We have you covered. Whether you are new to online casinos or are experienced to online gambling, we have what you need to come to the right decision on which online casino in Canada best suits you. Criteria like security, reliability and trustworthiness are the baseline to even be considered. The following are the best casinos online that we have available to us in Canada. How did we pick them? They all have amazing Canadian dollar banking options, great player feedback, the best games and overall user experience on the internet. Oh, and they have some amazing bonus offers.
The flagship online casino from Genesis partners, truly one of the best online casinos in Canada.
Your Resource for Canadian Casinos Online
Casino Canuck brings you impartial and totally unbiased online casino reviews and plenty more to keep you very busy and very informed. We are diligently crashing our way through every available online casino throughout the internet to make sure you get to hear about all the online action for Canadian players. We have clicked, played and investigated as many real money casinos we could find providing games in English and French and accepting Canadian dollars. Now we are ready with our online guide to the most trusted and best online casinos, exclusively curated by Canadians, for Canadians!
What makes online casinos great! - The good, the bad and the ugly
No time to go on hundreds of casino sites? Even if you could, it would still be hard to choose an real money online casino. We’ve all been there, deciding whether we want the best welcome bonus, the most impressive loyalty program or the biggest variety of slots games. The smart way to find the best casino is to try it out. So, we have, we’ve tried them all and then we created the Casino Canuck gambling guide to help you. You deserve to know how to make a secure and informed gaming choice when you do decide to sign up and that’s why we are here.
We review online casinos using several criteria that are important to Canadian players. Our brands need to pass all of these before they gain a stamp of approval at Casino Canuck. When you choose a place to play, try to keep all of these in mind.
Real Money Online Casinos by Payment Method
Bottom line, you need to know about $ and cents. With real money casinos offering a variety of payment methods we are confident in giving you a range of pros and cons when it comes to everything on the market. This includes commissions, time frames and level of difficulty for both depositing and withdrawing. We recommend online casinos that don’t require you to share your financial details directly with the website. For Canadian players we refer to the three I's here at Casino Canuck. These are the deposit and withdrawal methods that will tell you if an online casino is serious about catering to the Canadian market. The three I's of Canadian casino banking are Instadebit, Interac Online and iDebit. The first two are exclusively available to Canadians and the latter works with all major Canadian banks. eCheck casinos also offer a solid way of depositing Canadian dollars. Visit those pages if you want to see casinos that really support those banking methods in Canadian Dollars:
From the moment, you sign up to an online casino you are bombarded with bonuses. Welcome bonuses, free spins, loyalty bonuses, VIP bonuses, no-deposit bonuses and that’s just for starters. What do all these bonuses mean? It’s pretty confusing for the newbies and even more experienced players can get tangled up in wagering requirements. Make better informed choices powered by knowledge. We go over everything you need to know about all Casino Bonuses. Be sure to check out our Free Spins Canada page for excellent and exclusive free spins bonuses, no wager and no deposit free spins.
Just Added Online Casinos
If you have played at Canadian online casinos long enough you will know what you are looking for and sometimes that is just something fresh and exciting. Every month there are dozens of new casino brands coming out. Some are from established organizations like Buffalo Partners, Genesis Partners, or Casino Rewards and others are entirely new. We go over each that come out to see if they are worth our time. First to get attention are new casinos from existing partners as they have already built the trust necessary to qualify for a review. We also look at entirely new casinos but put them through much greater scrutiny. We pass over many of them because they don't live up to the standards and more we put aside until they get enough reputation to recommend. Here are are latest casinos we have reviewed:
The sheer number of casino games has exploded and not only do we offer a deep evaluation of games and casinos from Microgaming, Playtech, and some smaller but awesome casino software providers like the best PlayNGo casinos, but we look at mobile accessibility and new developments in the industry. NetEnt Casinoshave now returned to Canada so be sure to check out all our NetEnt casinos. Live dealer casino games have been the recent hot trend where you can gamble at a real table and chat with a real dealer. 2019 has seen a surge of different slots games and the exciting development of virtual reality slots. A new generation of gambling websites is on the way and we keep our readers at the forefront of all the hot topics.
Online Slots
Who doesn't like some one armed bandits? By far the most popular games at online casinos are slots. With over 5000 and counting slot games from a wide variety of software providers and studios, there is no shortage of options available. A bare minimum for most casinos is 400 slot games with some having 2000 from multiple suppliers. We review some slot games and offer a few slots to play for free. We also let you know where the best place is to play free or real money online slots.
