Best Online Casinos in Canada 2023

Online Gambling in Canada – Overview

When you hear that gambling is very popular in Canada, it is difficult to understand to what extent. According to the observation, around 75% – 85% of citizens are involved in gambling of at least one form. Moreover, the industry of online casino games is growing incessantly and has increased by around 15% since 2016. The latest estimates of the Canadian Gaming Association suppose that the total annual revenue of the unregulated gambling market is over CAD 1 billion, However, according to another official source, offshore online casinos have a twice higher total interactive gross win than onshore ones and it can reach CAD 1.3 billion in 2024. These are only some examples of the incredible success of the country’s gambling industry and the evidence that Canadian online casinos are highly visited by local players.

How We Select and Rank the Best Canadian Online Casino

It goes without saying that a big selection always makes the choice harder, but all casinos are different and there are features that make some platforms the best Canadian casinos online. How do we differentiate them from others? Our experts analyze every platform according to a number of important characteristics.

Licensing

A casino without a license is risky because there are no bodies that regulate and control their activity. Therefore, a license issued by a reputable commission is the first confirmation of the casino’s trustworthiness. Despite the fact that Canada has its own unbiased experts in gambling most of the licenses are issued by Ontario or Kahnawake Gambling Authorities. It means that the casino has to meet certain requirements such as safety, fairness, and player protection in particular and the authority will control the execution of the following rules.

Security

The availability of certificates that provide independent game tests. It means that the software offered to players is tested by such world-wide recognized companies as eCOGRA, GLI, TST, and Gaming Associates to guarantee that their random number generators are fair. This information is usually provided directly on the casino website. One more important feature that says that casinos are safe is the use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocol to encrypt user personal data. It prevents player sensitive data from leaking and being hacked while its transfer.

Mobile compatibility

Most of the Canadian gambling sites are responsive and it is an important feature for players who prefer to access casinos from mobile devices. Moreover, it can be a great benefit if a casino has its own mobile app.

Secure banking options

Canadian online casinos list we provide on our website includes platforms that offer players enough popular payment methods to select from. These can be international solutions available for players from different countries or local banking options aimed only at Canadian players (like Interac, for example).

Fast payouts

It is a pleasure to win real money, but it is a real disappointment not to be able to withdraw your funds or wait for them for weeks or even months. Therefore, our fastest withdrawal casinos listed have banking options that allow cashing out funds as quickly as possible and guarantee their withdrawal if all the requirements are met.

Loyalty

It is clear that the best online Canadian casino should be favourable to players and reward the most active gamblers. Therefore, every casino from the lists of platforms we offer has either VIP or loyalty programs for players who do not mind spending high amounts on their websites.

Regular promotions

Not only welcome bonuses should be available to players who join real money online casinos. Active gamblers should have access to regular promotions and special offers as well since they make gambling more exciting and rewarding.

Games variety

It is clear that a good selection of games is key to the success of every gaming platform. However, not only the number but also the quality of casino games for real money matter to players. These should be different game types including slots, table and video poker games, live dealers and other games. Moreover, these should be products of several software game development companies too.

Jackpots

It goes without saying that a good casino should have many jackpot games including ones with progressive jackpots that make the blood run faster with every new step. Every player dreams to hit one, so these games are usually more often requested by players than traditional ones.

Support

It can be great to play online casino in Canada, but when you once need help from a casino representative, you should get it as fast as possible. Therefore, one of the good casino characteristics is round the clock customer support available not only by email or chat but also via live phone communication.

We check all the casinos for these and many other requirements before advising them to players, so you can enjoy the process in any of them without any doubts!

List of Most Trusted Canadian Online Casinos You Can’t Miss

Now when you are aware of the way we select every casino to our rating, you can choose any platform from the list. Forget about a time-consuming reading of Canadian online casino reviews or risking your money deposits – every platform we have added to our top will not leave you indifferent. Naturally, you should check several platforms to identify which website design or game selection looks more appealing personally to you and only then register and deposit funds, but it takes only a couple of minutes. Are you ready? Let’s see the list.

