British Columbia Lottery Corporation

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is a Crown corporation in the province of British Columbia. The BCLC conducts and manages all lotteries, sports betting, and casino gambling in the province, and is the sole licensed online casino operator in the province via its subsidiary PlayNow.

Its authority is governed by the Gaming Control Act, and overseen by the province's Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO). Its headquarters are located in Kamloops.

History

Lotteries in British Columbia were originally overseen by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) as part of a consortium with Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In 1985, British Columbia broke away from the consortium and established the BCLC.[2] Lottery revenue was used to help subsidize Expo 86 in Vancouver.[3]

BCLC served as a partner of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver; a special scratch-and-win game called "SportFunder" was launched in 2006, whose revenue provided funding for

Operations

The BCLC's headquarters are located in Kamloops; it is one of the largest employers in the city, with approximately 500 employees.[24]

Lottery products

BCLC sells lottery products such as draw games and instant tickets via retail locations, and a network of self-service terminals situated at licensed establishments (including bars and restaurants) across the province.[14][25] As a member of the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, BCLC participates in the national Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, and Daily Grand games.[26][27] Regional games operated by BCLC include:

BC 49: A regional version of Lotto 6/49, offering a fixed jackpot of $2 million.[28]
BC 50/50: A 50/50 raffle. Drawings are held four times per-day at 1, 3, 6 and 9 p.m. PT.[29][30]
Keno
Pacific Hold'Em Poker: A Texas hold 'em-based game with draws held every six minutes.[31]

Casinos

BCLC oversees all gaming facilities in British Columbia, which are owned and operated by third-parties under operational service agreements with the corporation. As of fiscal year 2025–26, this included 22 full-service casinos.[21] A BCLC-run loyalty program known as Encore Rewards is offered across BC casinos.[21][32] BCLC also oversees 12 "community gaming centres" (CGCs)—which are smaller-scale parlours with a focus on slots, bingo, food service, and entertainment. BCLC began to deploy the CGC concept in 2004 as a modernization of the province's bingo parlors.[21][33]

In the mid-2020s, a number of commercial casinos in BC began to be acquired by First Nations-run companies; Great Canadian Gaming sold nearly all its properties (aside from its Chances CGC in Dawson Creek) in the province to First Nations, including its

Online gambling

BCLC operates a provincial online casino under the PlayNow.com banner, which includes slots, table games, and sports betting.[37][25][8] As part of partnerships with their provincial governments, PlayNow also operates in Manitoba via the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation,[10] and in Saskatchewan via the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA).[38][39]

Sportsbooks

BCLC offers sports betting online via PlayNow Sports, and at retail under the ProLine brand.[25]

BCLC previously offered retail sports betting under the Sports Action brand. After 33 years, Sports Action was discontinued in May 2024 as part of BCLC's system migration, and re-launched under a new platform as ProLine in September 2024; the revamped game was designed to better compete with grey market sportsbooks by offering a wider array of betting options (including a particular expansion focusing on regional teams) and the possibility for other future capabilities (such as live odds, and integration with BCLC's self-service terminals. The game also transitioned to a paperless model, with users constructing their betting slip using the ProLine app, and then scanning a QR code at a lottery retailer. While other provinces have adopted similar systems, BCLC was the first to discontinue selection slips entirely.[25][14]

In February 2025, BCLC began to open ProLine Sportsbook Lounges at selected casinos, including the Parq Vancouver.[40]

Responsible gambling

In 2009, BCLC launched a campaign known as "GameSense", which encompasses resources and tools discussing the operation of casino games, and information on responsible gambling practices. BC casinos and CGCs feature GameSense booths where patrons can view these resources and consult with a staff "advisor". BCLC has licensed the GameSense campaign to other gaming operators in Canada, including Alberta's AGLC, and Saskatchewan's SIGA and LGS. It has also licensed the program in the United States, including in the state of Massachusetts, and to MGM Resorts International.[41][42]

In 2019, BCLC introduced an optional service known as "PlayPlanner", which allows customers to set time and spending limits on electronic gaming machines.[43] BCLC provides voluntary self-exclusion services, branded since 2023 as Game Break.[44] That year, in order to enhance enforcement of self-exclusion and for other security reasons, a new policy was instituted which requires that valid identification be presented on arrival at all BC casinos.

type	Crown corporation
foundation	1985
key people	Pat Davis, President and CEO 2022- Present Lynda Cavanaugh, Interim President and CEO 2021-2022 Greg Moore, Interim President and CEO 2019-2021 Jim Lightbody, President and CEO 2014-2021 Michael Graydon, President and CEO 2008-2014 Vic Poleschuk, President and CEO 1999-2007 Guy Simonis, President and CEO 1985 (inception)-1999
location	74 Seymour Street West Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 1E2
num employees	900
industry	Gaming
products	Lotteries
revenue	$1.6 billion FY2022‡R1R‡
owner	Government of British Columbia

British Columbia Lottery Corporation

History

Structure

Operations

Lottery products

Casinos

Online gambling

Sportsbooks

Responsible gambling

Revenue

Criticism

Involvement in money laundering

External links

References