Is BetMGM legal in Canada in 2023?: Our Expert Review of BetMGM Canada

BetMGM is one of the biggest casino brands in the world. It is also now available in Canada. In this article, we at BettingOnlineCanada.com will tell you all your burning questions about BetMGM Canada, such as “Is BetMGM legal in Canada?” and “Is BetMGM legit?”

Keep reading to learn the answers to those questions and more.

Where is BetMGM Sportsbook Legal to Operate?

Canadian Parliament passed Bill C-218 back in June of 2021. This bill legalised single-event sports betting in Canada and allowed provinces to create their own sports betting regulations.

BetMGM Canada was one of the first legal online sportsbooks in Ontario when the province went live with its new online gaming laws that allowed privately owned sportsbooks to offer single-game wagers on April 4, 2022.

Since April 2022, BetMGM has made efforts to grow throughout Canada. However, the world-renowned betting site is unfortunately only legal in Ontario.

Ontario is the only province that has opened its legal gambling market to private-sector online sportsbooks. Until that changes, BetMGM Canada will only be available legally in Ontario.

Where is the Casino Version of BetMGM Canada Available?

When Ontario opened up its legal sports betting market back in 2022, it also opened up its online casino and gaming market. Ontario created iGaming Ontario, which is the agency responsible for regulating and licensing online casinos in Ontario.

BetMGM received an online casino licence from iGaming Ontario in April of 2022. This licence allowed people in Ontario to legally enjoy all the great BetMGM casino games. At the time of writing, Ontario is the only province where online gambling at BetMGM Canada is legal.

BetMGM has continued to invest in Canada and expects to branch out of Ontario into other provinces soon.

How BetMGM Became Legal in Canada

The Canadian government completely revolutionized its online gambling policies in 2021. Since 2021, provinces have been slow to change their own laws. However, BetMGM has been at the forefront of adapting to Canada’s changing laws.

Ontario was the first province to completely legalise online sports betting and online casinos. BetMGM Canada was one of the first online gaming companies given a licence to operate in Ontario.

BetMGM is currently partnered with other online casinos and sportsbooks pushing for more open markets in other provinces. If BetMGM is successful, BetMGM will be available all throughout Canada in the coming years.

Where is BetMGM Legal in Canada? 

As you can see below, Ontario is the only province in Canada where BetMGM Sportsbook is legal. BetMGM Casino is also only legal in Ontario. This could change soon though as many provinces are currently considering whether to open up their legal gaming markets in a way similar to Ontario’s where private operators would be allowed.

Is BetMGM legal in Ontario?

Ontario is home to dozens of legal online sports betting sites and casinos, including BetMGM Canada. All legal sportsbooks and casinos must be licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario. BetMGM Canada was one of the first companies to receive one of these licences. BetMGM sportsbook and casino is now widely available legally all throughout the province.

About BetMGM 

BetMGM is one of the biggest names in gambling in the world. BetMGM luxury resorts are found all over the globe. Before all that, the company got its start in 1973 as a solo hotel in Las Vegas. It operated as a subsidiary of what was left of the legendary movie studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

In modern times, in addition to running world-class resorts and casinos, BetMGM is one of the most popular online sportsbooks and casinos in the US and Canada.

On the sportsbook side, BetMGM is known for having a huge number of betting markets that include all kinds of sports. The company also has an award-winning app that is available in the US and Canada.

The BetMGM online casino has a strong reputation for having some of the best casino games available on the market. You can play BetMGM casino games using an app as well, meaning that playing with BetMGM gives you access to the world’s best games at the touch of a finger on your phone.

Is BetMGM Legit? 

Yes, BetMGM is legit. In fact, it is hard to find an online casino in Canada more legit than BetMGM.

BetMGM has a long history and strong reputation in the business as a leading online casino and sportsbook. Additionally, BetMGM’s partners are some of the best in the world, meaning you are always playing the safest games, getting the fairest odds, and experiencing the best security systems around.