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Setting Up an Account at Canadian Online Casino

The choice of the best Canadian casino online has been made. Now it is time to register on the casino website and provide some personal data including:

• name;
• surname;
• age/date of birth;
• country of your location;
• sex;
• email;
• security question;
• postcode;
• currency.

In most cases, the sign-up procedure is pretty easy. Usually, players need to complete the following steps:

1. Open the casino page and find the Register/Sign-up button. Traditionally, it is provided at the top of the page or on the main menu.
2. Press the button and you will see all the details you should provide to be approved for playing on the website.
3. Create the account: a player should enter a valid email address, username, and password.
4. Open the email you have mentioned and check for the letter from the casino with a clickable link to confirm your electronic address.
5. Enter your new account (some casinos may ask to wait for a letter of approval before a player can start playing).

There are also casinos operating in Canada that allow registering on their websites using social media profiles of certain networks, but there are not many of them.

Popular Payment Options in Canada

One of the constituent parts of a great gambling experience is the choice of a convenient and fast banking option to deposit and withdraw in top Canadian online casinos. The most important things to consider for players are the speed of transactions, their security and irreversibility, transaction fees applied and ease of the payment process. Casinos operating in Canada accept payments via banking options available all over the globe as well as support some truly Canadian ones. The most widely-accepted examples of payment methods in the country are credit and debit cards, bank wire transfers, e-wallets, prepaid cards, cryptocurrency and others. You can look through the most popular examples below.

• Interac
• Paypal
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay

Extra Fees

When it comes to deposits and withdrawals, most of the Canadian casinos do not apply any fees. However, there are exceptions in the rules, so reading casino terms and conditions can prevent players from paying extra. One more important thing to consider is fees applied by money processors and intermediate companies, so players should ensure in their absence not to lose extra money.

Deposit & Withdrawal Limits

Canadian casinos like many other platforms set their own limits on deposits and withdrawals. Even if you choose the best online casino for Canadians, you should be aware of the fact that there is a minimum and maximum deposit and withdrawal amount per transaction, per day, week, month. Usually, deposits in  are accepted from 20 CAD, though there is a list of casinos with minimum deposit casinos that can start from 1 CAD. Maximum amounts are usually calculated in thousands of dollars. Withdrawal limits can be similar to deposit ones or be higher depending on the casino. The banking option selected by players impacts these limits as well.

Processing & Payout Times

It goes without saying that every player wishes to receive winnings as fast as possible. However, the processing time differs not only in casinos that apply their own pending time on reviewing withdrawal applications but also because of the payment method selected for cashout. The fastest-paying Canadian casinos can payout winnings in a couple of hours, while some platforms can stretch this time period for a week or even more.

Bonuses & Promotions

It is important not only to look through the list of the best Canadian online casinos to select the best ones but also to compare what bonuses and promotions they offer. If you want to take advantage of the best casino bonuses with lucrative rewards, you should have a clear understanding of which bonus types there are and who is eligible to benefit from them.

Ongoing promotions

Canadian players are lucky to have access not only to traditional bonus types but also to ongoing promotions offered in casinos. These special bonus offers can have a constant character, be offered to players who meet certain requirements or be limited in time. The most popular types of such promotions look as follows:

• VIP bonuses offered to the members of the VIP or loyalty program;
• Cashback offers that can be provided on a weekly, monthly, seasonal basis;
• Bonus points that can be exchanged for prizes or real money added to the balance;
• Giveaways with luxurious prizes;
• Free spins on newly released slot machines (often without wagering requirements).

Select Your Best Casino Type

Online casino is a general name of all gambling platforms operating on the Internet and offering different real-money games. However, top online casinos in Canada are also distinguished by types and each of them has its own peculiarities. Learn more details about the basic types of online casinos and choose the one that meets your requirements best of all.

