Online Casinos

Online casinos are every bit as exciting as physical gambling venues in Canada and you never have to stand in line to play your favourite games. Gone are the days of strapping on your snow chains just to enjoy a few hours of fun in a dimly lit establishment that can’t afford clocks on the walls. These days, money is beamed across computer servers and added straight into your account within seconds, making it so much more comfortable to play from home.

While the real world may only offer a handful of options to go and play on the latest slots, there are literally hundreds of online casinos in Canada, waiting with their arms open and Welcome Bonuses at the ready. But before you dive into the deep end, stick around and learn everything you need to know before you sign up. Unless you think you’re ready, then go right ahead and choose any of the listed online casinos we recommend below.

As for any business establishment of repute, a good online casino for Canadians is the one that looks after its players. We mustn’t forget that gambling may have serious financial consequences if it goes out of hand.

Here are a few things you should look at before you decide which site to join:

• Transparency – Go through the terms and conditions carefully before you agree to them. Most licensed casinos will be transparent about everything you need to know while others may be a bit more evasive and unclear.
• Offers – Look beyond the Welcome Bonus. Does the casino offer regular promotions; do they have a VIP program for loyal players; are the wagering requirements reasonable?
• Games – The more games, the more fun. Check out how many games are available and who the game providers are. Even though gambling should be considered fun, we mustn’t kid ourselves. Winning big is more fun than winning small, and when it comes to big wins there’s nothing bigger than progressive jackpots. Definitely be on the lookout for casinos with jackpot slots by Microgaming and NetEnt.
• Support – Every now and then something may go wrong, or you might have a question about an offer and the terms aren’t clear. Who are you gonna call? You call on the customer support team to help you. The best casinos will have a live chat with friendly staff open 24/7.
• Responsibility – A serious online casino takes responsible gambling seriously, seriously. This means that you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to setting limits for how much you can deposit and play for. Also, if you feel a need to self-exclude for a period of time, this process should be fast and simple.
• Payment Methods – This is a crucial one. If you’re not ready to set up a new form of payment method to play in a casino, don’t join. Always make sure that your casino supports a method you’re already familiar with, like bank cards or eWallets.

We are here for you and want you to have the best possible experience when you gamble in online casinos. This is why we vet all casinos that we endorse rigorously. You should leave as little as possible to chance when you’re playing games of chance.

Popular Casinos in Canada

What would be the point of opening an account, depositing money, and gambling in an online casino if you couldn’t win money? This is obviously a rhetorical question but let us answer it for you anyway – YES! Of course, you can win. Some of the biggest online casino jackpots ever won on slots have been won by Canadian players.

Can I use cryptocurrencies at online casinos?

Many casinos online have opened up to playing with cryptocurrencies . Nothing’s stopping you from taking your investment in crypto for a spin. In fact, several casinos have games specifically designed for playing with cryptocurrencies.

Just make sure the casino supports the crypto you’re vested in and off you go. Naturally, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Doge, and Tron are the most common ones, but there are online casinos out there that support more than 40 different cryptocurrencies.

If you don’t feel ready to put your real or virtual money at risk, then there’s always the possibility to play with fun money. This is a great way to try new games or strategies before you switch to the real deal. Of course, keep in mind that any wins achieved with this kind of gameplay cannot be cashed out, since the money you’re playing with isn’t real.

Top 5 Crypto gambling sites

Bitstarz – Best Bitcoin promotions

Fortune Jack – Oldest Bitcoin Casino

Genesis Casino – Accepts a wide range of payments including cryptocoins

Casino.com – Excellent customer service

Casino Days – Popular in Canada

Playing online casino games is no different from playing games in any Canadian casino, except that you don’t have to leave your home or adhere to any specific dress code. You must be at least 19 unless you’re in Quebec, Manitoba, or Alberta. Then 18 is enough.

No matter what types of games you prefer, you’re sure to find them in online casinos. Slots, table games, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, teen patti, andar bahar, video poker, keno, lotto, scratch cards, sic bo, craps, and more are just a few clicks away at any given moment whether you’re on a computer, tablet, or mobile.

