Can You Legally Play Magic365 in British Columbia?
British Columbia works differently from Ontario and Alberta. There’s no private iGaming market here. PlayNow.com is the only licensed online gambling site in the province. Here’s what that means for BC players.
Short answer
British Columbia runs a closed online gambling monopoly. Only one licensed site exists in the province: PlayNow.com. Private operators can’t be licensed here at all, unlike Ontario and Alberta.
Magic365 holds a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence, OGL/2024/566/0462. It isn’t licensed by BCLC and isn’t registered with IGCO. The rest of this page explains what that means for BC residents.
What makes BC different
British Columbia is the only major Canadian province with a single-operator online gambling model.
| Province | Model | Private operators allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Open market | Yes, 49+ |
| Alberta | Open market | Yes, 22+ at launch |
| British Columbia | Crown monopoly | No |
In Ontario, private operators apply to AGCO and iGO for separate licences. In Alberta, they register with AGLC and sign an agreement with AiGC. In BC, there’s no pathway for a private operator at all: the BC Lottery Corporation is the only entity permitted to conduct and manage commercial gambling, under the Gaming Control Act.
As of July 2026, PlayNow.com holds roughly 51% of BC’s online gambling market. The remaining 49% goes to offshore sites operating without a BC licence.
PlayNow: the only licensed option
PlayNow.com is run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), a Crown corporation based in Kamloops. BCLC conducts and manages all legal gambling in BC: online casino, sports betting and lottery.
PlayNow gives BC residents 19 and older age-verified access, IGCO-regulated games and sports betting, the GameSense responsible gambling program, a BCLC self-exclusion system, and an official dispute path through IGCO and BCLC.
Where this casino stands
Magic365 isn’t operated by BCLC and isn’t registered with IGCO. It holds a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence, OGL/2024/566/0462, issued March 26, 2025, to Magic Stones N.V.
That’s a structural feature of BC’s closed market rather than a reflection of this operator specifically: no private operator, regardless of its licence elsewhere, can obtain a provincial licence in BC. IGCO’s own position is that online gambling sites other than PlayNow.com accepting BC players operate without a provincial licence.
Is it illegal for me to play?
The same principle applies here as in Ontario and Alberta: Canadian law targets operators, not individual players. Nothing in BC’s Gaming Control Act makes it a criminal offence for a resident to place bets at an unlicensed offshore casino, and playing on offshore sites hasn’t historically been treated as a criminal matter for individual players in BC.
So depositing at an unlicensed site isn’t a criminal offence under current law. What you don’t get is IGCO or BCLC’s consumer protections; oversight runs through the offshore operator’s own licence only.
PlayNow vs this casino
| PlayNow (BCLC) | Magic365 | |
|---|---|---|
| BC licence | Yes | No |
| Regulator | IGCO | Curaçao regulator |
| Self-exclusion | BCLC system | Site-specific |
| Dispute resolution | IGCO / BCLC | Curaçao regulator only |
| Audit standards | IGCO-mandated | Curaçao only |
| Minimum age | 19+, verified | Account-based only |
| Responsible gambling | GameSense | Site’s own tools |
If something goes wrong
IGCO regulates gambling in BC, but its oversight covers BCLC and PlayNow. It doesn’t handle disputes for offshore operators.
For help with gambling itself, GameSense’s info centre is free and available 24/7: 1-866-815-0222.
More on disputes generally: player complaints. Document requirements: verification guide.
What to choose instead
If you want a provincially licensed online gambling option in BC, PlayNow.com is the only one available. It’s operated by BCLC and regulated by IGCO, with casino games, sports betting, lottery and responsible gambling tools including GameSense and self-exclusion. You need to be 19 or older to register.
BC doesn’t currently have plans to open a private iGaming market on the schedule Ontario and Alberta followed. If that changes, IGCO and BCLC would announce it through official provincial channels, and we’d update this page.
Full review: read our casino review.
FAQ
Is Magic365 legal in British Columbia?
It isn’t licensed in BC. PlayNow.com, operated by BCLC and regulated by IGCO, is the only licensed online gambling site in the province.
Can private online casinos get a BC licence?
No. British Columbia runs a closed monopoly. Private operators can’t be licensed to offer casino games or betting directly to BC players.
Is it illegal for me to use an offshore casino in BC?
Canadian law targets operators, not individual players. There’s no provision making it a criminal offence for a BC resident to play at an offshore casino. You just don’t get IGCO or BCLC protections while doing so.
What is IGCO and when did it start?
The Independent Gambling Control Office, BC’s gambling regulator, active since April 13, 2026. It replaced GPEB and oversees all gambling in the province, including PlayNow.
What does BCLC do?
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation is the Crown corporation that runs all legal gambling in BC, including PlayNow.com, casinos and the lottery.
Where do I complain about an offshore casino as a BC player?
Start with the casino’s own live chat. If that doesn’t resolve it, Curaçao’s Gaming Authority or Casino.Guru’s mediation service are the next steps. IGCO only handles complaints about PlayNow.
Will BC ever open a private iGaming market?
No confirmed plans exist. Industry groups have pushed for an open market, and IGCO’s creation in April 2026 would make licensing easier if that policy ever changes, but no timeline has been announced.
What is the minimum gambling age in BC?
19, for all gambling including PlayNow.com.
About the author
Daniel reviews casino licensing, provincial regulation and player protection for casinos that accept Canadians.