Bob Mackin
British Columbia’s NDP government tells theBreaker that a Malta-based gambling company’s ads at B.C. Place Stadium during FIFA World Cup matches are “not likely” in violation of provincial laws.
Kaizen Gaming became an official FIFA tournament supporter for Europe and South America a week before the World Cup kicked-off. The deal includes pitchside advertising, including in Vancouver, despite Kaizen’s Betano not being licensed to operate in the province.
FIFA World Cup venue B.C. Place Stadium. (Mackin)
Like B.C. Place, B.C. Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is public-owned. Under B.C.’s Gaming Control Act, BCLC has authority to conduct and manage commercial gambling on behalf of the government and its PlayNow.com is the only legal gambling website in the province.
That is because the Criminal Code allows only a province to conduct and manage a lottery or game of chance on or through a computer. The Criminal Code also calls it an offence for an unlicensed operator to advertise or offer a bet.
“The Criminal Code of Canada is a federal law, and any potential violations would be under police jurisdiction to investigate,” said a statement to theBreaker from B.C.’s Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO), the division of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General that enforces the Gaming Control Act.
“A gambling company that advertises in B.C., but restricts access for B.C. gamblers — such as through geo-fencing or blocking — does not operate in B.C. and therefore would not likely be in violation of B.C.’s Gaming Control Act.”
Pitchside ads for Betano in B.C. Place Stadium during FIFA World Cup.
Kaizen’s Canadian subsidiary is one of the 47 operators licensed to operate in Ontario. IGCO said it “intends to confirm that Betano is not operating in B.C., for example by geo-fencing to Ontario residents, and is only advertising at World Cup games across host cities as a key partner of FIFA.”
Neither FIFA nor Kaizen responded for comment.
Also advertising at B.C. Place and other FIFA World Cup venues: Abu Dhabi-based ADI Predictstreet, the official “prediction market partner” of FIFA 26.
In late June, ADI forged a strategic branding and product partnership with U.S.-based Kalshi.
IGCO said it defers to the B.C. Securities Commission (BCSC).
“BCSC and its fellow regulators, through the Canadian Securities Administrators, intend to issue further guidance on whether and how securities or derivatives legislation applies to those markets and contracts,” IGCO said.
In 2018, when Premier David Eby was the B.C. Attorney General, his departmentlooked for ways to ban out-of-province gambling ads. Since becoming premier in late 2022, Eby became a FIFA booster.
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