Is Bodog Legal in Canada?

Bodog is an operator started by a Canadian that has been around the Canadian market for decades. But is Bodog legal in Canada? This important question has an answer that is more complicated than a simple yes or no. At BettingTop10 Canada, we know that figuring out the legality of betting sites can be a challenge in a rapidly evolving gambling world, and we're here to help. Below, we'll provide a deep-dive guide into the legality of Bodog, exploring its license and the laws that restrict it. When we're done, you'll have a clear answer to the question: Can you use Bodog in Canada?

The Bodog sportsbook has several standout features that have been attracting Canadian gamblers’ attention since the 1990s. But is Bodog available in Canada for sports betting? To put it briefly, not fully. Bodog has not procured a Canadian license, as they are licensed in Antigua and Barbuda. They don't have a license from the iGaming Ontario authorities, so Ontario residents can't use Bodog. For Quebec residents, Bodog doesn't accept users from that part of the country. But everywhere else in Canada, Bodog can be used as part of the gray market. This means it is neither legal nor illegal, but bettors can use it without fear of consequences.

While the Bodog sportsbook is what initially might draw bettors in, there is also a massive Bodog casino. The casino features a huge array of games, including poker, blackjack, baccarat, and slots. Bettors love the casino, but now, we must address the legality of it. The Bodog casino is in the same legal situation as the sportsbook. The Bodog license in Antigua and Barbuda that allows it to operate, but Bodog hasn't opened themselves up to Canadian regulators. They are not licensed in Ontario, meaning they are illegal in the province, and they don't accept Quebec residents. They can be used everywhere else in the country but only as part of the Canadian gray market.

Bodog has been around since the 1990s. They are one of the earliest additions to the Canadian sports betting market. But while they have been around since the start of online betting, they have never done so under a Canadian license. Bodog has served Canadians from a license offshore, using an Antigua and Barbuda license.

This allows them to operate legally, but it doesn't make them legal in the Canadian market. In Ontario, where betting is government-regulated, Bodog is not allowed because they haven't procured a license. In other parts of the country, they are allowed to serve Canadians as an offshore gray market website. They are not fully legal, but they are also not prohibited, and Canadians won't be punished for using them. In Quebec, Bodog doesn’t accept users, so you can’t sign up with a Quebec address.

Bodog is in a unique situation that is different from many other major betting sites. The answer to is Bodog legal in Canada is not as simple as a yes or no. Bodog's availability depends on where you are in the country, and even if you are in a place where it is legal, it might not be fully government-sanctioned.

With that said, let's clear up some of the confusion by looking at the different legal statuses of Bodog according to province. This should better address the question of: Can you use Bodog in Canada?

We've dived straight into the question: Is Bodog legal in Canada? But we haven't even begun to discuss the nitty-gritty of what Bodog is all about. Bodog is an operator that has been serving the Canadian market for decades and is one of the pioneers of virtual betting in the country.

Bodog was launched in 1994 by Calvin Ayre. Ayre is a Canadian from Saskatchewan who has gone on to become a billionaire thanks to his success with the brand. Ayre has had a strange career filled with success and publicity. He launched the company from Antigua and Barbuda, where they still hold a license. This is what has allowed them to serve the Canadian market.

Bodog has managed to stay popular for decades thanks to its ability to stay on the cutting edge. The website has plenty of diverse features, which include Name Your Bet, Prop Builder, and Cash Out. They also have cryptocurrency payments, which is a unique feature not many sportsbooks have. One downside to Bodog is that they lack betting apps, so gamblers will have to gamble from their mobile-optimized website.

Is Bodog Legit?

Before you get started with this major operator, there are two questions you should ask. These questions are: Is Bodog legit? And is Bodog safe? If you ask these questions before using any betting site, you will be better off because of it.

For Bodog, the answer is yes to both questions. Bodog is legitimate, as it has acquired licensing from the government of Antigua and Barbuda. This is a trustworthy source that verifies the website is legal and up to industry standards. However, it would help Bodog more if they were licensed by Canadian authorities like the Kahnawake Gaming Commission or iGaming Ontario.

For safety, Bodog employs standard cybersecurity methods and adheres to privacy policies. They are a trustworthy operator, although having Canadian government oversight might make some bettors more comfortable.

The history of Bodog and online betting in Canada are somewhat intertwined, with major events shaking up both of them. If you want to understand the legality of sports betting in Canada, then it is important to look back at the history of the sportsbook. Bodog’s history stretches back decades, to the dawn of the internet, and runs through to today.

In this breakdown, we’ll take a look at some of the pivotal events in the history of Bodog and Canadian gambling that have had the biggest impact on shaping the current legal situation of today.