• New Casinos
• Live Dealer Casinos
• Mobile Casinos
• Download Casinos
• Instant Play Casinos

✓ New Online Casinos

Despite the fact that the number of online casinos is already counted in hundreds, new platforms appear as fast as mushrooms after the rain. Moreover, trying to attract players they acquire a lot of great features, team up with more software game development companies to make their game selection much wider, offer much more lucrative offers with fewer wagering requirements, introduce new technology like 3D games and virtual reality, use artificial intelligence and try to impress players as much as they can. If you compare the number of new casino online platforms with the approximate time of their operation, it is possible to suppose that players can observe the launch of at least one casino a week.

✓ Live Dealer Casinos

A casino type that is gaining popularity with unbelievable speed is a live casino where all games are managed by real croupiers (dealers). What makes this casino special is its variety of features common with land-based casinos. The most important feature for many players is the absence of the Random Number Generator and computer involvement since all the actions in the gameplay are performed by real people. How do Canadian live casinos work? In fact, these are live streaming games broadcast from specially equipped studios. They can be played by several people simultaneously and even offer the possibility to play against each other.

✓ Mobile Casinos

No wonder that casinos of this type have received this name – they do provide players with mobility since they can gamble anytime and anywhere. One more reason why they are called in this way is the possibility to play on different mobile devices including:

• Phones and tablets powered by Android;
• Devices that support iOS: iPhone and iPad;
• Windows phones.

Some people may think that the number of mobile gambling sites is still quite small, but it is a great mistake. The majority of the best online casinos for Canadians are responsive and compatible not only with desktop computers, laptops but also with modern mobile devices. One of the reasons why such a point may exist is the fact that a small percentage of casinos operating in Canada offer mobile apps to players, but those who need a reliable casino application will easily find it too.

✓ Download Casinos

Earlier, when the Internet connection was not stable enough many casinos offered players to download their software, set it up to the computer and use it for gambling. Nowadays, this tendency has gone outdated and downloadable versions of casino software are usually offered as an addition to the online version. It makes gambling more comfortable since the casino icon is always on the screen for quick and effortless access. Moreover, the computer may remember account details and prevent players from entering them each time he wants to play.

✓ Instant Play Casinos

Most of the modern Canadian casino websites are instant play platforms because most of the games they offer do not require downloading or installing special software. A player can open any computer or mobile browser, select the game he likes and proceed with playing it without any obstacles. It will run smoothly and guarantee a great experience for everyone.

Best Casino Games in Canada

What is the most important thing in the casino? Undoubtedly, these are the games it offers. Every player comes to an online platform to find the best game, so it is important to provide him with a quite extensive selection from multiple software game providers. The most prominent development companies of Canadian online casino games are Microgaming, Betsoft, NetEnt, Play’nGo, Playtech, and others. Currently, players can enjoy casino games by over 50 providers, while the number of games differs depending on the platform – from 100 up to 4,000. The most popular ones look as follows:

• Slots
• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Baccarat

Gambling Regulations in Canada

Is online gambling legal in Canada? In fact, it has been considered illegal for several decades, but nowadays every province in the country can apply its own regulations of different gambling activities and, fortunately, all 10 provinces and 3 territories have been favourable to gamblers and approved this way of entertainment. Two online casinos and more than 100 land-based casinos operate in Canada legally since they have acquired local licenses or are managed by the federal government or at a provincial level. The main regulatory authority is the Canadian Gaming Association or local bodies. However, if a casino company violates Canadian laws and operates without a license, it will be accused and punished according to the articles of the Criminal Code.
Online gambling in Canada is usually referred to as a gray area since there is no official law to regulate it. The law does not prohibit online casino and betting as well as does not punish players who participate in this activity. Canadian players can visit any offshore platform but their operation is considered illegal in the country since they are not licensed by local authorities. It means that there are enough legit online casinos in Canada but most of them are regulated by gambling authorities of other countries.