Legal Online Casinos
Is online gambling legal in Canada? The answer is yes. Technically online betting is somewhat of a grey area in such that it is legal to play but not legal to run an online casino in Canada. As long as the casino is off-shore then everything is legit. In addition, every single casino online must apply to the laws of a certain national and international legal structure. Whether they holds a license in the UK or Malta, they first still have to follow their own terms and conditions and globally accepted industry codes of conduct, such as underage gambling policies and privacy approaches. We have explored, in-depth, every brand for how it holds up to legislative regulations and industry standards,such as eCOGRA.
Online Casino Security
Navigating through the online gambling world is difficult enough without the added problems of worrying about whether your personal data is safe. From the online protection needed, to the international certification to ensure that the casino website is safe and trusted, we want to make sure everything is signed, sealed and delivered in a safe and secure gambling package.
Online Gambling in Canada
Canadian Gambling History
Land-based Casinos:
Prior to 1970, casino gambling in Canada was illegal but amendments made to the Criminal Code of Canada after 1970 changed that status. Eventually Canadian legislation allowed various provinces and territories to self-govern the issue. While some chose not to, other territories held lotteries and open their first legitimate land-based casinos.
Online Casinos:
Gambling at online casinos is not illegal in Canada. Though considered by some to be a grey area, there are no federal laws nor sections of Canada's Criminal Code regulating, or making illegal, online gambling. The legislation regarding gambling is entirely controlled by the provincial governments. Non-provincial online casinos are not allowed to operate in Canada but playing on off-shore casinos is currently safe. There have been no RCMP investigations to date on any online casino operator.
Is playing online casino legal in Canada?
It is not illegal for Canadians to play casino games online. It is illegal to operate an online casino within Canada, although there are areas based in Native territory where it is sanctioned by law. Technically if the online casinos reside on the internet and not on Canadian soil, or the servers are based in Native territory, also technically not governed by Canadian federal laws or provincial laws, then they, and thus you, are not breaking the law and you may enjoy online gaming, free of any criminality.
The online casinos themselves are currently not under the Canadian legal jurisdiction and cannot be considered part of it unless they operate their business in Canada or have a substantial connection to Canada. This would have to include having contracts in Canada, advertising here and specifically marketing to Canadian customers. Doing only part of these requirements would not bring the operators under federal jurisdiction so online casinos are legally able to provide their gaming services to Canadians.
Can you be taxed on your casino winnings in Canada?
The answer is a fairly straight forward no, with the possible exception of poker players. Most lottery wins or online gaming with real money resulting in net income to the player/taxpayer is considered "windfall" under the Income Tax Act. This also means that you are playing with after tax money and any gains on that money will not be taxed. This is fairly well know for lottery proceeds but this does extend to other games that are considered games of chance, which make up the bulk of online gaming. Even with the use of systems to increase your odds of winning, as detailed in our strategy pages for each of the casino games, this still holds. Where the issue of taxation starts to come into play has to do with specifically online poker. The Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) declared in 2014 that the winnings generated from online gambling can be construed as "income from all sources". There are some criteria that they list that can jeopardize online gambling's consideration of being a windfall. These include some specific aspects pertaining to the player which include whether it was "a customary source of income" and whether the player was expecting to receive similar payments (winnings) in the future. It also includes some criteria related to the game itself in such that the player may have "special knowledge" or inside information that contributes to their ability to generate a profit. The long and short of this is that you would both have to have a system and a certain amount of skill in place as well as derive a large portion of your income from gambling to be considered for taxation. Even in such cases, it is up to the taxpayer/player to decide to report the income as there have been no cases since that time that have tested the criteria as set out by the CRA. For the legal definition you can read further on the CRA website and for the specific section, search for the Income Tax Folio S3-F9-C1.
Be cautious
Remember to always research your preferred online casino for its licensing and make sure that it legally operates within your country of residence - failure to do so may mean that you are not protected from fraud or money laundering activities. Just be sure to consult our list of popular Canadian online casinos so that you are always sure that you are playing at safe and reputable online gambling Canada destinations.
Gambling licenses
All legitimate online casinos operating from outside of Canada are mainly from Malta, Alderney, Gibraltar and Curacao and are governed by their respective gaming authorities. Licences must be maintained from the authority and a series of established and transparent guidelines must be met. Gambling at online casinos outside the trusted jurisdictions or that are not signed up to a licencing authority should be avoided.
The Future looks bright
Canada has, until now, been more relaxed and forward thinking than its US counterpart. Whilst more and more Canadians get excited by online gaming, there is little likelihood that the legality of online casinos will change.
Online Casinos Guide
There are plenty of top online casinos out there that actually offer specific bonus and banking offers tailor-made for Canadian internet casino fans. These are real money casinos that offer exclusive bonuses in Canadian dollars and even feature one or two Canadian-themed games. The trouble is finding these casinos without having to trawl through dozens of casino sites and losing your shirt in the process!
