Gambling And Drinking Age In Canada

  

It also raised the drinking age from 18 to 20 and increased taxes on alcohol in an effort to curb consumption. Back at CAMH, Rehm says he’d like to see an increase in Canadian alcohol taxes, higher minimum prices and an abolition of alcohol marketing. By the time someone reaches age 16, he says, they’ve already seen about 15,000 alcohol ads. Age Guidelines to Gambling in Canada. The age to gamble in Canada corresponds the drinking age, and will vary by the respective province or territory. Players will be required to be at least 19 years of age unless you are in Alberta, Manitoba, or Quebec where the minimum age is 18.

Policy and Regulations

Legal Gambling Age in Canada. Canada has ten provinces and three territories, meaning all 13 regions have the right to make their own rules and laws regarding gambling. For that reason, there isn’t an official gambling age that applies to the whole Canadian territory. However, for the most part, the legal gambling age in Canada is 19 years. Minimum Age to Gamble in United States of America. Below you will find the minimum legal age to gamble in various locations around the U.S., Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. In the 50 American states, some times you'll see a variance, this usually is due to Indian casinos having different age requirements in their casinos than state regulated. Our 2020 guide includes everything you need to know about online gambling in Canada, including legal gambling ages, tax obligations & more.

Alcohol can have a negative impact on people’s lives and results in significant costs to society. To help reduce the risks and harms of alcohol, there are laws, policies and regulations in place. CCSA has developed a number of reports on different topics to help inform the policies set out by governments.

Legal Drinking Age
in Canada

Legal Drinking Age in Canada

Legal drinking and gambling age in canada

In Canada, each province and territory defines the legal drinking age. This regulates who can purchase, possess, consume and supply alcohol. Canada’s drinking-age laws have a significant impact on youth alcohol-related harms. For more information, please refer to The Impact and Effectiveness of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Legislation in Canada.

Age

The legal drinking ages in Canada are:

  • British Columbia
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Northwest Territories
  • Nova Scotia
  • Nunavut
  • Ontario
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Saskatchewan
  • Yukon

Alcohol Pricing
in Canada

Alcohol Pricing in Canada

In Canada, alcohol is taxed based on excise duty rates for each type of beverage. This taxation is an effective way of controlling the availability and consumption of alcohol. It also helps support a culture of moderation. In general, higher prices mean lower consumption, which helps reduce potential risks and harms.

Based on existing Canadian examples of best practices, the National Alcohol Strategy Advisory Committee (NASAC) recommended that liquor boards and commissions:

  • Apply Social Reference Prices (SRPs) to all types of alcoholic beverages;
  • Ensure SRPs reflect the alcohol content of drinks within each major beverage class;
  • Regularly review, maintain and update the value of SRPs relative to provincial consumer price indexes; and
  • Close existing loopholes that allow the sale of alcohol below SRPs.

Alcohol Beverage Labels

Alcohol Beverage Labels

Drink labels help communicate drink information to people who use alcohol. They also help people make informed decisions and reduce their risk of alcohol-related harm. The information is shown through logos, text or a combination of both.

A drink label can feature:

  • The number of drinks within a container;
  • The percentage of alcohol by volume; and
  • The volume of the container.

Municipal Alcohol Policies
and Initiatives

Municipal Alcohol Policies and Initiatives

A municipal alcohol policy provides guidance on running safer events on municipally owned or managed property where alcohol is available. These venues include festivals, sport stadiums and community centres. These policies can:

  • Help keep neighbourhoods safe and enjoyable;
  • Address concerns about the risks and liability related to alcohol;
  • Set community expectations about alcohol consumption;
  • Foster community ownership through engagement;
  • Set conditions about the availability and access to alcohol; and
  • Support healthy lifestyles through community groups.

For more information about municipal alcohol policies, please see Municipal Alcohol Policy in Ontario: A Public Health Approach, The Nova Scotia Municipal Alcohol Project and The Municipal Alcohol Policy Program in British Columbia.