How VLTs Work: A Plain-English Guide
Last reviewed June 2026 · Checked against current provincial VLT records
If you’ve played the machines at a local pub or Legion, you’ve used a VLT. But it isn’t quite the same thing as a casino slot, even though they look and feel alike. Here’s how video lottery terminals actually work in Canada, who runs them, and what that means for you as a player.
What a VLT Actually Is
A VLT, or video lottery terminal, is an electronic gaming machine run by the government. It’s networked to a central provincial system, which is the part that makes it different from a casino slot. You’ll find VLTs in age-restricted, liquor-licensed venues: bars, lounges, taverns, pubs, hotels, beverage rooms, Royal Canadian Legions, and some First Nations sites. You won’t find them in a casino. That’s a separate channel.
VLTs exist in seven provinces: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Ontario and British Columbia don’t have them at all. Their electronic gaming is casino slot machines, which is a different product with its own rules. If casinos are what you’re after, our sister site Casinos Near Me covers those.
How the Provincial Network Differs From a Slot
This is the key idea. A casino slot machine is run by the casino itself, usually as a standalone unit with its own random number generator (RNG) sitting inside the building. A VLT is different. Each terminal is connected back to a central system run by a provincial Crown corporation, and that network sets the rules every machine follows.
So while both are electronic gaming machines, they sit in different channels with different regulators. The Crown corporation decides the games, the payout settings, and the bet and prize limits, then pushes those out across the network. For a closer look at the differences, see our guide on VLTs vs slots.
Where You Can Play, and the Minimum Age
VLTs live in liquor-licensed venues, so you need to be old enough to be there in the first place. The minimum age depends on your province:
| Province | Who runs VLTs | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | AGLC | 18 |
| Saskatchewan | SLGA (via WCLC) | 19 |
| Manitoba | Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) | 18 |
| New Brunswick | Atlantic Lottery (ALC) | 19 |
| Nova Scotia | Atlantic Lottery (ALC) | 19 |
| Prince Edward Island | Atlantic Lottery (ALC) | 19 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Atlantic Lottery (ALC) | 19 |
In Saskatchewan, VLTs are operated through the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, while SaskGaming runs the province’s casinos separately, and some VLTs sit at First Nations sites under agreements involving SIGA. In Manitoba, MBLL runs the terminals and the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority (LGCA) regulates them. You can read more in VLT laws across Canada.
How Payouts and Limits Are Set
You don’t set the odds, and neither does the venue. The Crown corporation that runs the network sets the payouts, bet sizes, and prize limits centrally, and every terminal in the province follows the same configuration. That’s the whole point of a networked system: consistency and oversight across hundreds of venues at once.
Responsible-Gambling Features
VLTs come with built-in tools to help you stay in control, and each province offers a free, confidential helpline that’s open 24/7:
- Alberta: 1-866-332-2322
- Saskatchewan: 1-800-306-6789
- Manitoba: 1-800-463-1554
- New Brunswick: 1-800-461-1234
- Nova Scotia: 1-888-347-8888
- Prince Edward Island: 1-855-255-4255
For Newfoundland and Labrador, head to our responsible gambling page for support options. Set a budget before you sit down, treat any winnings as a bonus rather than a plan, and step away when it stops being fun.
Ready to find a machine? Use our finder to spot VLTs near you, or browse by province on the regions page. We’ve got live venue lists for Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with Alberta and Atlantic Canada coming soon.