Canada
Canadian Lottery: Who Runs It, Region by Region
The lottery in Canada is run by the provinces through 5 regional corporations, plus ILC for the national games. Below: each region, the law behind it and what it means for your ticket.
Canada has 5 lottery regions. Each one has its own corporation and its own computer system, and the national games are sold in all of them. Pick a province to see its games.
Quote from the source
Canada consists of five separate lottery jurisdictions and each region maintains their own Central Computer System. That means tickets purchased within one lottery region cannot be checked or paid in another lottery jurisdiction. This includes DAILY GRAND, LOTTO MAX and LOTTO 6/49 tickets, as well as all SCRATCH & WIN tickets.WCLCSource: Loto-Québec page checked Oct 29, 2026 · WCLC page checked Oct 29, 2026
Games: every game with saved rules in our sources, by the region that sells it.
Buying tickets online: the law →Lottery age by province →Return by game →
5 regions and the national games (ILC)
British Columbia
BCLCBritish Columbia Lottery Corporation. Covers British Columbia.
Western Canada
WCLCWestern Canada Lottery Corporation. Covers Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Ontario
OLGOntario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, an Ontario government agency. Covers Ontario.
Québec
Loto-QuébecCreated in 1969 to regulate games of chance and gambling. Covers Québec.
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic LotteryAtlantic Lottery Corporation Inc. Covers New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
National games
ILCInterprovincial Lottery Corporation manages and conducts national lotteries: Daily Grand, Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49.
Who runs what
| Operator | Basis | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| BCLC | BC Gaming Control Act, 2022 | Responsible for conduct and management of provincial gaming schemes |
| WCLC | Agent for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments | Non-profit; revenue returned to the governments it operates for |
| OLG | OLG Act (Ontario) | Conducts and manages lottery schemes on behalf of the Crown in Ontario |
| Loto-Québec | Loto-Québec founding statement | Created in 1969 to regulate games of chance and gambling |
| Atlantic Lottery | Nova Scotia Atlantic Lottery Regulations; NL Lotteries Act | NS names it the Lottery Corporation; NL allows a joint lottery body |
| ILC | ILC rules | Lotteries run by provincial governments through ILC and regional corporations |
Each line paraphrases the act or the operator's own page listed in the sources below.
How the law gives provinces control
- Criminal Code allows provincial lotteriesA provincial government, alone or with another province, may conduct and manage a lottery scheme under its own provincial law.
- Province passes its own lawA province passes its own law naming the body that runs its lotteries, for example the OLG Act in Ontario.
- Regional corporation runs gamesThe corporation conducts and manages the lottery games in its region.
- Provinces join for national gamesThrough ILC, the provinces run Daily Grand, Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 together.
- Everything else is an offenceRunning or taking part in a lottery scheme not authorized under the Criminal Code is an offence.
Provincial lotteries vs charity lotteries
Provincial lotteries
- Conducted and managed by a provincial government
- Run through the regional corporation
- Computer and video games are reserved to the province
- WCLC revenue is returned to the governments; one OLG Act purpose is provincial revenue
Charity lotteries
- Run by a charitable or religious organization
- Needs a licence from the province
- Proceeds go to charitable or religious purposes
- May use a computer to sell tickets in a 50/50 draw
Sources
- Ontario – Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Act, 1999 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- British Columbia – Gaming Control Act (2022) · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Criminal Code of Canada – section 207 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Loto-Québec – Qui sommes-nous · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Loto-Québec – Rules and Regulations Respecting Lotteries and Lottery Tickets · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Manitoba – Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act, C.C.S.M. c. L153 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Newfoundland and Labrador – Lotteries Act, SNL 1991 c. 53 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Nova Scotia – Atlantic Lottery Regulations, Gaming Control Act · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – About OLG · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Prince Edward Island – Lotteries Commission Act · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Sask Lotteries – home page · checked Oct 29, 2026
- WCLC – About WCLC · checked Oct 29, 2026
Questions
Who runs the lottery in Canada?
The provinces. Under the Criminal Code, provincial governments conduct and manage lotteries through 5 regional corporations: BCLC, WCLC, OLG, Loto-Québec and Atlantic Lottery. The national games run through ILC.
Can I cash a lottery ticket from another province?
Not if that province is in another lottery region. A ticket cannot be checked or paid outside the region where it was bought, including Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49.
Is the lottery government-run in Canada?
Yes. The Criminal Code lets provincial governments conduct and manage lottery schemes. ILC rules define a lottery as one run by the provincial governments through ILC and the regional corporations.
Is the minimum lottery age the same in every province?
No. Some provinces use a different minimum age from others. See lottery age by province.