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Kahnawake gaming licence: why it is not a Canadian licence

By Brian LaddEditor, guides Fact-checked by Paul Lecavelier Updated

If you live in or around Montreal, you have probably heard of Kahnawake. It sits on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, a short drive from downtown, and its name has appeared at the bottom of online casinos for more than twenty-five years. That proximity leads a lot of players to assume it is a Canadian licence, or even a Quebec one. It is neither, and for a player that difference matters more than any logo.

What the Kahnawake licence is

The licence is issued by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC), set up in 1996 under the Kahnawake Gaming Law enacted by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke. The Commission enacted its Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming on 8 July 1999 and has licensed online gambling since. It bases its authority on the self-governance of Kahnawà:ke as an Indigenous community.

The online permit you will see most is the Client Provider Authorization, held by the company that runs the casino. Licensed operators must be hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies, a data centre inside the territory managed by Continent 8 Technologies.

Why it is not a Canadian licence

Canada's Criminal Code, section 207, lets the government of a province conduct and manage a lottery scheme in that province. Section 207(4)(c) keeps games operated on or through a computer out of the other licensing routes, which leaves online casino games to the provinces. First Nations are not given a separate route in that section.

Kahnawà:ke disputes this reading and argues for an inherent right to regulate gaming. When the Mohawk Council challenged Ontario's regulated online market, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice dismissed the application on 13 May 2024, finding that iGaming Ontario is the operating mind of the market and meets the Criminal Code's conduct and manage test. In September 2025 the Council gave a new mandate to its gaming working group to push for recognition of its jurisdiction.

For a player, the short version is that a Kahnawake licence works like the other offshore licences on this site. It is not recognised by Quebec, Ontario, Alberta or any other province.

Player protection and complaints

  1. Complain to the casino first. The Commission will not look at a complaint that has not been through the operator.
  2. Then go to the Commission by email at complaints@gamingcommission.ca or through the online form. You need your name, date of birth, country, the site, your username and the date of the problem.
  3. Keep it off forums. The Commission says that posting the dispute on a public forum or sharing it with the media can jeopardise its ability to help.

The Commission says it responds promptly and will try to "facilitate appropriate solutions", but it publishes no deadlines and no list of what it can order. It has acted before: in 2009 it found cheating on the UltimateBet poker site and ordered about US$22 million in refunds and a US$1.5 million fine, and in September 2026 it suspended the Client Provider Authorization of Polar Ventures.

How to check a Kahnawake permit

  1. Find the KGC logo on the casino. It should link to a Certificate of Good Standing on gamingcommission.ca.
  2. Open the Permit Holders page on gamingcommission.ca yourself and look for the operator name and the exact URL.
  3. Do not expect a number or a date. The list shows only operator and URL, and the page carries an "Updated September 28, 2023" note. Casinos cite their own permit numbers, but the public list does not confirm them.

If a site claims a Kahnawake licence and has no logo linking to a certificate, the Commission asks you to report it.

What it means for Canadians

Ontario has iGaming Ontario and the AGCO, and Alberta opened its regulated market in July 2026. A Kahnawake-licensed site is part of neither, and in the other provinces the provincial lottery site is the only provincially run online option. TonyBet shows the difference well: its terms apply the Kahnawake licence to Canada outside Ontario and Alberta, while Ontario players use a separate site listed by iGaming Ontario. Our guide to whether online gambling is legal in Canada has the full picture.

Casinos we review with a Kahnawake licence

One published review on Canada Gamblers lists this licence.

Casino Licence number
TonyBet 00902

Our verdict

The Commission has a long record and a complaint desk that takes cases itself, which is more than Anjouan or Curaçao offer. But we think a Kahnawake licence is less secure for a Canadian player than it looks. It is not recognised under the Criminal Code scheme, the Ontario courts have rejected the Council's position, its public permit list has no numbers or dates to check, and its complaint process has no published timelines. The biggest risk is the false sense of safety that comes from a licence based near Montreal.

We rate Kahnawake 2.5 out of 5. Treat it as an offshore licence, check the certificate and the permit list, and do not assume a Canadian body has your back.

Sources

Key terms

KYC (know your customer)
Identity checks a casino performs to confirm who you are, usually by collecting ID, a selfie and proof of address.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Kahnawake licence a Canadian gambling licence?
No. It is issued by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission of the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke, not by Quebec or any other province. Under the Criminal Code, only provinces conduct and manage computer-based gambling, so for players it works like an offshore licence.
Is a Kahnawake-licensed casino legal in Ontario?
Not unless the operator is also registered with iGaming Ontario. The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke challenged Ontario's market in court, and the Ontario Superior Court dismissed the challenge in May 2024.
How do I check a Kahnawake licence?
Click the KGC logo on the casino, which should open a Certificate of Good Standing, then find the operator and its exact URL on the Permit Holders page of gamingcommission.ca. The list does not show permit numbers or dates.
How do I complain to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission?
Complain to the casino first. If that fails, email complaints@gamingcommission.ca or use the form on the Commission's site. Keep the dispute off public forums and the media, which the Commission says can hurt its ability to help.
Why do you rate Kahnawake lower than Anjouan or Curaçao?
Because it is not recognised under the Criminal Code scheme, the public permit list has no numbers or dates, complaints have no published deadlines, and players near Montreal often assume Canadian protection that does not exist.