BetMGM has also been an official partner of the NHL and NFL in Canada. The brand has a great reputation and is not one that any players should feel uncomfortable using.

BetMGM Canada Legality Timeline 

The legalization of sports betting and online gambling in Canada has been a long and twisty road that is still being paved every day. For BetMGM, its journey in Canada has been relatively straightforward.

June 29, 2021: Canada Legalises Single Event Sports Betting

Bill C-218 was passed by Canadian Parliament on June 29, 2021. Bill C-218 formally amended the criminal code making it no longer illegal to bet on single-event sports betting. Practically speaking, this bill completely legalised sports betting in Canada. However, how to regulate sports betting was left up to the provinces.

June 29, 2021 – April 4, 2022: Ontario Begins Developing Legal Online Gambling Model

After single-game sports betting was legalised in Canada, many provinces quickly established their own sports betting sites through their existing provincial lottery systems. Nearly every province continues to operate with this kind of system. Ontario decided to do something different.

After operating its lottery-run ProLine+ sportsbook, Ontario put in place plans to fully open up its sports betting and online gaming markets to private sector casinos and online sportsbooks.

Part of this process was creating a licensing regime and rules for legal online sportsbooks and casinos in Ontario. To do this, Ontario created iGaming Ontario.

March 21, 2022: BetMGM Receives Gaming License in Ontario

Once Ontario put its plans in place, it started accepting applications for gaming licences. BetMGM jumped at the opportunity to expand north of the US border since it had been so successful in US markets.

BetMGM was finally awarded its iGaming Ontario license on March 21, 2022. This license allowed BetMGM to operate an online sportsbook, casino, and betting app in Ontario. 

April 4, 2022: BetMGM Launches in Ontario

BetMGM was one of 13 sportsbooks and casinos to go live on April 4, 2022, when Ontario fully opened its online gaming market. On this day, BetMGM launched its BetMGM Ontario sportsbook, casino, and mobile app.

Early reviews were a little lacklustre, but BetMGM’s Ontario products now proudly live up to BetMGM’s strong reputation.

April 8, 2022 – August 9, 2022: BetMGM Becomes Official Partner of NHL and NFL in Canada

BetMGM continued to grow its brand in Canada following two major sponsorship deals with the NHL and NFL in Canada.

The NHL and BetMGM entered into a partnership just days after BetMGM launched in Ontario on April 4, 2022. This deal saw BetMGM expand its NHL betting market as well as offer new perks and promos for NHL fans in Canada.

A similar deal was signed between the NFL and BetMGM in August of 2022 before the 2022-23 NFL season. This deal was not as expansive as the NHL deal because it only applied to Canada, but it still was a strong sign of BetMGM’s commitment to the Canadian sports betting market. 

May 23, 2023: BetMGM Partner Joins Québec Online Gaming Coalition

As we have mentioned multiple times in this article, BetMGM is only legal in Ontario. However, BetMGM is trying to change that.

The BetMGM online casino and sports betting site is a result of a collaboration between BetMGM and leading gaming technology company Entain.

Entain, along with DraftKings, betway, Bet99, and several online gaming companies, have joined together to form the Québec Online Gaming Coalition. This coalition is a lobbying group with a stated goal of encouraging Québec to open up its legal online betting market.

The group is very new, but it would not be surprising to see them be successful in the coming years. If they are successful, BetMGM will be legal in Québec.

This is a developing story that is worth keeping an eye on in the future.

How Do You Use BetMGM?

Getting started at an online casino or sportsbook can always seem a little daunting. We promise you that it is not though, especially with BetMGM.

BetMGM has an incredibly easy and straightforward sign-up process. To prove it to you, we have made a step-by-step guide below with screenshots to help you create your new BetMGM Canada account.