But since online casinos are virtual and without physical limitations, you’ll find thousands of slot titles, including progressive jackpot slots that pay out tens of millions. Games like roulette and blackjack come in different variants with bonus bets and win multipliers.

If you still feel like gambling against a live dealer is better for you, then go to the live casino section and try your luck against a croupier on a live video stream. Live casinos not only offer all the classic casino games you’d expect, they also have gameshow type games you won’t find anywhere else.

While it’s illegal to operate an online casino or other types of gambling sites from within Canada (unless you’re the government), it’s perfectly legal to play on sites from overseas. Besides, online gambling has been licensed and regulated across the Atlantic for more than a decade already.

You’ll find that most online casinos are run by companies from the UK and Scandinavia. They have literally spent years and years to perfect their operations while remaining compliant with governing authorities.

Let’s put it this way: It’s safer to play at online casinos in Canada then spending a weekend with your in-laws. What most people are unaware of is that online gambling is more regulated than alcohol and tobacco combined.

The requirements for obtaining a license are tough and it’s even harder to stay compliant as regulators overseas constantly look for more ways to protect players and keep online casinos in check. But it’s not only the casinos that are regulated, game providers need licenses as well.

Every single game on offer in any online casino has had its software tested by the licensing authority and more often than not, the software is tested and verified by third party companies like eCOGRA, iTech Labs, and Technical Systems Testing.

If you spot either one of these companies’ logos in the footer (bottom of the page) of any online casino, you can rest assured that all games are fair and will pay out its Return to Player (RTP).

Every game has a Return to Player expressed as a percentage, most often in the mid- to high 90s. This is the percentage that will be paid out as winnings to players – OVER TIME! A lot of players tend to misunderstand how this work.

If you deposit C$100 and play a slot with an RTP of 95 percent with a C$1 bet per spin, you will not be left with C$95. This is not how it works. To determine a casino game’s RTP, a slot is spun millions of times.

Normally it takes less than a couple of minutes to register an account at online casinos. All you need is a name, age, and an email address. So far so good, but you should expect that you’ll be asked to verify your account either via email or mobile phone.

Here’s a tip for you that will save you a lot of time. Before you sign up with any online casino, take out your phone and take a picture of both sides of a valid ID. Make sure that all four corners of your ID are visible in the photo and that all information is legible.

You might want to do the same with a gas bill or electric bill because verifying your address will sooner or later be necessary. This may seem a little confusing but it’s a safety measure in place to protect both you and the casino.

Before you make a deposit, make sure that you’ve paid all your bills and that you have food in the fridge. Never gamble with money you can’t afford to lose. Now, here’s how it’s done in Canadian online casinos. Actually, all online casinos.

1. Make sure that you’re logged in to your player account first. It’s the only way to get to your account section. That’s where you’ll find either a Cashier or Deposit button depending on the casino site.
2. Click the relevant button and you’re in the deposit area.
3. Choose your preferred payment method, enter the amount you wish to deposit or use a pre-selected amount and follow the instructions depending on your payment method.

At the end of it, there will be a Deposit button to press and after that, your funds will be instantly available in your player account to use as you see fit.

The process is pretty much the same no matter which currency or cryptocurrency you use.

It works exactly how you think it works. After all, a withdrawal is the opposite of a deposit, but the process is very much the same. The main difference is that withdrawals take longer. The first thing you need to look at is the processing time imposed by the casino.

This can vary from instant to a couple of working days. Once your withdrawal has been processed and approved by the casino, the money transfer starts. Depending on your payment method, this can vary from instant up to 5 working days.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you use the same payment method for both deposits and withdrawal, or it might be flagged as a suspicious transaction. Hold up! Did we just say “suspicious transaction?”

You’re damn right, we did! Online casinos must comply with a lot of financial regulations connected with Anti Money Laundering (AML) and typically, specific transactions are flagged automatically. Being subject to regulations pertaining to AML is perfectly normal for any type of business where lots of money passes through.

Fellow Canuck, you’re in luck. Our great nation is a relatively new market for overseas online casinos which means that they often have offers that are better than they give to players in countries where they are already established to gain market shares.

