Saskatchewan Locks In SIGA iGaming Monopoly Until 2029

⏱ 3 min read

Saskatchewan has locked in its online gambling model for another three years. On August 31, 2026, the provincial government and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) signed an amendment to their Gaming Framework Agreement (GFA), extending the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA)'s exclusive right to operate regulated online gambling in the province until September 2029.

The extension cements PlayNow.com — powered by the BC Lottery Corporation's platform — as Saskatchewan's only legal iGaming destination for at least three more years. SIGA recorded $804 million in total wagers on PlayNow in fiscal year 2025–26, generating $31.59 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) and posting its fourth consecutive year of record profits — $418 million in gross revenue and $167 million in net profit returned to the province.

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The Agreement

The GFA amendment, announced by Minister of Lotteries and Gaming Jeremy Harrison, extends SIGA's online exclusivity by three years from its previous expiry date. SIGA has operated PlayNow.com in Saskatchewan since the platform launched in November 2022, making it one of Canada's youngest regulated iGaming markets. The province is not following Ontario or Alberta in opening the market to private operators — instead, it is doubling down on a First Nations-led monopoly model.

Harrison described the relationship as built on "good-faith negotiation and incremental change." FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron called the extension a reflection of "SIGA's strong leadership and successful operation of the platform," and welcomed the signal from government that Saskatchewan will not pivot to a competitive licensing model before at least 2029.

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Revenue Sharing and Financial Performance

Saskatchewan's iGaming revenue-sharing structure splits net profits equally between the province and First Nations communities. Of the $167 million net profit returned in 2025–26, 50% flowed to the provincial General Revenue Fund and 50% was distributed among Saskatchewan's First Nations. Since launch in 2022, PlayNow.com has accumulated more than 59,000 registered accounts.

Metric	Figure (FY 2025–26)
Total Wagers (PlayNow.com)	$804 million
Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR)	$31.59 million
SIGA Gross Revenue (all operations)	$418 million
Net Profit Returned to Province	$167 million
PlayNow Registered Accounts	59,000+
iGaming Exclusivity Extended To	September 2029

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Flying Dust First Nation Gaming Pilot

Alongside the online extension, the amended GFA includes approval of a new land-based gaming centre pilot on the Flying Dust First Nation, adjacent to Meadow Lake. The centre will host up to 49 slot machines, increasing SIGA's total provincial slot allocation by 49 to 2,619 machines across the network. Flying Dust First Nation Chief Tyson Bear told local media the facility is part of a broader commercial development — encompassing a strip mall, hotel, and conference centre — and estimated a construction timeline of approximately six months.

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The Illegal Market Problem

Regulators and SIGA have consistently flagged offshore, unlicensed operators as the market's primary growth constraint. The GFA extension language explicitly acknowledges that PlayNow has grown "despite heavy competition from illegal platforms." With no pathway for private operators to enter Saskatchewan, bettors who prefer international brands or broader product ranges have limited regulated alternatives — a dynamic that critics argue sustains grey-market activity rather than containing it.

• Saskatchewan residents can legally wager only on PlayNow.com for online casino and sports betting.
• National sportsbook brands such as BetMGM, FanDuel, and bet365 — all licensed in Alberta and Ontario — remain unlicensed in Saskatchewan.
• No enforcement mechanism currently targets individual bettors using offshore sites.

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What This Means for Operators and Bettors

For private operators already active in Ontario and the newly opened Alberta market, Saskatchewan remains off-limits until at least 2029. Any operator expecting a third large Canadian province to open for competitive licensing in the near term should recalibrate that timeline. Saskatchewan's population of roughly 1.2 million is a modest prize compared to Ontario's regulated market — which posted record wagering in fiscal 2025–26 — but the exclusivity model sets a precedent that other provinces watching from the sidelines may consider.

For Saskatchewan bettors, the extension means the regulated product shelf stays limited to what PlayNow offers. SIGA's record profits suggest demand is growing, but the platform's 59,000 accounts and $804 million in wagers remain a fraction of the volumes Ontario's multi-operator environment generates each quarter.

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Sources

Primary and secondary sources used in this article, in order of citation priority.

We welcome the three-year extension of SIGA's operation of Saskatchewan's only licensed and regulated online gaming platform, which reflects SIGA's strong leadership and successful operation of the platform.

— Bobby Cameron, Chief, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations · GFA Amendment Statement, August 31, 2026