Casino Canuck is your best friend in the vastness of online gambling and is designed to always be there for you to help choosing the best online casinos for Canadian players. So please feel free to bookmark Casino Canuck in your favourite browser where you can get regular features including the latest online casino news, useful tips on how to find the best online casino for your needs, informative guides on how to find and play casino games online and tons more!
There are thousands of casinos currently operating in cyberspace and, if it’s all new to you, it can all be a bit overwhelming. There are also lots of questions that naturally come up when contemplating joining an online casino, such as:
Which online casino is best for you?
Should you download the software or simply play online?
Are these online casinos all safe, will they steal your money?
What is the process involved in signing up for an account, is it complicated?
What happens to my private information, is it safe?
Casino Canuck is here to guide you through the uncertainty and answer all of your important questions so that you can find the perfect online casino for your needs. To get started let's go over the checklist of things you need to look for before signing up to any online casino.
Online Casino Checklist
Does the online casino accept Canadian players?
Does the casino take Canadian dollars?
Does the casino take the deposit method you have?
Is the casino licensed in a trusted jurisdiction?
Does the casino have the games from the software providers you want to play?
Is the website safe and secured with HTTPS?
Check the Terms and Conditions of the bonus and general terms.
How to Check the Online Casino Site
You will have to begin the sign up process to see if Canada is on the available list when you put in your address. We sign up to each casino and verify Canadians can play.
During the registration process you will often get to choose your currency. Rarely you will need to complete the signup process and then go to the Deposit area to select currency. We sign up and verify each casino we review takes CAD.
Go to the deposit screen after you register and you will see the available deposit methods. This is the only way to tell for sure as the footer of the website will sometimes display deposit methods but may not be accurate for Canadians. We check the real money deposit methods available to Canadians and do not list what is not available.
In the footer of the casino website they will display their licensing. They should also have a clickable link to be able to verify the license on the jurisdiction website. We verify they have trusted licensing from UKGC, Kahnawake, Malta, Gibraltar, or Curacao. Bonus points go to having oversight companies such as eCOGRA and GLI, Gaming Labs, who verify the games and casino are run fairly.
Most online casinos will show you all the games that Canadians can access when you visit. Some will require you to register before you can see them. The software providers are also often shown in the footer of the website. We only list the providers that are available in Canada as some are not available like NYX and IGT.
Look at the URL at the top of your browser, ie: https://www.casinocanuck.ca, and verify you see HTTPS at the beginning. The "S" is the important part and should be there during all you gaming and financial interactions. Browsers like Google Chrome will also put a lock symbol and sometimes warn you if a site is the basic HTTP.
The Terms and Conditions can be very daunting but we recommend looking them over to make sure there is nothing predatory. The T&Cs are usually linked in the promotions screen or in the footer of the website. If you cannot easily find the T&Cs do not play at the casino. The bonus terms and conditions are important because it will outline things like minimum deposits, time to use and meet wagering, and ways to prevent bonus abuse. We explain any important terms in each review or offer and will not recommend any casino that has predatory terms.
So far we have detailed the best Canadian online casino and given you a checklist so you can check for yourself if the casino is legit. Now let's look at how you get started at an online casino once your checklist is complete and you have picked the best casino for you.
Signing Up to an Online Casino
Signing up for your own player account is quite a quick and painless process and usually only takes a few minutes to complete. All of our recommended online casinos for Canadian players generally follow the same process and you may even choose between playing for real money and playing for free. Some of our recommended Canadian casinos like Jackpot City and Royal Vegas for example allow you to try out a bunch of games, directly in your browser for free! This means that you don’t have to risk any of your own money while you decide which games you like or learn how they all work. When you feel comfortable enough with the casino, switching over to a real money account is as simple as a click or two away.
Signing up for your own player account to play for real money is fast and easy and requires some basic information. Take a look at what our recommended online casinos will ask you for:
Your full name
Your address information
Your date of birth
Your email address (this is the email address that they will use to confirm your account as well as send you details on future promotions, so be sure about which address you want to submit)
Your phone number (occasionally they will require you to confirm your registration with a text code)
Your username (this can be anything that you like and is available)
Account security option: submit your mobile number if you wish to add another layer of security for your new player account.
Software download vs Internet Casino Flash Play
Some of our recommended internet casinos for Canadian players will give you the option to either download the full casinos platform to your desktop or simply play directly from your browser window. There are pros and cons to both and you can decide the best option for you after reading our in-depth guide to both below.
