Frequently Asked Questions
You have questions? We have answers!
About BCLC
BCLC Marketing & Sales Office
2940 Virtual Way
Vancouver, BC V5M 0A6
Tel: (604) 215-0649
PlayNow.com is a state-of-the-art online environment. BCLC's Internet Gaming Code of Conduct & Responsible Play is available in full at bclc.com.
In short, a player can trust that we:
Respect privacy: Inform players why we are collecting personal information and how that information will be used. A player's right to privacy is protected under the B.C. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Restrict play to adults: To play, a player must be nineteen years of age or older. That's the law.
Set weekly limit: There is a set maximum weekly limit on the amount a player may fund their wallet account.
Only allow B.C. residents to play: A player must be physically located in British Columbia at the time of game purchase.
Help keep it fun: PlayNow.com uses a wide variety of industry-leading responsible play strategies to help minimize problem behaviour
Are fair and honest: The integrity and security of our games offered through the Internet will be as high as that for all of our other operations.
Under the Criminal Code of Canada, only the Province or its Agent can conduct and manage gaming on or through a computer.
The Government of B.C. has given BCLC the authority to operate on or through a computer, including through the Internet any lottery scheme which it has been authorized to conduct and manage.
Working with us
Any currently available job opportunities are posted in the Careers Section of BCLC Corporate website
Resumes must be submitted online through our Careers current opportunities page and cannot be accepted otherwise.
Lottery Retailer Prospects
Interested in becoming a lottery retailer or being a part of the Retail Stores Group program? Find more information here.
Suppliers — BC Bid and Non BC Bid
Procurement is the acquisition of goods and/or services for the direct use of corporations generally via a contract.
Procurement may involve a bid; if a bid has been solicited, please go see doing business with us.
The Procurement department provides corporate services specific to procurement initiatives including bid competition management, sourcing, contract negotiation, and expediting and import/export customer management.
The Procurement Communications Protocol applies to all projects involving the procurement of goods or services.
A strong relationship with the community means a lot to us. It's more than about being a good corporate citizen; it's something that is a part of who we are, because we live here too. Close to 6,000 charitable and community organizations benefitted from $135 million in gaming grants distributed by the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch.
There are three options that the government makes available to eligible charitable and community organizations:
- Licensed Gaming: where you hold a gaming event as a fund raiser.
- Bingo Hall Affiliation: where you receive a portion of bingo hall proceeds in return for fulfilling bingo hall duties.
- Direct Access Program: where you receive a grant directly from the government for specific goals.
For more information on licensed gaming or applying for a government gaming grant, please visit the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch Web site.
They can also be reached by telephone through Enquiry BC, the Provincial Government information line, at 1-800-663-7867. Please ask the operator to transfer you to the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch.
Game Break: BCLC's self-exclusion program
You are not eligible to win while in the Game Break program, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations. So if you gamble, win a major prize and are identified as self-excluded, BCLC will not pay the prize.
A player can enroll in our Game Break program for 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 3 years.
In BC, there are three Game Break options to choose from. You can sign up for one, two, or all three options:
- All gambling facilities with slot machines including casinos, community gaming centres, and the gaming floor of race tracks with slot machines.
- All commercial bingo halls, community gaming centres and any gaming facility offering bingo; or
- Gambling on PlayNow.com
If you are taking a Game Break from a gambling facility, you are not eligible to gamble on PlayNow.com for the duration of your break. If you have an existing PlayNow.com account, your account will be closed.
Individuals who feel that returning to play is right for them are able to reinstate by completing our Game Plan course. Players who choose to take a break from gambling always have the option to extend their Game Break term.
Contacting us
You can report any complaint or concern by contacting Consumer Services toll free at 1-866-815-0222; agents are available from 7:00 a.m. to midnight daily or you can email us.
Complaints:
To meet BCLC's objective of generating net income for the public good we use various techniques, including advertising, to build awareness of our lottery games. We know that all advertisements will not appeal to all audiences, but BCLC advertising aims to catch the player's attention in a light-hearted manner.
Before any advertisement is released, BCLC must ensure its advertising meets advertising and marketing standards for the BC Gambling Industry and meets advertising standards for Canada.
Inquiries: To ensure unbiased and competitive review of the opportunities, please contact our media Agency of Record (ie the agency that handles all our media buying), OMD, at 604-642-6835 and they can ask for Angela Dong. OMD is aware of our target groups, our various advertising strategies and objectives, and our budgets, and therefore is in the best position to assess the suitability of your proposal on behalf of all our different advertising needs.
BCLC employs development teams who are responsible for creating a variety of innovative gaming products and promotions that appeal to the entertainment and gaming preferences of British Columbians. From time to time, we may also develop gaming products and promotions after consultation or collaboration with other government gaming jurisdictions.
BCLC cannot accept or consider proprietary information, ideas or proposals from the general public.
We ask that you please contact Consumer Services at our toll free number 1-866-815-0222 or email us to report any complaint or concern that you may have.
Please be assured that the prize notification you have received was not sent by BCLC and that BCLC is in no way associated with the sender.
As an agent of the Crown, BCLC is authorized to market and distribute lottery tickets within the province of British Columbia only. BCLC only pays a prize to the holder of a winning lottery ticket. All major winners ($10,000+) must claim in person at one of our main prize payout locations.
In Canada, there are no fees on lotteries for insurance, processing, handling, or customs.
BCLC advises that you do not send any funds via cash, cheque, or wire transfers. You may wish to bring your concerns to your local police department and/or the attention of:
PHONE BUSTERS (The Canadian Anti-fraud Call Centre)
Toll Free:1-888-495-8501
Overseas and Local: 1-705-495-8501
Toll Free Fax Number: 1-888-654-9426
Fax Number (Overseas and Local): 1-705-494-4008Mailing Address:
Box 686 North Bay, Ontario P1B 8J8
E-mail: info@phonebusters.com
BCLC is an open and transparent Crown corporation and makes many records publicly available.
If you have a question about BCLC, you can make a request for information under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. You'll need to make a request under the Act only if the information you're looking for isn't routinely available. More information on submitting a request may be found here.
Still can't find what you're looking for?
Contact us via email for general inquiries at any time, 24/7.
Live chat
Chat with us from 8am-midnight PST daily. Our virtual assistant is available 24/7.
Call us
Our team is available daily from 7am-midnight PST.