A Guide To Find The Best Canada Online Casinos

A Complex But Legal Gambling Environment

You’re probably wondering whether or not online casino gambling is legal in Canada. Technically, it is, as long as the Canada online casinos are located in another country. However, local laws do apply, which is why you should only play at trusted sites that are independently regulated and fully licensed.

The confusion comes in when we look at Canada’s provincial laws, where gambling regulations tend to differ from one state to another.

In Canada, each province elects an agency to act as its gambling regulator. Then there’s a separate government-controlled body appointed to conduct and manage gaming on behalf of the government. The only exception is Alberta, which has merged these functions into a single agency.

While most online gambling offices are located in other countries, many servers for some of the world’s top online casinos are based in Canada.

Overview Of Online Gambling In Canada

British Columbia launched its first fully legal and regulated casino in 2012, offering online casino games and a virtual poker room. But only residents of British Columbia may play at the casino.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established in 1996 by the Kahnawake Mohawk Nation native reserve. The commission offers gaming licenses to online casinos that qualify. While online gambling was illegal in Canada at that time, the Mohawk Nation argued that they are their own sovereign nation, and therefore have a right to operate Canada online casinos.

This is where things get a little tricky. The Mohawk Nation can run a casino, or lease space to online casinos within the Canadian borders without repercussions. Yet, private enterprises like horserace companies who already operate legally in Canada may not operate poker or online casino sites, according to the Criminal Code of Canada.

In short, though, it is illegal to operate online casinos in the country without a license, but it is legal and safe for Canadians to play at licensed local and offshore casinos.

Gambling Authority, Licence And Jurisdiction

Besides the Canadian Gambling Commission, you’ll likely find a license from the Malta Gaming Authority at top Canada online casinos. If a site doesn’t have an MGA license, chances are it will have at least one from the Isle of Man, Alderney, Gibraltar or the United Kingdom.

Overall, it is the MGA that regulates commercial gambling in the country, including casino games, slots, arcades and sports betting. It’s one of the strictest licenses in the world, often used as a framework when countries change regulations or implement legal online gambling.

When Canadian players choose an MGA-licensed operator, you can expect:

• Fair gameplay – Canadian online casinos may only offer games from developers on an approved list that have been independently tested by an MGA-approved company. The casinos are required to hold a certain amount of funds in reserve to ensure players always receive their full winnings.
• Responsible gambling – online casinos in Canada implement strict procedures to identify and protect problem gamblers and minors and prevent money laundering.
• Data protection – licensed Canadian casinos must pass tests to show they protect your data and provide secure payment methods.
• Complaints – each Canada casino site is legally required to provide access to an alternative dispute resolution service to deal with complaints.

MGA aside, we mentioned that Canada’s gambling regulations differ from one province to another.

Below, we detail the regulations in each province.

Canucks Love Casino Games

Before we get into the different categories of games you’ll find at the best Canada online casinos, let’s talk about game providers. The providers are responsible for game design, gameplay and software, be it video slots, table games or Live Dealer tables.

Just some of the big brands that offer games to Canadians are:

• Microgaming
• Play’N Go
• Quickspin
• NetEnt
• Yggdrasil
• Red Tiger Gaming
• Evolution Gaming
• Betsoft
• Push Gaming
• NoLimit City
• Ash Gaming
• Pragmatic Play
• Foxium
• Gaming Realms
• Kalamba Games
• Hacksaw Gaming
• Elk Studios

With so many software providers offering their games to Canucks, it goes without saying that you have access to a multitude of classic and brand-new online casino games.

Spinning The Slot Reels

Arguably the most popular section at Canada online casinos, playing slots recreates the excitement of land-based reels, but with a whole lot more variety, features and in-game bonuses.

Joyously Life-Changing Jackpots

Progressive jackpot slots are another popular pastime amongst Canadian players. With these games, a percentage of every wager goes towards the main prize pool, and in just one quick spin of the reels, your life could change forever.

Roulette Variants Aplenty

The rush of the roulette table can be experienced at online Canadian casinos. These games have lucrative payout potential and plenty of different options, like Lightning Roulette, European Roulette, French Roulette and American Roulette.

