Canada is one of the countries in the world where gamblers know they can play online casino games and gamble online and offline to their heart’s content. It’s a huge country and for this reason, it’s decentralized and each territory can take independent decisions about the legalization and liberalization of gambling online and offline.
So if you’ve come to this page to find out if online gambling is legal in Canada, we’ll give you this information now so you can focus your attention on checking out our list of Canada online casinos and figure out what online casinos that accept players from Canada exist and which ones are the best.
Gambling is mostly legal, the only exception to this is Quebec where offshore online casinos have been blacklisted and the laws are different and quite harsh.
The best Canada online casinos have only recently become legal as gambling has been illegal in the past. Luckily, things have changed and now there are hundreds of land-based casinos and even more online gaming platforms you can access, both locally and internationally.
But we’ll get into the specifics later. Stay with us if you’re interested in finding out everything you need to know about top-rated Canada online casinos, from legislation to what games and payment methods are available, and even see a list of the best online casinos for Canadian players.
Top Online Canadian Casinos
Welcome to SlotsCalendar’s dedicated page for the best online casino sites in Canada. We’ve created this page to not bring you the best online casinos Canada. But also to tell you more about how we pick them, what makes them so great and why you should give them a try.
We’ll discuss everything in-depth in the article that follows. But in the meantime, you should take your time and look at the casinos in our widget. See which top online casinos Canada spark your interest at first sight.
Canadian Gambling History
Until the 1970s gambling in Canada was illegal because there were several gambling operations that functioned illegally so the government decided the easiest way was to move all types of gambling outside the law.
- In 1985, the Criminal Code improved online gambling regulations and each independent territory was put in charge of creating and handling its own laws regarding this market.
- Even in present times, the Criminal Code is still in effect and each province has different laws for land-based and online gambling
- Land-based gambling is legal everywhere in the country and you’ll find casinos even in British Columbia or Manitoba.
- There are several areas of Canada where gambling is in a grey zone, being neither completely legal, nor illegal. Here residents can enjoy offshore gambling at international casinos as Canadian laws pretty much ignore this aspect.
- Quebec is the expectation to every rule as here online gambling is regulated and strictly forbids offshore gambling, most gambling websites from other countries, even reputable online casinos are blacklisted here.
Searching For the Best Casinos in Canada?
If you’re on the lookout for the best online casino in Canada, then we have a short guide that includes all the things you should check before jumping in. Take your time and do your research to make sure that you end up in the right place.
Find your perfect casino using the best guide for what to look for in Canadian casinos :
Fastest withdrawal online casino Canada
When looking for top-rated casinos in Canada, it’s vital that you take a look at how long cashouts take. A fast withdrawal casino is crucial because no one likes waiting. If you’ve won and have completed the wagering requirements, you should be able to withdraw right away and use your funds as you please instantly.
You need this process to be seamless, and if not done in the exact same second, then as close to that as possible. Everything that takes longer than a day no longer qualifies.
We know that different banking options have different withdrawal time-frames. Still, we believe that if they have enough options for you, almost every casino could potentially be a fast withdrawal one.
Legit online casinos Canada
This might be the most important factor. We pride ourselves on the fact that we won’t advertise online gambling as being legal in countries where it is not. Also, in the fact that we list online casinos which are licensed and regulated.
On this page, you will only see the best casinos in Canada that have a valid license from competent authorities.
There are ten provinces in Canada, and each one of them is responsible for creating and respecting its own offline and online gambling laws. British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador all have their own laws.
You will also find a gambling jurisdiction of Kahnawake in Quebec, which the Kahnawake Gaming Commission regulates. This commission also cooperates with Antigua and Barbuda as well as the Malta Gaming Authority.
You should only play at legit online casinos Canada which have at least a license, if not from one of the regulatory bodies from Canada, then from an off-shore operator that’s licensed by a legit commission.
Safe online casinos Canada
Playing at safe online casinos Canada is also crucial. You should never try an online casino that doesn’t have a padlock next to the URL. And the same thing applies to all sites, not just those for gambling.