We shouldn’t complain. It’s a great opportunity to take full advantage of the situation and enjoy ourselves and bask in the many bonuses on offer. It all starts with the GOAT.

Online Casinos Welcome Bonuses

There are many different types of Welcome Bonuses but one thing they all have in common is that you have to claim it with your very first deposit or it will be lost. The Welcome Bonus will be often be limited to your first deposit and may look something like this:

• 100% up to C$100

This is a straight up match bonus where the online casino will add the same amount you deposited into your account, up to whatever amount is offered. You can of course deposit more but you won’t get more than the up to amount in bonus money.

Another type of Welcome Bonus that’s slowly gaining traction is often called something along the lines of risk-free deposit. The way this offer works is that you make a deposit and if you don’t manage to double your money within 24 hours, your net loss with be returned to your account.

Online Casinos No-Deposit Bonuses

This is pretty rare and may be offered by some casinos. This is normally a specific bonus offered simply for registering your account with the casino. A no-deposit bonus is not going to make you rich or anything, but it’s a nice way to get started.

The most common way to get you started is by offering you a fixed number of free spins on either a classic slot like Gonzo’s Quest and Starburst or a brand new release.

Online Casinos Free Spins

Most players have heard of free spins by now. Think of each spin as a chance to win but there are a few things you should know before you start slapping your knees and grinning from ear to ear. These are the most common terms you should be aware of:

1. Your free spins are limited to play on one specific slot.
2. Free spins are normally played at C$0.10 per spin.
3. A wagering requirement is usually applied to any potential winnings.
4. Winnings are often capped.

Still, free spins are awesome no matter what anyone says. Just don’t expect to win enough to retire early on a yacht with a helipad.

Online Casinos Cashback

Okay, so this works pretty much the same as cashback offers you can get when you shop in different malls. The difference is that when an online casino offers you cashback, it’s usually because you’re a loyal player and it won’t be offered to all players.

Here are some very common restrictions:

1. You have to either opt-in or make a deposit to trigger the offer.
2. The offer is limited to a specific time-period.
3. Cashback is counted on your net losses during the specific time-period.
4. The returned percentage normally range from 10 percent to 20 percent.
5. It’s not uncommon that the money returned comes with a wagering requirement.
6. The money returned is often capped.

In some ways, a cashback offer without wagering requirements is probably the best type of offer you can receive. In some ways you can look at this offer as gambling with a discount. If you do the maths correctly, you can stretch your budget accordingly.

Online Casinos Reload Bonus

A reload bonus is essentially a match deposit bonus where the casino will match your deposit with a percentage up to a determined amount. It’s very much like the Welcome Bonus in that they work in the same way, except you can claim this bonus with any deposit before the offer expires.

If you’ve ever seen an online casino Welcome Bonus offer, you may have spotted the mentioning of wagering requirements in the terms and conditions. In fact, every deposit bonus and many free spins and cashback offers will also come with a wagering requirement.

It works the same way in every online casino, not only the ones available to Canadian players. To better explain how this works we’re gonna have to do a little mathematics, and then we’re gonna have to discuss how to spot the difference between a bonus and a bonus.

You’re not going to like it, but it’s all in the terms and conditions as long as you know what to look for. For starters, ponder these two offers and see if you can figure out which one is better:

1. 100% up to C$100 with a wagering of 25x on deposit + bonus
2. 100% up to C$100 with a wagering of 50x on bonus amount

Did you figure it out? Truth is, they are exactly the same. But understanding why they are the same will help you spot the difference between a good and a not so good offer.

In the first bonus offer, the wagering is placed on both deposit and bonus amount, which means that you have to add those two together before you multiply by 25. Like this (X + X) x 25 = 2X x 25 = 50X. So, if you deposited C$50 you would have to add another C$50 and then multiply that sum by 25, which comes to C$2,500.

In the second bonus, the wagering is only placed on the bonus amount. But since the bonus amount is the same as the deposit amount, you only have to apply the multiplier to that amount. Like this X x 50 = 50X. As you can see, this means that the wagering is exactly the same for both offers no matter if you deposit C$10 or C$100.

