New Brunswick lawmakers are considering changes to the province’s gambling legislation that would create a legal framework for regulating online casino games presented by live dealers.
Bill 8, an amendment to the Gaming Control Act, received its first reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 27. The proposal would give the provincial government authority to establish regulations covering online live casino activity, an area the existing legislation does not specifically address.
The bill follows a live casino concept proposed by Atlantic Lottery Corporation, which already provides digital gambling products in New Brunswick. Atlantic Lottery has operated online gaming in the province for several years, while its broader digital business has become an increasingly important part of gambling activity across Atlantic Canada. CasinoReports.ca has previously covered Atlantic Lottery’s growing online gaming operations.
The proposed legislation remains at an early stage. Bill 8 has not yet become law, and the province has not published the detailed regulations that would determine how live casino games could operate.
Bill 8 Would Expand Provincial Regulatory Powers
The proposed amendments introduce definitions covering online casino lottery schemes and live casino lottery schemes.
Under the bill, a live casino lottery scheme would involve online casino-style games hosted, facilitated or presented by a live person. This would cover the type of real-time online table gaming in which players interact with human dealers through a website or mobile device.
The legislation would also allow the New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation, subject to government approval, to enter an agreement designating a qualifying corporate body as a provincial government agency for the operation of an online casino scheme, including live casino games.
The proposal does not create a general licensing system for private commercial online casino operators. New Brunswick currently identifies ALC.ca as its legal and regulated online gambling platform, and Bill 8 focuses on expanding the government’s authority within that framework.
Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin said keeping gambling legislation current plays a role in consumer protection.
“Reviewing and updating legislation is an important part of keeping New Brunswickers safe,” said Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin. “As gaming continues to evolve, legislation must keep pace to ensure games continue to be regulated and responsible, and that rules are effective and clear.”
New Brunswick’s move comes as Canadian provinces continue to examine how their existing gambling systems deal with online operators. CasinoReports.ca has also reported on the debate surrounding provincial gambling monopolies and unregulated online gaming.
Detailed Live Casino Rules Still to Come
The Gaming Control Act currently lacks specific authority allowing the province to establish regulations for online live casino events. Bill 8 would address that gap by giving the government the power to introduce safeguards through future regulations.
Those regulations have yet to be released, meaning the proposal does not currently provide a launch date or complete operating requirements for live dealer gaming.
Finance and Treasury Board Minister René Legacy said the changes would help the province respond to changes in gambling products.
“Modernizing the Gaming Control Act is about keeping up with how gaming is changing,” said Finance and Treasury Board Minister René Legacy. “These updates will ensure that new gaming options are developed responsibly and continue to meet the needs of players in a safe and regulated way.”
Bill 8 would also expand regulation-making powers for online casino schemes operated through a government agency. Proposed changes address certain licence fees as well, including how fees could be calculated and when payments would be required.
The legislation does not set a final fee structure. Those details would depend on regulations adopted later.
Province Points to Unregulated Online Alternatives
The New Brunswick government has linked the proposed changes to the growing availability of online live casino products outside the province’s regulated system.
“With a greater variety of online offerings, live casinos are growing in popularity,” said Gauvin. “Regulating these types of games will provide a safer alternative to unregulated offerings in the province.”
Concerns about gambling sites operating outside Atlantic Canada’s provincial system are not new. Atlantic Lottery has previously raised concerns about the promotion of operators that do not hold provincial authorization, an issue covered by CasinoReports.ca in its report on online gambling marketing in Atlantic Canada.
Atlantic Lottery already provides digital instant games, iBingo and online casino products in New Brunswick. The corporation is jointly owned by New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island.
New Brunswick was also among the earlier Atlantic provinces to provide regulated online casino gaming through Atlantic Lottery. The regional corporation later expanded digital casino access into Newfoundland and Labrador, another development previously covered by CasinoReports.ca.
For now, Bill 8 remains a legislative proposal. It must continue through the provincial legislative process before becoming law. Its commencement provisions would allow enacted sections to take effect on dates established by proclamation, while the regulations governing live casino operations would follow separately.
Source:
Government tables bill to update gaming laws, gnb.ca, October 27, 2026