British Columbia Lottery Corporation

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 River Rock resort in Richmond.[34][35][36]

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.[45]

Involvement in money laundering

In May 2019, the BC government opened an inquiry into reports of widespread money laundering traced to the province's casinos, led by Supreme Court of British Columbia justice Austin Cullen.[49]

The Cullen Commission found that the BCLC and other parties actively ignored repeated warnings from law enforcement surrounding money laundering—perpetuated primarily by Chinese transnational drug syndicates—until 2015, specifically noting that the BCLC demonstrated "a completely unacceptable and unreasonable risk tolerance". It found that former BCLC CEO Michael Graydon had prioritized the corporation's profits (including making moves to attract "VIP" baccarat players from Macau to BC casinos, and intervening in concerns over suspiciously large buy-ins from their top customers) over responsible operations.[50][51][52] The Commission also questioned the conduct of minister of gaming Rich Coleman, noting that he "[arranged] for an independent review of anti-money laundering measures in the gaming industry, but he did not take action to stem the flow of the suspicious cash transactions that he had been warned about."[53]

Per the recommendations of the Cullen Commission and the previous "Dirty Money" reports by Peter German, the BC government passed a revision to the Gaming Control Act that, effective April 13, 2026, establishes an Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO) to oversee the BCLC, charitable gaming, and horse racing.[23]