Online Casino Canada • Full Gambling Info

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Canada
Country info
Capital
Ottawa
Population
37,314,442
Currency
Canadian dollar ($) (CAD)
Official languages
English, French
Area
9,984,670 km2

Canada is hardly the leader in the gaming industry. And, nevertheless, casinos are working in the country, a betting segment and a lottery market are established, and, not least, Canadians can access online gambling. But first things first…

History of Gambling in Canada

When the discoverers of Canada mastered the local lands in the 15th century, they found that the local tribes played a variety of gambling games. These studies carried a great value of spiritual and mystical sense. Therefore, for the lands of Canada, gambling is far from new.

The same pioneers from England brought with them a long-term ban on gambling. The English king Richard the Third had banned it completely in 1380, realizing that his warriors spent too much time gambling.

In 1892, the Canadian Criminal Code renewed the total ban. Then gradually the laws began to soften in Canada. Bingo and raffles were allowed in 1900 for charitable purposes. In 1969, the government realized that lotteries could become a profitable business for Canada.

The first lottery of this kind was held in 1974 to finance the Olympic Games in Montreal.

Changes in society that occurred in the 70s led to a multi-billion-dollar growth in gambling business in Canada. In 1989, the first commercial casino in Winnipeg opened. The second one opened its doors in 1993 in Montreal.

Then, on March 15, 1999, the government of Canada in Ottawa legalized gambling and allowed the provinces to independently earn money on this in the budget by opening online or offline lotteries and casinos.

Previously, other provinces legislation on gambling business took in the states of Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.

In Quebec, the relevant laws were passed in 1978. These are two acts: the Act respecting the Société des loteries du Québec and Act respecting lotteries, publicity contests, and amusement machines. Manitoba adopted the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation Act in 1993 and the Gaming Control Act in 1996. Nova Scotia adopted in 1995 the Gaming Control Act.

In July 2010, the province of British Columbia opened an official online casino for its residents. Thus, it became the first province of Canada to legalize online gambling. In 2011, the provincial authorities launched a poker room.

Quebec presented in December 2010 an online poker room and a casino-style game site in Canada.

Manitoba legalized online casinos in January, 2013. All the lottery companies of these states, which opened poker rooms, united in a single network. Thanks to this, players from different provinces can play now at the same table online.

Most of companies here are led by our partners who contribute to our business. Many will say it might affect our choice of companies we write about, and where and how the company is placed on a page. However, we are unbiased and so are our reviews. Our opinions are and will be just our own.

List of 250 Online Casinos in Canada

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Types of Online Casino in Canada

If gambling were always present in the life of mankind, it is understandable that they would definitely take advantage of the opportunities that the Internet opens up in order to get even closer to its fans. And so it happened, the network was the impetus for even more popularization of slot machines in Canada. Games in virtual casinos in Canada and other countries have become more diverse, and are available anytime, anywhere. In addition, according to the method of filing and the distinctive features of the interface, the casinos themselves were divided into three types.

Thus, downloadable online casinos are considered the first type. The essence of the work of these casinos of Canada comes from the very definition. Such online casinos allow only access to their games when a player downloads it to a computer and installs the software. In this case, it is necessary to provide two things: check the availability of free space on the hard drive for downloading and installing such casinos, and determine how reliable and safe the institution itself is in order not to infect your system with any virus that is dragged along with it.

Browser online casinos are also included in the list of available casinos in Canada. We can say that for most players of Canada this type of online casino is most preferable because of the advantages it has. The player opens up the same opportunities and the same games as in downloadable casinos, but without first downloading any software to a computer. The main thing is to have high-speed Internet and installed Flash or Java plug-ins.

Improving the capabilities, mobile devices have opened the way for virtual casinos to our smartphones. If you own one of the popular mobile gadgets – iPhone or Blackberry, or a smartphone running on the Android and Windows Phone operating systems, you will also have access to mobile versions of the casino. You can play either through the mobile application of your favorite online casino installed on your phone, or directly via the Internet in any browser. The latter method in no way affects the memory of your phone, so you do not have to limit your being fond of gambling. This can be done only by an unsuccessfully selected tariff plan of a mobile operator with an insufficiently large amount of Internet traffic.

As you can see there is something to choose from and all kinds of online casinos in Canada are quite comfortable to use, now it remains only to learn how to win.

Types of Casino Games for Canadian Gamblers

To date, games in casinos of Canada please with their huge range. Games can be either in the form of cards or of a lottery, as well as in the form of slot machines.

The multiplicity of gambling includes:

  • Online roulette.
  • Slot machines online.
  • Lottery (keno).
  • Dice.
  • Playing cards (blackjack, poker, craps, etc.).
  • Live games (live-casino). Players here fight with live dealers.

