Online Gambling in Canada

Although not regulated until the late 1800s, games like blackjack and poker were played left and right. By 1970, gambling was left in individual provinces’ hands, who were allowed to build brick-and-mortar casinos as they thought fit.

Today, Canadians are seen as passionate bingo players, but there are also thousands of casino players that took their desire to play table and slot games online. Considering the iGaming business is flourishing each day, there are many Canadian-based online casinos on the internet today, but Canadian players can get access to international online casinos as well. Their respective provinces have regulatory oversight, but since Canadian players get to choose from a diverse selection of online casinos, there are some tips they could use in order to find the perfect online casino for them.

We’re offering a complete guide to Canadian online gaming to you, so if you’re playing from Canada, you could use your freedom to gamble at both Canadian and European-based online casinos.

Which laws must be respected?

The history of gambling regulation dates back to 1970, however, things have drastically changed in recent years.

Contrary to many countries, Canadians doesn’t consider gambling as a threat and see it as a victimless crime. It is totally up to the gamblers to decide what impact gambling might have on them. In that regard, the government accepts gambling and leave it to its citizens to use gambling for entertainment purposes and play responsibly.

The Canadian Gambling Commission is the one that watches over the gambling operations in Canada, which communicates with the media, public and government to ensure everything is in the right order. However, all the laws in regards to sports betting, land-based casino gambling and online gambling are enforced and enacted by each individual province. So, depending on which province you’re coming from, make sure you check the laws and regulation conditions before you decide which online casino to join.

Is Online Gambling popular in Canada?

Gambling is basically the favourite pastime to Canadians and regarded as a leisure sport even since more than 70% of Canadians have participated in at least one form of gambling a year! It is higher on the popularity scales in some provinces than in other, but nonetheless, it is a huge deal for them.

When it comes to online gambling, Canada is that gambling-friendly that many players from the USA and even European countries where gambling is prohibited have moved to Canada. In fact, Canada has one of the fastest growing online poker markets in the entire world!

Moreover, even though first they entered the online gambling world through European-based operators, today, there are some major Canadian online casino and bingo sites that are even more popular than other international online gaming destinations. But since they have no laws that specifically prohibit Canadian players from using international online casino sites, they can enjoy a plethora of online casinos available on the internet.

Is There a Responsible Gaming Resource to Help Canadian Players with Gambling-Related Problems?

Naturally, the freedom to gamble in land-based and online casinos can have some serious consequences in some cases. Canadians can seek for help and assistance whenever they feel they’re becoming problem gamblers from the Canadian Gaming Association. They can offer a number of resources for Responsible Gaming.

In addition, the Gamblers Anonymous offers their services to various Canadian provinces, where one can look for help via emails, phone numbers and meetings.

Can Canadian players trust International Online Casinos?

International online casinos are licensed by the most prominent and trustworthy regulatory bodies. There are, of course, online casinos you can’t trust, but there are tips on how to choose an online casino that is duly regulated and safe and provides you with fair game outcomes.

Online players from Canada can trust international online casinos that are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, the toughest in the online gambling industry. But operators that hold licenses by the Malta Gaming Authority, the government of Curacao and Gibraltar are also safe options.

It is also important to find a casino that offers the seal of approval by an independent auditory company. These companies test the online casino’s software and are your best guarantee that the games you’re playing are completely fair. They check whether the casino uses a Random Number Generator to provide you with random game outcomes, see whether the casino abides by the regulatory rules and make sure you are protected. Companies you can trust are eCOGRA, TST, iTech and NMI.

Do players get access to all games?

The main perk of playing at international and Canadian online casino sites is that they offer games by at least one first-class software developer. There are online casinos that are fully Microgaming-powered, for instance, or casinos that offer games by a long list of respected providers such as NetEnt, Yggdrasil, IGT, SG, Endorphina, iSoftBet, Play’n GO, Pragmatic Play and many others.

That being said, Canadian players get access to the hit titles such as Mega Moolah, Starburst, Guns’n’Roses, Vikings, Mega Fortune, Voodoo, Terminator, and millions of other slot games, live casino, bingo, scratchcard, arcade, progressive jackpot and table games.