Downloading the online casino software
Most online casinos these days do not have a software to download. The older Microgaming casinos often still have software but most have moved to flash and HTML5 games. Of course, the majority of people also play on their mobile device and there you cannot download software. Keeping up with modern times, some casinos do offer mobile casino apps.
That said, many Canadian online casino players prefer downloading the casinos software to their desktops as it generally gives them access to the casinos full games library, offers better graphics and game play, different bonuses and promotions and a generally smoother and faster gaming experience.
While many new players are concerned about issues such as downloading viruses and malware to their systems, you can be rest assured that our trusted Canadian casinos are all reputable and use the latest antivirus software to ensure security.
Downloading the software is a simple process:
Visit the online casinos homepage
Click in the ‘Download’ button
The software will begin to download to your computer
Once downloaded, the software will ask you to ‘run’ the installation
Click on run and follow the next few prompts to complete the installation process
The software will install on your desktop where you can click on the icon to run the installed programs
The process is very easy and can be completed successfully with minimal knowledge of computer software. For more in-depth information about different online casinos software be sure to visit our download casino page.
Instant play internet casino (Flash casino)
Choosing the Instant Play or Flash option will allow you to play most of the internet casinos games directly from your browser, without the need to download any casino software to your computer. The "Flash" term comes from the Adobe Flash Player still used today by some software providers to deliver games. This is great for desktop and was the first way to play complex games through your browser. However, most modern games are developed with HTML5 and it has brought with it the ability to play those games without having to enable Flash. It also has the added bonus of being able to play games on your mobile browser, whereas Flash is not supported.
Mobile Casinos
Once upon a time we had to specify which casinos had apps or were available to play on your mobile phone but these days it is, not only expected, but mandatory that an online casino has a mobile offering. You can be assured that every casino that we recommend has a substantial amount of their casino games available on mobile. Most new slot game providers only create mobile friendly games and the older "big guns" like Microgaming and Playtech release all their new games to be able to be played on your tablet or phone.
It does not matter whether you have an iPhone or Android, or even Windows phones or Blackberry (Yes people still have these). Since most mobile games are HTML5 based, they can be played on all modern browsers. iPads, Android and Windows tablets are also good devices to gamble on and the games are dynamically resized to best fit your screen.
In the end, some mobile casinos and software developers are better at delivering a seamless mobile experience. LeoVegas is a multi award winning casino that has year in, year out continued to win Best Mobile Casino. As we mentioned, the newer developers like Betsoft, PlayNGo, Quickspin and Yggdrasil all have excellent and optimized mobile versions of their slot games and table games. And you can be sure that Evolution Gaming, the kings of Live Dealer Casinos, give a great mobile experience.
Banking on mobile has never been easier as well. All the casinos offer their deposit pages on mobile and you can use your favourite deposit methods like Interac, eCheck, Instadebit, iDebit and Paysafecard on you mobile device.
How to deposit at real money online casinos
Depositing money into your new player account at a real money casino is an important step and deciding which payment process will work best for you is just as important. If you are unsure of which payment option will work best for your needs, we breakdown each payment method as well as mention the relevant pros and cons of each type.
Most of the best real money casinos offer an extensive variety of payment and withdrawal methods but it is important to read up on each banking option as not all can be used for both depositing funds and withdrawing winnings.
To deposit money, simply find the Deposit or Banking button and click.
A window will open giving you your options to deposit and the amount you wish to deposit. Note that at this point many casinos will require you to opt in to your Welcome bonus or any other promotion.
Once you have selected your payment method, depending on the option, you will either place the details directly or a secure window will open from the third party payment provider in order to complete the transaction.
Once submitted, the window will close and, for most e-wallets and cards, the funds will show in your balance immediately.
Start playing with real money and hopefully you win some as well to withdrawal later.
Casino Canuck Insider Tip
Submit identity confirmation documents immediately after first depositing at an online casino. Every trusted online casino must confirm your identity before paying out winnings in order to protect against money laundering and fraud. They will require identity documents and proof of address, often via a recent bill, before they pay out. Delaying payout, either due to player error or because casinos are actively trying to postpone payments, is the most common complaint against online casinos. Do not wait until you hit it big before encountering any problems. A second approach is to cash out a small amount of winnings (after wagering requirements are made) in order to ensure the process is set up properly. If payout speed is important to you, check out our list of fastest withdrawal online casino Canada.
Where to find online casino games
Finding great casino games to play is easy and it all really depends on your own preferences. Our top Canadian casinos all offer very user friendly casino lobbies that make navigating through different games very easy and quick.