Since gambling can be addictive, there are Canadian official bodies that deal with responsible gambling and possible problems faced by players:

• Gamblers Anonymous: a 12-step program that helps to recover from a gambling platform;
• British Columbia Responsible & Problem Gambling Program: free information and resources to support informed choices and healthy behaviours with respect to gambling participation, 24-hour toll-free Problem Gambling Help Line;
• Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario: this body brings treatment professionals and leading researchers together with experts in communicating and sharing knowledge;
• Responsible Gambling Council: information, resources and advice on problem gambling prevention;
• Canadian Center on Substance Abuse: it conducts research and develops materials designed to help Canadians make informed, responsible choices about their gambling in general and in specific situations or circumstances that are particularly risky.

Online Gambling Laws on Provincial Level

Since Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories that are eligible to regulate gambling activity on their own, it is important to understand whether gambling on Canadian casino sites is legitimate in every province and what peculiarities it has.

Alberta

Regulation of land-based gambling in Alberta is performed by the provincial government. It is provided as a part of the Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act and a good deal of its revenue is shared with charities. However, the government of Alberta does not run any online casinos, so players can enjoy gambling either in 25 land-based casinos or have fun playing in Canada’s best online casinos registered in other countries.

British Columbia

The main body to regulate gambling in the province is the British Columbia Lottery Corporation that is responsible for online gambling regulation in the province too. British Columbia can even boast a legal online casino platform PlayNow launched in 2004. Everyone who is 19 and older is allowed to gamble in this state-run casino where players can gamble without transgressing local laws.

Manitoba

The main body that regulates the gambling industry in the province is the Manitoba Lottery Commission. It regulates not only land-based gambling but also became eligible to regulate sports betting, interactive poker and online casinos in 2013. As a result, state online casino PlayNow licensed in British Columbia has become popular with citizens of Manitoba too, but only 18-year-old and older players can enjoy this way of entertainment there. Nowadays, players from this province can access any offshore platform without any restrictions as well.

New Brunswick

Despite the fact that there are only a couple of land-based casinos and there are no state-run online gambling platforms in this province, many players prefer to visit Canadian online gambling sites. The province has created New Brunswick Lotteries & Gaming Corporation to implement the responsible gambling policy, manage the operation of casinos and their providers, etc. The minimum gambling age is 19 years.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Unfortunately, there is no regulation of gambling in this province so there isn’t a single land-based or online casino there yet. However, the province’s gambling activities are under the regulation of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and the last one even runs its own online gaming platform ALC.ca with a mobile app for players’ comfort. The official legal age for gamblers in 19 years there.

Northwest Territories

It is absolutely possible to gamble in the Northwest Territories if you are 19 years and more. The only licensing and sports betting body operating in the gambling industry is NWT and Nunavut Lotteries. At the same time, there are no land-based and legal online casinos, so players enjoy playing games in offshore casinos.

Nova Scotia

Despite the second smallest area among other provinces, the local population does not mind gambling at least once a year even though there is no official gambling regulation. There are no Canada’s online casinos established by the government there, but players who are 19 and older can access offshore online casinos and play for real money there.

Nunavut

This is the least populated territory in Canada that can boast few betting gambling venues such as two lottery retail outlets. The population of Nunavut is only around 36,000 people. The harsh winter climate does not encourage people to visit any casinos, so they prefer to play online.

Ontario

The largest Canadian province can boast 25 active land-based casinos, so over 80% of the local population admits gambling at least once a year. A favourite game of players based in Ontario is slot machines since gamblers play it more often than other games. The province can also boast the only authorized online gambling site PlayOLG.ca, but it plans to refuse the monopoly in the gambling industry and open the market to private companies. Gambling in Ontario is allowed to 19-year-old players and older.

Prince Edward Island

The smallest but not the least in the gambling industry, this range of isles has the Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission that has dealt with gaming in the region since 1976. There is one legal terrestrial casino that combines games with horse racing, while online gambling is left unregulated at the moment. Every person can become a gambler from 19 years on these isles, but most people living there prefer to gamble online.

Quebec

Being a pioneer in legalizing casino games in Canada in 1970, now the province has 9 active land-based casinos and even one government-owned online gambling platform. It has decided not only to stop accepting US players but even announced plans to block all online gambling sites that are not approved and licensed by Loto-Quebec. Currently, everyone who is 18 years old and more can gamble in a legit Canadian online casino and terrestrial casinos.

