Cross-Border Play: How US and Canadian Gambling Laws Collide Online
Description
This episode of The Great Canadian Gamble explores how Canada’s unique legal structure — where provinces control gambling despite the federal government's overarching role — shapes the country's online gaming environment. As U.S. states individually regulate online gambling south of the border, the result is a patchwork of laws that frequently collide with Canada’s decentralized model.
We unpack how this federal-versus-provincial framework creates legal grey zones for operators and players, especially when cross-border platforms come into play. From Ontario’s iGaming launch to the role of offshore sites and enforcement inconsistencies, we reveal how the legal boundaries blur when jurisdictions don't align — and why both Canadian and American gamblers are often caught in the middle.
United States
