policy Review Outlook
The BC government has indicated that it will conduct a review of the province's online gaming policy framework in 2024, with the Ontario model as a primary reference point. Industry participants and advocacy groups have submitted representations to the review, with operators expressing interest in market access and consumer advocates generally supportive of a regulated competitive model if accompanied by strong player protection requirements. The government has not committed to any particular policy direction from the review.