As you can see the range is really great. Here there is entertainment for every taste. Women can play quieter games: lottery, dice and card games (preference and poker), and men are definitely fond of more exciting games. Some games require a logical mindset to win, so the player must be well versed in the rules of the game, and also learn to recognize the opponent’s bluff. To play poker you need mental abilities: good memory, knowledge of psychology and the ability to build logical chains. It is very important not to express your emotions, as there is a chance to lose.

Even ordinary slot machines available to players in Canada allow you to try your luck to win a jackpot, which sometimes amounts to millions of dollars. Most importantly, the process brings pleasure to the user.

For example, remember the roulette. It would seem that everything depends on luck, but not many people know that it would be nice to have mathematical knowledge to win. You can learn a lot about the rules of the game and see all the best options leading to victory. But the main point is the attempt. Until a player tries his/her hand, he/she will never know whether he/she likes this type of excitement or not. You can also practice at low rates. All this is offered by online casinos in Canada.

Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in Canada

The position of gambling was not favorable when Canada became part of the Commonwealth of Nations. All articles related to gambling are written in the criminal code of Canada. In 1982, the Criminal Code completely banned all forms of gambling, with the exception of equestrian sports. Over time, additional exceptions were introduced. And gradually, individual provinces gained the right to organize their own state lotteries.

In 1985, the legislation was amended. One of the biggest changes was that institutions licensed to the provinces were allowed to offer computerized slots and other gambling. This provincial gambling regulation approach has created some inconsistencies in the gambling legislation of Canada, in connection with which the legal status of bets on certain games and events may vary in the regions. For example, the provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Labrador are still opposed to the revival of the casino industry.

The legality of online gambling is an even more complicated question. The current Criminal Code still prohibits online operators from accepting bets or creating platforms to place them if they do not have a state license. However, there is no law that would prohibit users from betting. This means that millions of Canadian citizens can play in international online casinos or on betting sites, practically without risking to be brought to justice.

Until 2009, gambling sites in Canada were banned, but this did not prevent gamblers of Canada from playing on various offshore sites. The Canadian Penal Code does not consider gambling as an illegal activity. Currently, any province in Canada can authorize, license and regulate its own gambling sites. The Canawag Gambling Commission (Canada) is another online casino regulatory authority in the country that also manages their servers. This commission is one of the most preferred regulators of online casinos in other parts of the world.

Horse racing in Canada is controlled jointly with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. The ministry has a special department for horse racing bets – Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency. This agency creates the appropriate legal framework and regulates horse racing throughout Canada.

Usually, lottery commissions are created in the provinces — for example, The Western Canada Lottery Corporation, British Columbia Lottery Corporation. In others, the Commission on Alcohol and Gambling become regulators – for example, Manitoba Liquor and Lottery Corporation.

Some provinces give part to regulatory issues in law enforcement – the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch in British Columbia.

The March 2010 survey conducted by Ipsos Reid concluded that almost 77% of Canadian respondents consider online gambling as legitimate, while 55% of the residents of Canada support the idea that gambling can be resolved.

In July of 2010, British Columbia, through BCLC, became the first province of Canada to open an online casino for its residents. In early 2011, British Columbia launched online poker, and now intends to submit mobile games as well.

In December 2010, Loto-Quebec introduced online poker as well as casino-style games for its residents, while in January 2013, online gaming began to be regulated in Manitoba, namely poker and other casino-style games. BCLC, Loto-Quebec and Manitoba Lotteries have joined the Poker Network of Canada, which is the first regulated poker network in North America that allows players from these provinces to play at one online table.

Since August 2004, Atlantic Lottery has maintained its online gaming site, which offers a variety of gaming solutions for Atlantic Canada and Nova Scotia residents older than 19 years old.

As of 2018, no one in Canada was convicted for playing online gambling – so this is unlikely to lead to legal problems. If you are not sure that a particular online casino is legal, then you will have to research this question a bit. But even if there is a specific law, according to which a certain site of gambling is prohibited in your region, consider the fact that most of them work outside of jurisdiction. Thus, closing all sites is an impossible task if there is no structured legislation.

Best Deposit Methods for Canadian Gamblers

Residents of Canada are allowed to play online gambling. Legally, such an activity is allowed only in certain provinces, but no one forbids citizens to bet money on the Internet.

Gambling operators can register and host servers outside the country. At the same time, offshore casinos often host servers in various provinces of Canada.

Only owners of gambling sites registered in Canada may be subject to any harassment by the authorities. Naturally, provided that they somehow violate the current legislation.

Many online casinos in Canada offer customers to conduct financial transactions through third-party sites, which is a common practice in online gambling. Thus, Canadians and guests of the country can legally play both in offline and in online gambling establishments.

Well, according to new data from Payments Canada, players of Canada are ready for better payment options. The organization’s annual Payment Methods and Trends Report shows that Canadians are increasingly choosing digital payments and introducing new payment channels, showing growing appetite and readiness for payment innovations.

