Senate committee backs bill to let First Nations run gaming on reserve
The Indigenous Peoples committee reported Bill S-241 without amendments, which would change section 207 of the Criminal Code.
A Senate committee has endorsed a bill that would let First Nations conduct, manage and license gaming on their own lands, sending it back to the full Senate without changes.
The Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples tabled its report on Bill S-241, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Indian Act, on May 27, 2026. The committee said it agreed with all of its witnesses that the bill should be passed in its current form.
What the bill would change
Under the Criminal Code, gaming such as casino games and bingo falls under "lottery schemes," which only provinces may conduct and manage. S-241 would amend section 207 to give a First Nation's governing body the power to conduct and manage lottery schemes on or from its reserve lands. It would also allow those bodies to license individuals and organizations.
A companion change to the Indian Act would give band councils by-law-making authority over the same subject. First Nations could choose to opt in or remain in the existing provincially led systems.
Witness views
The report said support for the bill is widespread among First Nations involved in gaming. It noted a 2023 Assembly of First Nations resolution backing the predecessor bill, S-268.
Many witnesses described gaming as part of inherent Aboriginal and treaty rights that should be protected under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Witnesses also said that when Ottawa ceded gaming regulation to the provinces in 1985, it did not consider gaming on reserve lands.
The committee heard that First Nations' shares of gaming revenue now depend on agreements negotiated with provinces. The report cited arrangements in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, including Casino Rama. It noted that if some First Nations kept all of their revenue, less could be left for others, particularly rural or remote communities.
The report said gaming supports jobs and local economies, with some First Nations spending revenue on housing, education, health and policing. It also described problem gambling as a public health concern and noted that some communities use gaming money to fund addiction and mental health programs.