Understanding Age Verification Laws in Canada: What Businesses Need to Know
Canada is on the brink of passing some of the most comprehensive age verification laws in North America. With growing concern over children accessing harmful content online, the Canadian government is advancing legislation like Bill S-210, which would require websites offering pornographic material, vaping products, gambling services, and other age-restricted content to implement robust age verification systems.
What Is Bill S-210?
Bill S-210, also known as the Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act, proposes that any website accessible in Canada which makes sexually explicit content available must take reasonable steps to verify that users are at least 18 years old. This includes Canadian and foreign-based websites that serve Canadian users.
This bill places clear responsibilities on both platforms and internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to non-compliant websites. If passed, it would mark a major shift in online safety regulation in Canada and bring the country in line with evolving international age verification standards.
Industries Affected by Age Verification Legislation
The proposed Canadian age verification laws will impact a wide range of industries, including:
- Adult entertainment websites and platforms hosting 18+ content
- Escort directories and adult dating websites
- Vape retailers and e-cigarette vendors
- Online gambling and casino websites
- CBD and cannabis retailers
- Social media platforms promoting or linking to age-restricted material
If your business operates in one of these industries or targets users in Canada, you must be prepared to integrate high-assurance age verification technology to remain compliant.
What Is Required for Age Verification Compliance?
The law will likely require businesses to use privacy-preserving and technically accurate age verification methods, such as:
- Photo ID matching with facial verification
- Credit card age authentication
- Mobile network age checks
- Email-based age estimation
- Open banking and digital ID verification
Crucially, self-declared ages or simple “yes/no” consent forms will no longer meet legal standards.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Although full enforcement frameworks are still being defined, businesses that fail to comply with age verification requirements under Bill S-210 could face:
- Fines or administrative penalties
- ISP-level blocking of their websites in Canada
- Legal action from regulatory authorities or consumer protection agencies
How 18Verified Helps Businesses in Canada Stay Compliant
At 18Verified, we provide a complete, privacy-first age verification platform tailored for businesses operating in Canada. Whether you’re running a porn site, vape shop, escort directory, or gambling platform, we help you meet compliance obligations without sacrificing user experience.
Our technology includes:
- Secure credit card verification
- Photo ID + selfie matching
- Mobile carrier AV checks
- Email-based age estimation (GDPR and PIPEDA compliant)
- Fast API and plug-and-play integration
We ensure your business is ready to meet Canada’s age verification laws with scalable, user-friendly solutions.
Final Thoughts
As Canada prepares to implement national age verification legislation, businesses handling adult or age-restricted content must act now to future-proof their compliance strategies. With platforms like Pornhub already facing global scrutiny and Canada following in the footsteps of countries like France, Germany, and the UK, robust age verification is becoming the global standard.
18Verified provides the tools you need to protect your business, safeguard your users, and stay compliant with evolving Canadian laws.
Get compliant, stay secure, and lead with trust—choose 18Verified for Canada.