A Manitoba judge has issued a permanent injunction banning offshore gambling operator Bodog from offering or promoting its online casino and sportsbook services in the province. The decision, delivered on May 27, marks a significant legal win for Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) and the Canadian Lottery Coalition (CLC) as they move to curb unlicensed gambling activity across the country.
Filed in January, MBLLās legal application named Il Nido Ltd., the operator behind bodog.eu, and Sanctum IP Holdings Ltd., the Canadian trademark owner of Bodog, as defendants. The filing accused both entities of violating MBLLās exclusive authority to offer legal online gambling in Manitoba through its PlayNow.com platform.
The injunction is the first of its kind in Canada targeting an offshore gambling site, and MBLL confirmed it was submitted on behalf of all CLC members, which include provincial lottery operators in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Atlantic provinces, and QuƩbec.
Court Rules Bodog Is Operating Illegally in Manitoba
According to the court order, Bodog is now barred from offering or advertising gambling products to anyone located in Manitoba, whether through bodog.eu, bodog.net, or any successor site. The ruling cites violations of several federal laws, including sections 201, 202, and 206 of the Criminal Code, as well as infractions under the Competition Act and Trademarks Act for false and misleading advertising.
The court also found that Bodogās so-called āfree playā platform was being used to funnel players toward its real-money gambling site. The order mandates that the company must geo-block access to users in Manitoba, preventing them from engaging with any Bodog-branded content or services across all digital platforms, including websites, social media, TV, radio, and live events.
No representatives from Il Nido or Sanctum appeared in court to contest the ruling, despite having been served with court documents in March. The judgeās full reasoning behind the decision is expected to be published in the coming weeks.
CLC Signals Broader Strategy Against Illegal Gambling
While the injunction applies solely to Manitoba, it signals a broader shift in strategy by the CLC, which has expressed intentions to pursue enforcement on a pan-national basis. In a previous statement, a CLC spokesperson said the coalition aims to “curtail illegal online gambling across Canada” and create a safer, regulated gaming environment.
CLC Executive Director Will Hill emphasized the growing risk posed by unregulated operators like Bodog, which fall outside Canadian anti-money laundering frameworks and lack any local oversight. āThis fits within a broader set of activities undertaken since the coalition was first formed,ā Hill said, reiterating the CLCās commitment to nationwide enforcement.
Bodogās Presence in Canada Dwindles
Bodogās access in Canada continues to shrink. It has not operated in QuĆ©bec for years and went dark in Nova Scotia in September 2024. Bodogās website now claims it accepts players from all across Canada except QuĆ©bec and Nova Scotia, but it still lacks a license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)āthe only provincial regulator currently running a competitive commercial iGaming market.
Earlier this month, AGCO publicly called on digital media companies to stop promoting unlicensed platforms like Bodog, warning that such exposure offers them “a veneer of legitimacy” without regulatory approval. The regulator also accused Bodog of actively targeting Ontarians through advertising, despite holding no license in the province.
The recent ruling makes Manitoba the third province where Bodog is no longer legally operating. The courtās decision strengthens Canadaās regulatory resolve and may serve as a blueprint for other jurisdictions hoping to protect local gaming markets from unauthorized offshore competitors.
Source:
Manitoba grants lotteries injunction against Bodog, canadiangamingbusiness.com, May 27, 2025.