Blistering Blackjack Options

One of the most loved games the world over, online blackjack has a plethora of rules and strategies for you to perfect. Whether you’re playing against the computer or a Live Dealer, blackjack provides endless thrills at online casinos.

Uncomplicated Online Craps

Craps might look a little complicated if you’ve never played, but it’s way easier than you think. There are plenty of guides out there to help you learn different betting strategies and the layout of the table.

Canadians Are Keen On Keno

This lottery game is especially loved amongst Canadian players, offering up live, super, power, daily and combination variants, you’re sure to find top keno options at Canada online casinos.

Ballistic For Bingo

Canadians can discover a variety of bingo rooms to join with varying wagering options and endless hours of fun to be had.

Very Serious About Video Poker

If you like a challenge, you’ll love online poker. The strategies and rules are extensive, and there are plenty of different poker game variants available, giving you the chance to learn different hands and terminology to help you play confidently.

Baccarat’s Big Appeal

With variants like Baccarat Banque, Chemin de Fer and Punto Banco to name a few, baccarat games have a variety of rules and loads of excitement for players in Canada.

Lively Real-Time Live Casinos

Slots and classic casino games aside, nothing beats the excitement of playing your favourite casino games in real-time. With Live Casino options at Canadian online casinos, you have access to native-speaking, trained croupiers, the chance to chat with fellow players and enjoy high-definition gaming right in front of your eyes.

The Legalities Of Sports Betting In Canada

Like Canada online casino laws and regulations, sports betting is a little complicated. At the time of writing, provincial sports lotteries in the country are the source of legal sports betting.

While the sports betting products in the various provinces are officially legal, they do lack quality when compared to some of the big bookies out there. The good news is that offshore bookmakers who hold licenses in Gibraltar and Malta have operated in Canada for decades, with sports betting remaining an accepted grey zone.

Canada Online Casinos And Mobile Compatibility

It’s the 2020s and mobile-friendliness is an important part of online gambling. All of the Canada online casinos that we recommend are mobile-friendly. If you like playing at online casinos, but you’re always moving around, this is the perfect option for you.

Best of all, playing on mobile devices is just as enjoyable and interactive as playing at a desktop casino. Most casinos have spent their time optimising their sites for mobile platforms, and many providers tailor their games with mobile gambling in mind. All in all, it’s a seamless transition from desktop to smartphone or tablet.

Collect The Cash, Canada Casino Bonuses

Online casino bonuses are an incentive to get you to register and continue playing with Canada online casinos. There are two categories of bonuses:

1. The welcome bonus
2. Daily bonuses and special offers

These bonuses offer up real money that you can play with, but they do come with deposit and playthrough requirements that you must meet before you can claim the funds or winnings you make playing with the funds. You’ll find all the terms and conditions in each offer’s fine print – please don’t skip it, it’s really important.

Here are just some of the common bonuses you’ll find at the best Canadian online casinos.

• Welcome bonus – this one is given when you make your first deposit at an online casino, and typically comes as a match bonus that can be anywhere from 25% to 200% and more. Many even come with batches of free spins to play on specified slot titles.
• Free spins – if an offer comes with free spins, the casino will specify if you can use your spins on specific slots or in any game you like. Free spins are also subject to rollover requirements, although very occasionally a casino may offer players wager-free bundles of spins.
• No deposit bonus – this bonus usually has high wagering requirements attached, but you don’t need to make a deposit to claim the bonus funds. It’s often offered just for registering with a site, but can sometimes be given to existing players.
• Loyalty bonus – these are offers rewarded to loyal players and can come in various forms. Sometimes they’re called VIP bonuses.

Speaking of loyalty and VIP, most online casinos in Canada run some sort of scheme that’s dedicated to regular players and high rollers. These programmes reward players with bigger bonuses, a dedicated account manager and gifts galore.

While some sites have an exclusive loyalty programme that you need an invitation to join, others run tiered schemes that you automatically join when you sign up at a particular platform.

Funding Funds And Withdrawing Winnings with popular Payment Methods in Canada

Of course, you want to win real money when you play at Canadian online casinos, and to do that, you need to wager real money. All the Canada online casinos on this page accept an array of secure and reliable payment methods, with some more popular amongst Canucks than others.