1994 - Bodog is Launched: In the early 1990s, the internet was still growing, and the implications of the software weren't yet clear. But Calvin Ayre, a programming wizard, saw the potential that internet gambling could have early. He developed a platform that would allow people to gamble from the internet and set it up in Antigua and Barbuda, where there weren't regulatory laws against such things. Ayre called the platform Bodog and launched it in 1994, starting a long-standing operation that is still going strong today.

2000s - Bodog Takes Off: While the platform was successful from the jump, Bodog really blew up in the 2000s. Online gambling started to become a big deal, and by the mid-2000s, Ayres was a billionaire, and Bodog was one of the biggest names in gambling. Because Ayres is a Canadian, it is natural that Canada was one of the primary targets for Bodog. The website found significant traffic in Canada and became one of the country's best-known sportsbooks. Bodog's many fun features and the publicity surrounding Ayres led to the sportsbook and casino becoming a major talking point.

2016 - Bodog is No Longer Legal in Quebec: While Bodog had become very successful, there were situations where it seemed Bodog had run afoul of the law. The sportsbook skirts gambling laws in countries as a member of the offshore gambling gray market. That caught up to them at points. One big problem Bodog faced in Canada was in 2016 when Bodog stopped taking Quebec customers. It is unclear what happened.

2021 - Bill C-218 is Passed: A major shift in the Canadian legal betting industry came in 2021. The Canadian parliament passed a resolution that removed the federal prohibition on single-game sports betting. This allowed provinces to control their own sports betting industries and create regulatory bodies that would oversee them. The first province to act was Ontario, which created a governing framework called iGaming Ontario. This regulatory body would license all sportsbooks and casinos that intended to operate in Ontario. 

2022 - Gambling is Legal in Ontario, Bodog is Not: In 2022, Bill C-218 came into effect. Gambling became fully legal in Ontario for any betting site that acquired an iGaming license. Many major sportsbooks like FanDuel and BetMGM entered the Ontario market at this time. Unfortunately for Bodoog, they did not elect to try to get an iGaming Ontario license. This means they lost their legal status in Ontario, and betting sites that operate in the province can start to cut into their share of the market.

The Future: Bodog Must Adapt

The game has changed in Canada for Bodog, and they must adapt if they want to remain relevant in the Canadian market. Bodog is now unable to serve the two most populated provinces in the country. While other provinces like Alberta and British Columbia still have residents that use the sportsbook, there is a very real chance that they will implement their own sports betting regulatory body soon. Bodog has to try and acquire a valid Canadian license at some point because it seems likely more provinces will follow Ontario's lead. 

For a quick recap, we’ve told you about what Bodog is and answered the question, can you use Bodog in Canada? But what we haven’t dived into is how to use Bodog. For some people, getting started with a sportsbook is challenging, as they are unfamiliar with the steps they need to take. Particularly with legality concerns, it can be quite confusing.

At BettingTop10, we’ve made our careers off teaching gamblers everything they need to know about the industry, and we’re here to help. Below, we’ll prepare a step-by-step guide to using Bodog in Canada. 

Step One: Visit Bodog and Click the Red Join Tab.

Once you are on the sports betting site, you’ll see a bunch of images. But if you want to start the registration process, you’ll have to click the red “Join” button on the upper right-hand corner of the screen. This will take you to the next phase of the process.

Step Two: Enter Your Information.

A menu will pop up that requests you to input your name, date of birth, mobile number, email, password, and postal code. Before you go through with this process, double-check that you are in a jurisdiction where Bodog is legal. In Canada, this means that you are in a province or territory outside of Ontario or Quebec. If you are confident that you are in a legal jurisdiction, click the Register tab.

Step Three: Make Your Payments.

Once you've created an account with Bodog, it is time to fund that account. To do so, click on your profile and select bank. You will then be entered into the deposit menu. With Bodog, you will have several options for funding your account. Bodog accepts Visa, MasterCard, Interac, and a range of cryptocurrencies. The deposit maximums and minimums depend on the method you use. Bodog's crypto transactions are lightning fast.

Step Four: Place Your Bets and Enjoy.

Once you've funded your account, it is time to place your bets. To do this, visit the Sports section on Bodog. This will show you every current live event on the website, and you can also scroll through their sports offerings from A to Z. Click on the sport you want to bet and the game within the sport, and you'll see all the odds. Click on the odds to open a bet slip, input how much you want to bet, and click "Place Bet." You are now good to go!

For many bettors, there can be some confusion when using a new betting site. While Bodog is not a new sportsbook, many bettors likely have questions. If that is the case, we are happy to help. Below, we’ll address some of the most frequently asked questions about the Bodog betting site, particularly pertaining to its legality.