Saskatchewan

Quite passionate gamblers are located in Saskatchewan since the gambling industry is developed there very well. The province even has its Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation that was named one of “Canada’s Top 100 Employers” by Mediacorp Canada Inc. However, gambling is regulated by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authorities. It has oversight of the slot machines and dice games as well as controls that players under 19 were not involved in gambling.

Yukon

What is special about this territory, it is the only one in Canada that has temporary 3-day casinos or events organized by charitable organizations. There are no gambling destinations in Yukon except for Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall that operates from May to September. Only 19-year-old and older personalities can participate in gambling though most players still prefer online casinos to temporary or land-based ones.

Provincial vs. Licensed Offshore Online Casinos

Most of the officially licensed casinos in Canada are land-based platforms, but there are two legal online casinos as well. One of them is known as PlayOLG and the second one is PlayNOW. Both these casinos are run by the government and operate only in some Canadian provinces.

• PlayOLG casino was established in 2010 and is owned and operated by the Government of Ontario. It accepts players from 18 years to play lottery and players of 19 and older to play gambling games. There are only two software providers – IGT and High5 Games – that offer around 150 games in this casino.
• PlayNOW was introduced back in 2004 and welcomes players not only from Canada, but also other countries. It is operated by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and offers games only by Proprietary Games provider.

Both these casinos are considered to be the only legal online gambling platforms that are eligible to operate on the territory of the country. They support the desktop website version as well as run smoothly on mobile devices too. There are many types of casino games offered there including such leaders of the rating as slots, table games and poker, but players have no opportunity to try bingo, craps, scratchcards, and others. The list of banking options is traditional for Canadian players including not only debit and credit cards but also Interac. There are regular bonuses and promotions offered there, but both VIP and loyalty programs are absent. Let’s see what are the main pros and cons of playing at Canadian licensed sites.

When choosing the best online casinos in Canada there is a sense to pay attention not only to the presence of the provincial license. There are a lot of offshore gambling platforms that also operate in the Canadian market and despite their ‘gray’ character, they can offer a much bigger number of benefits than local ones.

Offshore casinos are online gaming platforms that are licensed in one country but offer their services in several countries all over the globe. Naturally, there are offshore casinos that may cheat players or turn out to be a scam, but it is important to select platforms carefully to avoid negative gambling experience. Players should pay attention to the casinos that are licensed by authorized gambling commissions as well as possess certificates from recognized testing and controlling bodies. The range of online Canadian casinos is very extensive and it is possible to say that every player can meet his expectations since the selection is really great. However, even offshore casinos have both pros and cons.

Popular Land-based Casinos in Canada

If you doubt whether online gambling can be compared with a land-based one or you want to experience what it is like to play in the real terrestrial casino in Canada, it is necessary to understand where you can do that. Most of the provinces have their own land-based casinos that accept players of the legal age (18 years in Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and 19 years in the rest of the provinces and territories), but there is always a desire to choose the best establishments with the highest payouts. Therefore, this list of popular terrestrial casinos operating in Canada can be a good tip for you.

Dealing with Gambling Addiction & Problem Gambling in Canada

The popularity of Canadian online gambling is so high that many people do not mind playing casino games on a regular basis. Naturally, it leads to addiction and problems in some cases, so the first thing every gambler should be aware of is where he or she can get help. The list of such resources looks as follows:

• Problem Gambling – an institute that supports addiction and mental health service providers through training and education, developing digital tools and resources, and facilitating knowledge sharing.
• Play Smart – a gambling encyclopedia for making smart choices.
• Canadian Problem Gambling Certification Board – a body that provides certification to gambling specialists;
• Responsible Gambling – a platform that helps to find support services in most cities across Canada, the US & the UK.
• Gambling Therapy – a service that provides anonymous help in case of gambling addiction.

Posted by: Alex Taylor
Marketing Specialist

With 7 years of experience in writing about online gambling, Alex has decided to gather all his knowledge and share it with others on one platform. His main goal is to provide detailed information so that players could gamble in a more safe way.