The most popular online payment methods in Canada:

  • Pay by bank card (2Checkout, Braintree, Simplify Commerce, Stripe, Authorize.Net, WorldPay, SagePay, Netbanx, Moneris);
  • Pay by PayPal;
  • Pay using prepaid cards.

In addition, you can easily use electronic payment systems, such as Click2Pay, EcoPayz and InstaDebit. Visa, Master Card and American Express cards are accepted everywhere in Canada.

In recent years, the global payments industry has continued to actively revise traditional business models, due to the fact that financial institutions have taken various steps to stimulate their customers to broader online financial transactions in Canada.

This irreversible trend has led, according to analysts, to a substantial and stable growth in the development and introduction of methods of so-called two-factor client authentication worldwide, due to which banks and other financial institutions of Canada are striving to significantly improve the security of electronic services, including payment products. On the one hand, with the help of such technologies they intend to secure and protect themselves against attacks by financial scammers and hackers, and, on the other hand, to ensure the security of identification data of consumers using banking services in electronic mode. Well, gamblers of Canada can be calm, their safety comes first for the payment systems described above.

Accepted Currencies in Canada

Spanish reals, produced specifically for the Spanish colonies, were the first money that was used in Canada.

In 1813-1815, the first Canadian paper money in dollars was issued, and in 1841, the value of the Canadian dollar was equated to the gold exchange standard of the US dollar.

In 1841, Canada had its own currency – the Canadian pound, equal to 5 shillings, by analogy with the British pound sterling, since the state at that time was a British colony. Its value was equal to the value of the American dollar.

Only in 1857, Canada acquired its own currency – the Canadian dollar itself. But it could not be used in the whole country. Some states issued their own currency.

In 1935, the Bank of Canada was founded, which began to issue money at the federal level. Then the design this way changed. New series of banknotes were introduced into circulation in 1937, 1954, 1970 and 1984.

Since 1944, only the Bank of Montreal and the Royal Bank of Canada have the right to issue currency. Since 2011, the Bank of Canada began to issue polymer banknotes.

Thus, if you are going to play in one of the casinos of Canada, it will be very useful to learn a little about the money that you will use there. The currency of Canada is the Canadian dollar (CAD) and its value is not far from the leading currencies of the world. Sometime before 2009, the American and Canadian dollars were almost equal. The dollar of Canada either rose slightly in price or became slightly cheaper in relation to the American one.

The Canadian dollar exchange rate is set during trading on the currency exchange and is constantly changing. Its value depends on the ratio of supply and demand. According to the IMF Jamaican currency system adopted in the 70s, this method of determining the course is called free conversion.

The Canadian dollar exchange rate depends on the economy of the United States to a greater extent due to its geographical proximity and the impact of imports to the United States on the Canadian economy. Also, the yen, euro and yuan are influencing the Canadian dollar to a lesser extent.

The Canadian dollar is included in the international list of CSL of convertible currencies. Despite the fact that currency liquidity is considered limited, many world states keep their foreign exchange reserves in Canadian dollars due to sharp fluctuations in the dollar and the euro.

Predictions About the Future of Online Gambling in Canada

In the review, it is impossible to omit online games. Not all provinces allow them to be played. For example, internet gambling is not available in the following provinces: Saskatchewan, Ontario. The remaining provinces consider it legal.

The concept of online games in Canada includes:

  • instant scratch cards;
  • lottery;
  • bingo;
  • casino slots;
  • board games;
  • poker;
  • sports betting;
  • video poker.

Online gambling business in Canada is subject to the provisions of the Criminal Code. Now it is not a surprise that online gambling is prohibited. The responsibility of the gambling organizers is evident, if the player is a minor or their actions fall under the stipulated paragraphs of the article.

Thus, online casinos in Canada are allowed in fact, although in most provinces you can only play the state lottery online. However, there have not yet been cases for a person to be given penalty for online games.

So, now the online gambling business in most provinces of Canada is partially legalized: online lotteries from the government are allowed. Private online lotteries are also allowed. Other online gambling games are not recognized as legal, although offline they are quite accessible from the age of 18 or 19.

The online gambling industry has indeed registered significant growth and has gained remarkable returns over the past decade, suggesting that regulation is more than necessary. The relevant question is whether the federal and provincial governments will take measures to regulate the industry or whether non-governmental organizations will do this.

According to the global gaming forecast published by PwC, Canada may be ahead of the United States in regulating the online casino industry at the state level, while cooperation between the provinces will continue to gain momentum. These measures will stimulate further growth and attract even more onshore and offshore providers in the regions of Canada. In addition to local operators, online gaming market of Canada may attract US companies operating land-based casinos.

Supporters of the idea argue that no changes in the legal status of gambling in the Penal Code of Canada will happen without strong opposition from politicians whose economic interests would be threatened by further liberalization of the industry.

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Last Updated: Feb 16, 2024

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