The padlock signifies that the casino has the latest industry-approved SSL encryption. This will ensure that your personal and financial data is secured and can’t be accessed by any third parties.
Helpful Customer Support
Whether you’re looking to claim deposit bonuses or any type of casino bonuses, need help with anything, have any issues with payment methods, withdrawal times, or anything in general, the customer support team should be there to help.
We only list online casinos that have 24/7 customer support via multiple channels like live chat, email, phone number, ticket system, etc. If they don’t have non-stop support and we list them, it’s most probably because they offer a fantastic service, are super professional and friendly, and respond very quickly.
Lucrative VIP Programs
While it might not seem as important, a good VIP program can help you a lot. And so can the right casino offers from the right slot sites.
Online casinos should realize that both new and existing customers are important and strive to give them the best possible online gambling experience. Canadian players should receive perks for their loyalty. No matter if we’re talking about exclusive and tailored bonuses, higher limits, faster withdrawal, a personal VIP manager or more.
We’ve tried to only include in our top Canadian online casinos only those sites that cater to players’ needs and give them added benefits for their loyalty.
Best Online Casinos Canada with Real Money
Frankly, this heading is about online casino Canada real money only because we’ve noticed that some players search for it this way. But just between us, all online casinos work with real money.
If you want to play slot machines and table games, and other casino games for free, you can do so on SlotsCalendar in demo mode. But if you wish to play for real money, you will have to choose one of the best online casinos in Canada and make an account.
The only way you can play for free and still keep what you win is to play for real money at the best new online casinos Canada but using free bonuses (no deposit cash or no deposit free spins).
How Do You Choose Safe Online Casinos Canada?
You should take several things into account before making an account at any online casino to make sure that you’re safe. The license is the first thing you should look for, then the SSL encryption, but then there’s more.
You should also check to see if the Canadian online casinos you’ve chosen are independently tested for randomness by entities like eCOGRA, for example. This is to ensure that the games’ random number generator works well and that everything is fair.
What is more, you should also look for other real players’ experiences with that particular casino and see if they think it’s an excellent place to play, with a good reputation. It’s normal not to have 100% perfect reviews and ratings, but if there are a lot of bad reviews, you should stay away from that casino site.
Mobile Casinos Canada
As almost all online casinos at this point have also gone mobile, you can expect to find all the mobile casinos you desire. It’s the age of the smartphone and the tablet, the age of playing on the go and having everything available at your fingertips at all times.
Online gambling is always not far behind the times, and as soon as technology makes a new leap, online gambling is soon to follow. So it should come as no surprise that no matter what you want to do at a casino is available to you on mobile devices.
You can play every single game you want on a smartphone or tablet, claim mobile bonuses, make deposits, pay by mobile, etc. You just need to have a stable internet connection. Generally, devices that run on Android or iOS should work perfectly fine in either an instant-play format directly from your browser or via a dedicated casino mobile app.
Top Software Providers for Canadian Players
The gambling market in Canada is continuously growing and changing. So, of course, they have access to some of the best software provider companies in the world.
Players can enjoy high-quality games from most software providers at established casinos and new online casino sites. But out of the hundreds of companies which offer their services to Canadian players, there are six that stand out. Canadian players seem to prefer slots and casino games from Playtech, Microgaming, NetEnt, Novomatic, IGT and Play’n Go.
Best Games to Play at Online Canadian Casinos
If you’re into playing at land-based establishments, you will find state-run operators in Manitoba and British Columbia where you can enjoy lotteries and other classic casino games.
When it comes to popular Canada online casinos, you have a wide range of games at your disposal. You can try real money or free slots, from the classic three-reel slots to the modern video slots in 3D or with the famous Megaways mechanics.
Progressive jackpots games are also available, and so are blackjack, roulette (both American and European), or poker, both in their classic variants and the live dealer option (and there are plenty of live casino games to try).
Language & Currency Available at Canadian Casinos
Canada is a bilingual country, where both English and French are accepted as official languages. The official currency in Canada is the Canadian Dollar (CAD). Luckily the Canadian Dollar is a currency that is fairly used so you should have no issues finding popular online casinos which offer CAD as an option.
