Best New Brunswick Online Casinos in 2024

New Brunswick’s buffet of gambling options is watched over by some of the most respected gambling bodies in Canada, promising a top-quality experience for players. Whether through the government run ALC online casino, via Video Lottery Terminals, or at its picturesque land-based casinos, New Brunswick has a lot of ways to play!

New Brunswick is home to a thriving gambling industry as part of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation with the other Atlantic provinces. Most opportunities to gamble come through video slots outside of casinos and traditional lotteries.

Gambling was first legalized in New Brunswick in 1969, and in a notable twist, online casinos preceded land-based casinos. The first provincial online casino opened in 2004 and the first land-based casino came in 2010!

Nowadays gamblers in New Brunswick are spoiled for choice, with casinos, lotteries, and horse racing all available to play. Our experts have assembled this guide to help you find the most exhilarating casinos to gamble at in New Brunswick, so let’s dive in and see what the province has to offer.

With a few of Canada’s firsts in the gambling industry, New Brunswick boasts a strong gambling presence in its lotteries and bingo halls, and has featured online casinos since 2004. However, the province is only recently beginning to introduce casino gambling as the provincial industry continues to grow.

New Brunswick has a large presence of Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) in liquor-licensed locales like bars and restaurants, letting players try their luck at slots or games like Keno without having to visit a casino. The province was the first in Canada to introduce VLTs back in 1990, hoping to stamp-out illegal video gambling available to minors, and later banned VLTs from non-liquor-licensed venues in 1999.

Unlike other provinces, VLTs make up the majority of gambling profits for New Brunswick over lotteries or other ways to play, accounting for about 60% of New Brunswick’s gambling industry.

Gamblers in New Brunswick will be familiar with the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC), the province’s primary gambling body. The ALC is a joint-venture crown corporation shared by New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. New Brunswick’s official share in the organization is through the local New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC).

New Brunswick’s lotteries and VLT machines are run by the ALC, while the NBLGC handles private contracts and regulations for casinos, both land-based and online, in the province.

Only one online casino is legally allowed to be based in New Brunswick: the official government-run online casino on the ALCs website, ALC.com. Other online casinos may operate in the province but can’t be based in New Brunswick.

The other major figure in New Brunswick gambling is the Department of Justice and Public Safety. Don’t get scared, they’re here to play too. The Department manages the province’s charitable gambling, like church fundraisers.

Modern gambling law in New Brunswick is covered by the Gaming Control Act of 2008. The act sets the legal minimum gambling age at 19, states how gambling profits are turned over to the government and spent on local services, and how the province can license private land-based casinos.

Historical Timeline

Thanks to its gambling industry leaning heavily on VLTs and lotteries, New Brunswick has only had to worry about setting up land-based casinos and sportsbooks in recent years. The 2010 and 2015 openings of the province’s two casinos were new and novel even to locals that had been gambling for decades!

But the history of gambling in the province started way back in 1969 when Canadian lotteries were first legalized. Then the industry was revolutionized as VLTs appeared in 1990, then again as the ALC assumed control for them in 2002.

• 1969 – Federal and provincial governments of Canada first allowed to hold lotteries.
• 1976 – The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) forms to introduce the first official lotteries in the Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
• 1980 – Legislation allowing charitable gambling in New Brunswick through government licenses put into effect.
• 1985 – Federal government passes full control of lotteries to provincial governments in exchange for profit sharing.
• 1990 – Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) first appear in New Brunswick under private ownership.
• 1999 – VLTs banned in venues without a liquor license.
• 2002 – ALC assumes responsibility for operating all VLTs in the province.
• 2004 – Online gambling instituted by the ALC on their website.
• 2008 – Gaming Control Act introduced. Charitable gambling in New Brunswick may now include Poker tournaments.
• 2010 – Casino New Brunswick opened.
• 2015 – Grey Rock Casino opened.
• 2021 – Canada legalizes single-event sports betting.

Free Play in New Brunswick

Great news - there are no restrictions on free play in New Brunswick! This means casinos can offer deposit-free bonuses to players, like free spins or free chips, granting players the opportunity to play for free in casinos.