• Skrill – a secure e-wallet option, but sometimes excluded from bonuses and promotions.
• PayPal – fast service, small fees and compatible with more than 20 currencies.
• Paysafecard – a prepaid card or e-voucher that can only be used for deposits at online casinos.
• Interac – a direct payment processor, Interac facilitates transactions between your bank account and the casino and has partnered with major banks like Canadian Western Bank, BMO Bank of Montreal and Scotiabank.
• ecoPayz – offered in Canada since 2013, ecoPayz makes funding your casino account and withdrawing your winnings a breeze.
• iDebit – services over 20 countries and processes payments to and from casinos to your bank account or e-wallet. You’ll need an account at a bank like TD Canada Trust, Bank of Montreal or Royal Bank of Canada to use iDebit.
• Neteller – one of the most popular e-wallets for playing at Canada online casinos, transactions are swift and effortless.
• MasterCard – provides instant deposits but withdrawals can take several days to process.
• Visa – one of the most popular banking services, Visa is available at most online casinos in Canada and is renowned for its safety features.
• Mobile payments – in Canada, TELUS Mobility and Bell Canada both support Boku pay by mobile, enabling you to make fast deposits for small fees. This payment method is not available for withdrawals, though.
• Cryptocurrency – the most secure banking option, online casinos in Canada may accept cryptocurrencies, which offer high levels of security, cost-effective transactions and high-speed deposits and withdrawals. Popular cryptocurrencies accepted at Canadian casinos include Ripple, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Litecoin.

A Few Important Payment Points

There are a few things you need to know about transactions at Canada online casinos.

1. Verification – all the sites that we recommend require player verification in the form of identity and residence documents. This is to safeguard the platform and you from money laundering and to keep your money safe. Verification is typically required when you make your first withdrawal.
2. Pending withdrawals – most casinos keep payments in a pending withdrawal period, but it all depends on the payment method you choose and the casino.
3. Caps on deposits and withdrawals – just about every casino sets its rules around minimum and maximum deposits and withdrawals. Keep in mind that the regular minimum deposit may differ from the minimum deposit required to claim a bonus.

Help When You Need It

Leading casinos in Canada provide around the clock customer support, every day of the week. It’s easy to misunderstand something or need a little help when playing online, which is why support teams should work efficiently to help you. Live chat is one of the best ways to get in touch with customer support agents.

In our casino reviews, we tell you what languages a site and its support is available in, too, with many sites providing English and French support for Canadian players.

Play Responsibly, Hey

We mentioned earlier that the Malta Gaming Authority license is one of the strictest in the world. Part of this has to do with the authorities’ requirements around responsible gambling. Whether or not a casino holds this license or another, it must provide responsible gambling measures for players, such as:

• Reality checks
• Self-exclusion
• Time out
• Deposit and loss limits
• Cooling-off period

Those tools aside, the Responsible Gambling Council safeguards Canadians and offers various research and tools for players to help keep their online gambling habits under control.

Gamblers Anonymous is another well-known resource that offers meetings, helpline numbers and email addresses in a number of Canadian provinces for help for yourself or loved ones.

There are national organisations (Gamtalk, ConnexOntario and ProblemGambling) as well as problem gambling helplines per province that offer their services free of charge, including:

• Quebec Gambling Help and Referral
• Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission
• Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline
• British Columbia Problem Gambling Information and Referral Service

So, no matter where you live in Canada, there is somewhere or someone that can help you should your gambling habits become a problem.

Play At The Best Online Casinos In Canada

It’s important to choose a reliable casino for a secure gambling experience. You can count on us to provide you with reviews of licensed Canada online casinos that take safety and responsible gambling seriously.

Each site we recommend undergoes are solid review process to make sure it’s licensed, regulated and accepts secure payment methods for your Canadian dollars. We check out the bonuses and promotions, the payment times and even contact customer support – all to bring you honest reviews of the best of the best online casinos in Canada.

Take a look through our top list today and find the perfect online casino that offers your favourite games, mobile compatibility and plenty of exciting rewards.