New Bill Could Authorize Live New Brunswick Casino Games

There’s been plenty of speculation about who might be the third province to join Ontario and Alberta in opening up their gambling markets. If a new bill passes, live New Brunswick casino games might make the maritime province a surprise third entry.

New Brunswick finance minister Rene Legacy has introduced Bill 8, which would open up live casino games in the province. Importantly, this would not be the same thing as Ontario and Alberta, as New Brunswick casino games would still be government-run. But it would represent a significant change for the maritime provinces’ gambling markets.

The biggest change could be a difference in how Atlantic Lottery Corporation operates and what it offers. Currently, ALC is a joint effort between the four provinces of Atlantic Canada — New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. But if New Brunswick adds new regulations, it could force the other provinces to either consider taking the same step themselves or create two sets of rules for gambling in Atlantic Canada.

What Would Bill 8 Do Regarding New Brunswick Casino Games?

Specifically, it would legalize live online dealer casino games. In these instances, players compete against other players with a human dealer. These can take the form of traditional table games, such as blackjack, poker, craps and more.

These games are popular with players, in part because they’re seen as more honest. There are no random number generators involved; the cards, dice or other gaming instruments are visible on a live stream along with the human dealers. However, they’re also more difficult to run properly because they require a larger player pool to successfully work.

In New Brunswick, that could be problematic. The province has just under 900,000 people, which isn’t anywhere near the 5 million in Alberta or Ontario’s 16.2 million. Those provinces’ populations have been critical to the success of live dealer games, as their large player pools can increase potential winnings. New Brunswick casino games would lack that advantage, which could limit their viability.

There is a possibility that Bill 8 could lead to shared liquidity with Ontario and Alberta. That’s a concept where players can compete against players in different provinces, which drastically increases the player pool. As Canada's third smallest province, New Brunswick wouldn’t add much to Ontario and Alberta’s player pool. But for New Brunswick casino games, adding 21 million people to their player pool would make them much more viable.

How Would Shared Liquidity Work?

In the event of Bill 8’s passage, shared liquidity would become possible. New Brunswick and ALC could ensure live New Brunswick casino games fit with Ontario and Alberta’s standards. Once those are met, the provinces could come to an agreement that allowed all players to compete in live dealer games with each other.

That process normally takes several months to years to complete. That means New Brunswick bettors wouldn’t see any benefits until at least late 2027, and possibly beyond that.

If New Brunswick goes that route, the other Atlantic provinces would have decisions to make. They could either choose to adopt Bill 8’s standards, create their own, or have ALC operate with two sets of rules. The last two options would mean major changes for ALC. If either happens, it would need to change its offerings depending on a user's province.

What’s the Timeline for Bill 8?

New Brunswick casino games are likely many months away. The bill has been read twice in New Brunswick’s legislature, but hasn’t yet been recommended to a committee. Given the impact Bill 8 could have, New Brunswick legislators will likely take their time to ensure it’s properly considered before they make a decision.