As well, demo play is permitted. Slots and some virtual table games let you try a few rounds before having to put down real money wagers, to help you pick the right game for you!

These privileges apply to both online and land-based casinos in New Brunswick, as well as online casinos based in other countries but operating within the province.

There are a number of things that can make an online casino stand out, as well as make it flop. The best online casinos know what rewards and services are worth focusing on and what issues are worth ironing out. Our team finds the best casinos on the market so gamblers in New Brunswick have a selection of the best online casinos at their fingertips.

When reviewing a casino, we act as players, setting up an account, trying games, exploring the site, and considering banking options. Our favourite online casinos all need to fulfill a few criteria, which you can also look for to find the best New Brunswick online casinos:

• Does the games library deliver on both quality and quantity?

You’ll want to a good variety of casino games to try, whether those are slots, card games, dice games, or more. Well-established casinos will also feature live casino games with real croupiers for extra thrills!

• Are the bonuses and promos tempting offers with minimal requirements?

It’s always a good sign when a casino has strong bonuses, because it shows they understand what players want! For extra value, look for casinos with no wagering requirements on their bonuses.

Most importantly, you want to see a standout welcome bonus. This will give you a leg-up when first starting at a casino and help get you settled with bonus credit or free spins.

• Is banking fast and secure, with a good selection of payment methods?

When it comes to banking, Interac is the best method for all Canadian players, thanks to its speed, security, and accessibility. The best New Brunswick online casinos will let you use Interac. On the other hand, it’s also nice to have the flexibility to pay with e-wallets, credit cards, or cryptocurrency.

Also be aware of the transaction times at a casino. Many offer instant deposit, but instant withdrawal means you get your winnings in-pocket sooner! It’s also worth investigating if a casino charges no banking fees on your transaction.

• What’s the overall customer experience, with a focus on ease-of-use and aesthetic appeal?

To resolve any issues, 24/7 customer support is critical. Due to time zone differences, many casinos will close their support department just before New Brunswickers start their gambling sessions. Round-the-clock support nicely dodges the need to play telephone-tag with support staff.

You may wish to check if a casino has a mobile app, but in New Brunswick, you won’t find many beyond ALC.com. Any casino apps would have to beat the ALC in quality and security!

Sites to Avoid

Some online casinos operating in New Brunswick try to scam players with unfair odds, or by withholding legitimate winnings so players can never cash out. Read through reviews on trusted third-party review sites to see what other players are saying about a casino. If long withdrawal times are a common complaint, then the casino is likely trying to cheat players.

Even if a casino avoids these blatant infractions, they may be unlicensed and more than happy to sell your personal data. It’s important to research real money casinos before making a deposit. Canada is home to several licensing bodies in excellent internation standing, such as the Kahnawake Gaming Commission or the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

A license also proves a casino is subject to oversight and audits, both of which look for money laundering schemes or simple tax evasion from either the casino’s operator or its players. Casinos willing to stoop to these crimes commonly commit infractions against players as well.

Casino bonuses are the perfect way to get more value for your money. Whether you’re collecting bonus credit or free plays of your favourite games, it’s worth knowing what the best bonuses are!

• Deposit Matching – Standard-issue for welcome bonuses in New Brunswick, deposit matching awards you bonus credit equal to your deposit. Doubling up on your cash helps stretch each deposit. Try to get deposit matching without wagering requirements to really profit!
• Free Spins – As the name suggests, casinos offer free rounds of slots as a bonus. The best free spin promos let you pick which slot game to use them on. Most casinos hand free spins out all the time, so they’re a great way to cash out at no cost to you!
• Reload Bonus – Usually offered mid-week or on the weekends, reload bonuses partially match your deposit with bonus credit (often 50%). They’re a nice boost to your account so you can squeeze in some extra games.
• Cashback – When luck doesn’t side with you, cashback bonuses do. These pay out a percentage of your wagers each week to help recoup your losses. Since they grant tons of credit for free, cashback bonuses can be rare, so take advantage of them wherever you can find them!
• VIP Programs – A great loyalty program can make-or-break a casino. Offering great rewards like prize drops, free spins, or cashback just for recurring play is incredible value for players. The real veterans, like high-rollers, can even get improved banking services, exclusive event invitations, or customized bonuses from a VIP program.

