iGaming is the hot new trend in gambling. Encompassing everything from online casinos to sportsbooks to slots and live blackjack, the iGaming industry is growing bigger. Plenty of countries that have, for the most part, banned any online gambling activity, are wising up to the concept, and its potential. One such country is Canada.
Online gambling is now mostly legal in Canada. However, that has not been the case for too long. Indeed, up until very recently, Canada had rather strict regulations, banning any and all forms of online casino operation within the country. However, that has changed recently. Which is why we would like to take a look at the iGaming industry in Canada, and explain the comings and goings.
Games You Can Expect
The first thing everyone thinks about when they talk about gambling are the games that you can expect to play. The online casinos available in Canada mostly rely on online slots to attract an audience. To be fair, most online casinos rely on online slots. For good reason too, as slots are simple, easy, and fun to play. Most importantly, they are numerous. You could easily find thousands of slots at the big-name online casinos.
But, what if slots just don’t cut it anymore? Well, in that situation, you can give live blackjack a go. Thanks to livestreaming technology, players can interact with professional live dealers, who will guide them through a game of blackjack, roulette, baccarat, or any other popular dealer-based game. Live dealer casinos are the hit new thing. They combine the simplicity and accessibility of online casinos, with the camaraderie and face-to-face nature of land-based gambling, creating a wholly unique experience.
Bonuses & Promotions
One of the big reasons behind the success of online casinos is the bonuses and promotional offers. If you visit an online casino in Canada, you will undoubtedly run across a section marked “Bonuses” or “Promotions.” There, gamblers will find all sorts of different promotional offers that make gambling a lot more fun and simple. The most popular types of bonuses include the following.
- Sign-Up Bonus: a sign-up bonus is exactly what it sounds like. By signing up with a website, you might be eligible for a hefty bonus that will help you get started and have some fun.
- Free Bets: Free bets are the other most popular kind of bonus. Again, the name may give it away here. The bonus basically awards players a number of free bets that they can use to gamble safely.
- Match Deposit: finally, a match deposit bonus is a promotional offer that will return cash up to a certain sum for your first investment. For example, if you wager C$100, the match deposit bonus will award you an extra C$100, which means you will have C$200 to gamble with.
- Crypto Bonus: Specific to casinos that have embraced the cryptocurrency craze, crypto bonuses are promotional offers that appeal to those who like to gamble with digital currency. They often follow the same pattern as free bets or match deposits. However, the bonus will only apply to crypto-based bets.
There are a lot of other bonus types and promotional offers. However, the four discussed here are the most popular, and the most likely you will find. If you enjoy gambling, then look for casinos whose promotional offers you can easily take advantage of.
Finding the Right Websites
Finding the right website is a big part of online gambling. You can’t trust the first casino that you come across. Instead, do some research and find an online casino that is safe, reliable, and secure. But, what are the factors that go into making a casino safe and reliable? Let us take a look at some of them, and explain why they are important.
- License
A license is the first thing you need to look for. For the uninitiated, a license basically proves that the website has been reviewed by a gambling commission and deemed safe. Gambling commissions review the gaming odds, the bonus offers, and the payment options, and determine whether the site is up to par.
- Diverse Payment Methods
It is always good to have a choice. In 2023, gamblers have the option to wager using a variety of payment methods. Finding a casino that embraces all of these different methods is a definite plus. The most popular options here include: credit cards, debit cards, e-wallets, crypto, and wire transfers.
- Mobile Casino Options
Smartphones are definitely the way of the future. You can do so much with a smartphone, from using Google Drive to gambling online. Mobile gambling makes online casinos much more accessible and simple to use. So, if that sounds appealing, definitely look for a website that is mobile compatible, or that offers an app.
Laws and Regulations
Finally, it is important that we discuss the laws and regulations regarding online casinos in Canada. Much like the USA, Canada’s laws can be separated into territorial laws and federal laws. You will be happy to know that the Canadian federal laws make no mention of online gambling. However, they do address certain aspects of gambling as a whole. Which has led to a lot of different interpretations throughout the country.
However, for the most part, online casinos are a provincial matter. Canadian provinces have the authority to license and regulate online casinos in any way they choose. Some have elected to ban the practice entirely, while others have legalized it. Indeed, there are many provinces that have even allowed online gambling and even authorized operators to run local websites.
It is worth noting that, in most of the provinces where online gambling is prohibited, the laws mostly apply to operating casinos. Which means that players can still access offshore casinos. However, we should stress that the laws do vary, so make sure you check out the Canadian laws in regards to online casinos in your province. The provinces that have largely legalized online casinos are the following:
- British Columbia
- Ontario
- Quebec
- Kahnawake
- The Atlantic Region