In case you pick a casino site that does not accept your currency, check out the exchange fees. And if you have any questions you can easily contact the customer support team as most casinos have support in English and/or French.
Frequently Used Online Casino Payment Methods at Canada Casinos
Except for Quebec where normal rules don’t apply as they have prohibited online gambling, so you can’t use debit or credit cards, Canadian territories use the most regular and popular payment options and nothing is off-limits.
You can make deposits and withdrawals using credit and debit cards, e-wallets, mobile wallets, PrePaid cards, and everything you can think of.
The most popular payment methods throughout the country are PayPal and Skrill since these can be accessed by players from Quebec as well. Canadian players also enjoy online gambling using cryptocurrencies, mostly Bitcoin at this point.
There are two special payment methods which cater mainly to Canadian players. You can use Instadebit, an e-wallet that’s preferred by Canadian players more than Neteller and other e-wallets.
The other option is Interac, a choice preferred by many Canadian players and the official debit processing system for decades.
Canadian Online Gambling Authorities
Canada’s online gambling laws are a little bit complicated. While theoretically, sports betting and casino gambling are entirely legal as long as the operator is licensed in Canada, there are a lot of Canadian players who play offshore at casinos with non-Canada licenses.
It’s illegal to operate an online casino for Canadian players without a license, but there’s nothing against Canadians using non-licensed services, and they can do so without penalty.
Canada’s gambling laws are not country-wide, but rather each province has its own gambling authority, which sets the tone. For example, the legal gambling age varies from province to province, and while some require you to be 18+, others want players 19+.
Furthermore, none of Canada’s provinces charges players any taxes on winnings in neither land-based casinos nor online casinos.
Below you will find the 10 Canadian provinces and their gambling authorities:
- Alberta – Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC)
- British Columbia – British Columbia Lottery Corp.
- Manitoba – Liquor, Gaming, and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba
- New Brunswick – New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corp.
- Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia Gaming Corp.
- Ontario – Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
- Prince Edward Island – Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission
- Québec – Loto-Québec
- Saskatchewan – Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
- Yukon Territory – Yukon Lottery Corp
Canadian players can also gamble at offshore online casinos with licenses from the MGA, the UKGC, or Gibraltar (which ideally also have a Canadian license).
Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in Canada
Canadian gambling laws are straightforward and clear when it comes to land-based casinos and everyone can legally and stress-free at land-based casinos anywhere in Canada.
But when it comes to online gambling, things get a little bit more complicated. This is because laws vary from region to region and each local government is in charge in its jurisdiction. In most cases, there are no clear laws and the government lets players enjoy themselves and play whatever they want, wherever they want, with no repercussions.
The only exception is Quebec where the online gambling sector is strictly regulated and online gambling both locally and internationally is prohibited.
What Is the Legal Gambling Age for Canadian Players?
As it is in most countries around the world, the legal gambling age at which you can play in Canada casinos is eighteen years old. To be able to gamble you must provide identification to confirm you have the legal age and to prove you are who you say you are.
These rules apply both to local and offshore casinos which offer their services to players from Canada. In fact, no legal and licensed online casino from anywhere in the world will accept underage individuals (under 18 at the least).
Top-Rated Canadian Casinos Which Offer No Deposit Bonuses
If you’re interested in getting a no deposit bonus code that can bring you the free spins or no deposit free cash you want to play with no stress and no risk, you can get it here. We have a whole bunch of Canada no deposit bonus casinos which have everything you need to have fun.
While free spins bonuses and no deposit bonuses with cash aren’t as common, we made sure to create huge collections for you to profit from. After you’ve enjoyed Canada casinos no deposit bonuses, you can also get other worthwhile promotions, such as welcome bonuses, reload bonuses and even VIP offers.
No matter what type of bonus you’re interested in, from new online casinos Canada no deposit offers to huge highroller packages, you’ll find everything on SlotsCalendar’s Canada online casinos list. Take a look at our collection and check out the best Canada casinos and bonuses on the market.