Always pay attention to whether the wagering is applied on deposit + bonus or just the bonus amount. This is crucial!

Also, as long as you have an active bonus and grind to beat the wagering requirement, not only can you not claim another bonus, but if you attempt to withdraw your money you will lose your bonus and any potential winnings connected to it.

This may sound really harsh, but this is common practise to stave off bonus abuse. Yes, it happens still to this day that players try to outsmart casinos by coming up with new ways to abuse bonus offers. We don’t recommend going down that route.

Check the game weighting

It’s not enough to understand how wagering requirements work, you also have to be careful when you select games to play. Game weighting is another way for online casinos to protect themselves from bonus abusers.

You could end up losing your entire bankroll and bonus money without contributing a single dime towards the wagering requirements if you’re not careful.

Contribution towards wagering normally looks something like this in the bonus terms:

• Slots – 100% unless stated otherwise in these terms
• Video poker – 10%
• Table games – 10%
• Live casino games – 10%

This means that every C$1 you play on slots will contribute C$1 towards the wagering requirement. But be careful, some slots are banned or restricted from play when your playing with bonus money. The full list can always be found in the bonus terms.

When you’re playing video poker, table games, or any game in the live casino, every C$1 you bet per game round will only contribute C$0.10 towards the wagering. It’s 100 percent your responsibility to make sure you only play games that contribute.

It may sound counterintuitive to pass on an online casino offer, but there are times when you might want to consider not claiming a bonus. Beyond the aforementioned wagering requirements there are other rules that could throw a monkey wrench into your plans.

You see, while you’re playing with bonus money you’re bound by specific terms connected with the bonus. Here are a few things to keep in mind. You’ll find all of these in every online casino’s bonus terms and conditions:

• Max bet – You’re usually not allowed to wager more than C$5 per game round on slots or table games when you’re playing with bonus money. Sometimes you could be restricted to a max bet that equals a percentage of your deposit. If you deposit C$100 for example, you might not be allowed to bet more than C$10 per game round.
  There’s nothing stopping you from betting more than the allowed max, but the casino may void all your winnings connected with the bonus and in worst case label you a bonus abuser.
• Game restrictions – All games will most likely not be allowed to play with bonus money, like progressive jackpot slots.
• Wagering amount – Many casinos will not allow you to tamper too much with how much you wager to stave off bonus abuse. This means that you’re not permitted to go from max bet (as allowed by the bonus terms) to minimum bet as long as your bonus is active.

As you can see, there might be times when you’re better off not accepting a particular offer. Don’t worry. The one thing you can be absolutely certain of is that more offers will come.

Red-carpet treatment, shrimp cocktails, comically over-sized bottles of the bubbly. Do you picture yourself surrounded by any or all of these? Brace yourself, you’re about to be mildly disappointed. Becoming a VIP player doesn’t necessarily mean that you get to hang out with Jay-Z and Beyoncé, but it does mean that you’ll get enhanced bonus offers and then some.

There are two paths that lead to VIP status: You will either be enrolled as part of a loyalty program when you make your first real money bet in the casino, or you will receive a personal email from a VIP account handler in the casino’s VIP department.

Just because a casino doesn’t advertise that they have a VIP program or how it works, doesn’t meant that they don’t have on. They just keep it under wraps. So, what does it mean to be a VIP player?

All your offers will be greatly improved. This includes bigger deposit bonuses with lower wagering, regular cashback offers without wagering, free spins played at much higher stakes than the usual. But that’s not all.

Some casinos may pay for your vacation to an exotic location or tickets to concerts and major sporting events. It all depends on the casino.

However, there’s only one way to become a true VIP player. You have to wager a lot. We’re not talking about overcoming the wagering requirements of your Welcome Bonus, we’re talking about betting big, depositing big, and playing often.

Naturally, this is not for everyone. You need a lot – and we do mean a lot – of money for this kind of play. Don’t ever go for VIP status if you cannot afford it. It’s one thing to become a VIP, but it’s a totally different thing to remain a VIP.

If your gambling habits change, your VIP status can be revoked.

