Nova Scotia, New Brunswick Weigh Online Gambling Changes After Alberta
Published: November 5, 2026 | Author: Roxy Vance
New Brunswick’s bill to allow online and live casino games through an interprovincial agency passed second reading on November 3, 2026, as Nova Scotia’s finance minister said his province is watching Ontario and Alberta “very carefully”. Neither province licenses private online operators as Ontario and Alberta do, but both are considering it: New Brunswick says it is “exploring options” and Nova Scotia says conversations are “underway right now”.
What New Brunswick’s Bill Changes
Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Gaming Control Act, is a government bill sponsored by René Legacy. It had first reading on October 27 and was debated at second reading on October 28 and November 3, when it passed that stage.
The bill’s text defines an “online casino lottery scheme” as casino-style games offered through an online platform, and a “live casino lottery scheme” as one where the games are hosted or presented by a live person. With cabinet approval, it would allow an agreement designating an interprovincial body as the province’s agency to run online casino games in New Brunswick, including live casino. It also adds powers to make regulations for such schemes and to set license fees. The changes take effect on a date set by proclamation.
Separately, the provincial government says it is “exploring options” to regulate private online gambling operators, as first reported by the Telegraph-Journal on October 19. The newspaper described that as potentially a major move away from Atlantic Lottery’s monopoly.
Nova Scotia Is Watching
Nova Scotia Finance Minister John Lohr told reporters that gaming is “in a time of incredible transformation,” Global News reported on October 30.
“We’re watching what’s happening in Ontario and Alberta, in particular, very carefully. And obviously, those are conversations that are underway right now,” Lohr said.
The only government-authorized and regulated online gambling platform in Nova Scotia is run by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. Lohr said he knows Nova Scotians bet on unregulated sites. “I think anyone can access thousands of gaming sites on their phone through the internet and this is a very significant issue,” he said.
Opposition leaders urged caution. NDP Leader Claudia Chender said: “I think that we should tread very, very carefully before we get more into that business as a government.” Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin said a public health risk assessment should come before any expansion.
The Models Next Door
Ontario’s regulated market, with operators under agreements with iGaming Ontario, has data from April 4, 2022, and produced net adjusted gross gaming revenue (NAGGR) of C$416.3 million in September 2026, as covered in our Ontario September report. Alberta’s regulated market opened on July 13, 2026, and generated C$122.1 million in NAGGR to September 30, according to our report on Alberta’s first figures.
What It Means for Players
For now, nothing changes for players in either province. Atlantic Lottery remains the regulated online option in Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick’s bill still has to complete the legislative process and be proclaimed before it takes effect. Lohr also warned that, with gambling “just available on the internet,” there are “significant harms for people who become addicted to gambling through it.”
What Happens Next
Bill 8 now moves on from second reading in New Brunswick’s legislature, and comes into force only on a date set by proclamation. On private operators, New Brunswick is still “exploring options”, and Nova Scotia says it is watching Ontario and Alberta.