Casino apps are legally restricted in New Brunswick. The good news is that the ALC has a legal, regulated mobile app that lets you enjoy tons of slots and table games from the comfort of your phone! It’s easily the best way to play on mobile in the province.

The bad news is that the ALC app is the only mobile casino app allowed in the province. No other casino is allowed to run apps, even if the online casino can legally operate in New Brunswick, so you won’t find options in the app store. Thankfully, most online casinos have mobile-optimized layouts and games libraries so you can play them through your mobile device’s browser without any loss of quality.

The other good news is that New Brunswick, like most of Canada, has unrestricted access to sportsbooks apps! So, if you’re in the mood for a few wagers on-the-go, you can bet on sporting events from any device with a huge selection of apps and sportsbooks to choose from.

Also note that last year, false ads for a Casino New Brunswick mobile app began circulating on social media. New Brunswick’s land-based casinos have no apps, as they also have to yield to the ALC app, so don’t be taken in by scams!

As with all of Canada, gambling winnings are not considered taxable income, so you won’t have to pay any taxes when cashing out in New Brunswick! You get to enjoy every penny you won.

There are only two situations when taxes may apply. If you are collecting interest on gambling winnings, you’ll need to declare that amount as taxable income. Otherwise, if your winnings are invested, that has to be reported as investment income.

Thus, most players gambling for fun will never be subject to taxes. Only professional gamblers need to declare their winnings as income, as it is their primary income source.

New Brunswick puts responsible gambling at the forefront of its gaming industry to ensure troubled players can access the tools to address out-of-control gambling.

• NBLGC Overview (1-800-461-1234)
• NBLGC Online Resources
• Responsible Gambling Council (1-416-499-9800)
• ALC PlayWise Program (1-800-561-3942)

Both of New Brunswick’s land-based casinos have an in-person Responsible Gaming Information Centre available for players, staff, and the general public. These centres offer information about honest play, employ staff that can consult on specific cases, and connect to the province’s self-exclusion database if a player wants to restrict their play.

For online tools, the NBLGC has a database of responsible gambling resources so players can analyze their habits and pursue treatment options for potential gambling addiction. Many of these resources pull from the Responsible Gambling Council, a Canadian organization established in 1983 with an outstanding international reputation for promoting responsible gaming.

As well, the ALC runs the PlayWise program, available to anyone in the Atlantic Provinces. In addition to being another great repository of responsible gambling resources, PlayWise allows players to sign up for the ALCs self-exclusion program from 6 months up to 3 years. For short term breaks, a 24-hour enforced pause can also be activated.

New Brunswick has only two land-based casinos, both opening since 2010. The NBLGC doesn’t run casinos themselves, but contracts with private corporations to open locations within the province. Fortunately this means only top-quality land-based casinos pop up, so here are your options!

Casino New Brunswick

The first-ever land-based casino to open in the province, back in 2010, Casino New Brunswick is still the most popular local casino! Located in Moncton, visitors can enjoy over 500 slots plus live table games and a private poker room located in the casino’s iconic lighthouse. The casino also holds a theatre featuring live concerts and standup acts.

Grey Rock Casino

Based in the Madawaska Maliseet nation near Edmundston, New Brunswick’s latest casino features two outstanding restaurants and live music. On the casino floor, you can try hybrid table games, using tech to let you bet on up to five live games simultaneously. Also present are slots and live bingo!

Connell Park Raceway

While not technically a casino, the flourishing horse racing market and large volume of VLTs at the Raceway make this a provincial gambling hub. Located in Woodstock, the Raceway is New Brunswick’s only operating harness racetrack, drawing in eager gamblers from all over to bet on the horse races.