Still, it doesn’t hurt to see if your casino has a loyalty program with automatic enrolment from sign-up. These schemes are way easier to follow as everything is out in the open and transparent. They are often based on earning points for every dollar amount you wager in the casino.

Points which you can later convert into either withdrawable cash or spend on buying favourable bonuses. Loyalty programs are always tiered and the higher you get, the better the rewards.

Popularity of games vary as much as the players that play them. And with new games being released every month, it’s really hard to keep track of everything available at any given time. Instead of going over a bunch of titles, allow us to offer you some perspective on different types of games and why they are the most popular at online casinos in Canada:

• Progressive jackpot slots – These slots are part of a network orchestrated by the provider of the game. Every bet on these will add a small amount to the pot and since these games are available in many online casinos, the pot grows really fast.
  The two biggest progressive jackpot networks are currently managed by Microgaming and NetEnt with slots like Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune competing for paying out the biggest ever jackpot from a slot online.
• High volatility slots – Slots with jackpots aren’t the only ones capable of significantly changing how you’ll feel in the morning after a big win. There are slots out there that can pay out up to 100,000x your wager and rumour has it that there’s even a slot that can pay out more than C$7 million from a single free spins round.
• Table games – Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, and Stud poker will always be popular, but there are many different variants of these online where you can win extra on multipliers and various side bets. A great example of this is Lightning Roulette which can find in most reputable online casino Live Casinos.
  And if you’re willing to try something totally crazy, why not try Double Ball Roulette and see if you can get both balls to land on the same number on the wheel for a huge payout.
• Lotteries – Did you know that some online casinos let’s you play on the Power Ball Lottery where you can win hundreds of millions? When you play on certain state lotteries online, you’re really betting on the outcome of lottery. You’ll still win all the same.

As you can see, there are countless hours of entertainment and chances to win after you register your online casino account.

You’ve already made a step in the right direction by coming to our site. We only review casinos that are licensed and trusted. But there are also other reasons why we may endorse certain casinos. For instance, are they transparent with their terms and conditions, do they have trusted payment methods, are they fast to process withdrawals?

We’ve been looking at and reviewing casinos for many years and precisely what to look for and we’re more than happy to share everything we know with you so you can make an informed decision.

New online casinos are popping up all the time. There are already hundreds of licensed online casinos overseas and they are quickly finding their way over to our neck of the woods.

We actually have a whole section available right here if you’re specifically trying to find new online casinos.

Canada’s gambling laws are just as straightforward as they are confusing. It’s illegal to operate an online casino in Canada without a license, but there’s nothing stopping Canadians from playing at casinos with licenses from elsewhere, or even without a license for that matter. Which we would never recommend. Only play at licensed casinos.

Legit online casinos will list all countries where residents are forbidden from opening an account. This can be easily found in the terms and conditions.

Online Casinos Licensed in Canada

1. Jackpot City
2. Playolg.ca
3. Espacejeux
4. Playnow
5. WCLC
6. Sports Interaction Casino

The short answer is no. It all comes down to the country where the online casino is licensed by and registered as a company with. For most part, Canadians are welcome to play in casinos licensed by the Gambling Commission in the UK, Malta Gaming Authority, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and Curacao.

Always consult the casino’s terms and conditions and make sure they offer to play with CAD or your preferred cryptocurrency. This way you’ll avoid any potential exchange fees.

Playcasinos.ca Favourite Online Casinos

Gambling is meant to be a fun leisure activity, but it can be addictive and derail, which is why you need to gamble responsibly. Every online casino knows this and put safety features in place to protect you in case things start getting out of hand.

Before you make your first deposit and start playing, you should check out your available options in your account settings. You’ll find that it’s possible to limit the amount of money you can deposit per day, week, or month. And you can also set loss limits to prevent your bankroll from vanishing.

Should you feel like taking a break from gambling altogether for an extended period of time, there’s always the self-exclusion option. Basically, you can deny yourself access to your account for weeks and months at a time. And while you’re on your hiatus you will not receive any promotional emails from the casino to lure you back in.

Even if you change your mind and contact customer support and beg them to reopen your account, they can’t do it. It’s a safety measure. You’ll just have to sit this one out and wait for your self-exclusion period to end.