• Go to the official BetMGM Canada website
• Click the gold “Register” button on the top right corner of the screen

• Enter your email and create a strong password

• Enter your name, date of birth, citizenship, and occupation

• Requesting this information is a requirement by the government of Ontario. Thankfully, it is all straightforward, so you should have no trouble providing it to BetMGM. If you do not see your occupation listed among the options provided by BetMGM, pick whatever is closest.
• Enter your address, phone number, and agree to the BetMGM Canada terms and conditions

Entering your phone number, address, and conforming to the BetMGM Canada terms and conditions ensure to BetMGM that you are someone located in a legal province and able to play legally within your province.

• Confirm your account

Once you complete steps 1-5, click the green button at the bottom of the screen to confirm your account. Once you do this, you will officially have a BetMGM Ontario account. There are some things you need to do before you can start playing though.

• Fill in the optional information such as your nickname, limits, ect (optional)

• Verify your identity

Verifying your identity is the longest and most important step you need to complete before getting started with BetMGM Canada. The casino wants to make sure you are who you say you are, so you need to upload a picture of yourself and your government ID. A passport, driver’s licence, or other ID card should suffice. If you cannot take a picture, you can upload your ID information manually.

The entire process should take less than 24 hours if you submit a selfie. It can take longer if you manually upload your ID information without a picture.

Once you complete the above steps, everything BetMGM Canada has to offer is just a click away. If you want to play casino games, go to the online casino. If sports betting is more your thing, click the icon of the sport you want to bet on and peruse the market.

If you see a bet you like, click on it. Your betslip will then appear where you can enter how much you want to wager. If you click on another bet, you will have the option to make a parlay bet.

BetMGM Canada FAQs

We have covered a lot in this article about whether BetMGM is legal in Canada. Here are some FAQs to summarise what we have covered and any of your lingering questions.

• Is BetMGM legal in Ontario?

  Yes. BetMGM Casino and Sportsbook is legal in Ontario. BetMGM was one of the first online casinos and betting sites to receive a licence from Ontario’s newly-formed online gambling agency.

• Is BetMGM legal in British Columbia?

  No. BetMGM is currently not legal in British Columbia, but that could change soon. Like many provinces, all British Columbian sports betting sites and online casinos are run by the provincial lottery. There are debates ongoing about changing that and allowing private companies, like BetMGM.

• Is BetMGM legal in Alberta?

  No. BetMGM is not legal in Alberta, at the time of writing. Alberta is another government strongly considering opening up its legal online gambling market. However, this could be some years in the making as Alberta just revamped their lottery and casino sites.

• Is BetMGM legal in Quebec?

  No. BetMGM is not legal in Quebec. All sports betting and online casino operations are run by Loto-Quebec. Quebec is one of the provinces most against legal online gambling, but that could be changing if BetMGM and its partner has their way. BetMGM partner, Entain, has joined a group of other online gambling companies who are lobbying the Quebec government to open its legal gambling market.

• How can I play at BetMGM in Canada?

  If you are in Ontario, you can go to the official BetMGM Canada site and create your account. You will need to have an ID proving you live in Ontario and fill out a virtual form.

• Does BetMGM accept Canadian Dollars?

  Yes. BetMGM Canada only accepts Canadian Dollars if you are trying to play while located in Canada.

• Is BetMGM safe?

  Yes. BetMGM is an extremely safe online casino in Canada. The betting site has decades of experience and world-class security software to keep your money and information safe when you play with BetMGM.

• What can I play at BetMGM Casino?

  The online BetMGM Casino offers close to 1,000 of the world’s best online casino games. This includes hundreds of slot games, poker games, and game shows, as well as dozens of live dealer poker and card games.

• Can I bet on the NHL at BetMGM Sportsbook?

  Yes. The NHL betting market is one of the biggest betting markets offered by BetMGM sportsbook. When you play with BetMGM sportsbook, you get access to thousands of possible NHL hockey bets.

Julian Miller

Julian Miller is a Canadian writer and an avid sports fan. He has years of experience in the iGaming industry, having started writing while completing his university studies in Montreal, Quebec. In 2022, he graduated, and has since been working full-time in the iGaming space. He has a particular fondness for the English Premier League — though he also has plenty of experience covering football, basketball, and other sports.