888Casino, LeoVegas, Betway, Guts, Jackpot City and Casinoland are all great examples of how an online casinos lobby should look. Games are organized into different tabs to make heading to specific games like slots, progressives or table games like Blackjack or Roulette very quick. You should also be able to search for games directly and, the best Canadian online casinos will even allow you to sort by themes, gaming provider, or other criteria.
All of these examples also offer a useful grid on their homepage with a cross-section of their games so that you can try different ones if you’re not sure what you feel like playing.
Keep in mind that the games that are shown will be geo-targeted to Canadians as long as your IP is in Canada. Thus, only software providers that offer games in Canada will show.
Online Casino Support
Casino support is a critically important aspect of dealing with any online casino. Most of our recommended Canadian casinos offer 24/7 Instant Chat support as well as email and call options. Customer support is Canadian-friendly, meaning that you can choose to have support in English or in French. For more in-depth details on our recommended casinos customer support, check out our dedicated customer support page.
Bonus points are given to those online casinos in Canada that offer Canadian phone numbers, and better yet, toll free phone numbers.
Responsible Gambling
All online casinos should promote responsible gambling. Licensed casinos must link to responsible gambling resources and take active measures to prevent problem gambling. Each casino behaves differently but some things they will include is self-exclusion, timed sessions, and automatic caps for playing time or money spent. If you are at risk we implore you to seek appropriate help and ensure the guidelines are met to keep online gambling in Canada a fun and safe experience. To see more, visit our Responsible Gambling page.
Land Casinos in Canada
Like any other gambling Canuck we do appreciate heading out to a land based casino every once in a while. While the convenience of playing at a casino online has its many advantages there is an added thrill of having all the sights and sounds associated with the slot machines and other gamblers. Striking up a conversation with another player or the dealer and enjoying not only your own wins but that of others adds to the experience.
Here at Casino Canuck, we take a look at all the casinos across Canada and we have taken the time to write a small review on the ones we have visited with a personal take on what we feel makes them good or bad. We go over what to expect from the casino floor as well as the eats on offer and the entertainment that usually comes to town.
Whether you are a local or are visiting any of our fair provinces and territories from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and the Yukon, we will try and hit as many casinos as we can. So far we have made it to Montreal Quebec, Southern Ontario, Edmonton Alberta and Vancouver BC.
Online Casino FAQs
Is Online Gambling Legal in Canada?
Yes, it is legal to play at online casinos and online poker in Canada but it is illegal to operate an online casino in Canada. That is why all online casinos for Canadian players are registered in foreign jurisdictions such as Malta or Gibraltar.
What are my Chances of Winning at an Online Casino?
You chances of winning is usually based on the Return to Player (RTP) percentage of the casino game you are playing. The RTP of an online slot game can be up to around 97% which means that for every $100 bet on that slot, $97 is returned to the player in the form of a win. So the house edge in this case is 3%, or $3. Taking advantage of welcome bonuses and other promotions, as well as having a clear strategy, will help improve your odds.
What is a Welcome Bonus?
A welcome bonus is a promotion offered by online casinos to entice new players to join their casino and is only available to first time registrations. This generally entails matching your first deposit amount by a certain percentage, say 100% match up to $400, and/or giving a certain amount of free spins on specific online slot games.
What are Wagering Requirements?
Wagering requirements, sometimes called playthrough requirements, is the term used by online casinos that requires you to bet a certain amount of money in order to be eligible to cash out your bonus or promotion winnings. This is usually denoted by an "X" such that you have to bet 40X or 40 times the amount of bonus money you received. 40X is about average but this can be higher or lower depending on the quality of the bonus offer.
How can I Play for Real Money at an Online Casino?
Playing at an Online Casino for real money is easy and can be done by first choosing which banking method is available to you. You can use Canadian friendly e-wallets such as Interac Online, Instadebit or iDebit which link to your bank account to deposit or withdraw from an online casino. You can use prepaid cards such as Paysafecard or you can also use credit cards, such as Visa or Mastercard, if your bank allows it. The least convenient method, but available at nearly all online casinos, is a Bank Transfer. The final step to playing for real money is registering with a trusted online casino that takes your banking method of choice.
Why Should I Avoid Provincially Run Online Casinos like PlayOLG.ca and EspaceJeux?
The two main advantages that international online casinos have over provincially run casinos is better Return to Player (RTP) and better promotions and Welcome Bonuses. These two items directly relate to the player's chance of winning money at an online casino. Provincial online casinos like Ontario's PlayOLG, Quebec's EspaceJeux, and BC's PlayNow.com also do not offer the same quality and quantity of gaming options and payment methods.
Do I Need to Convert my Canadian Dollars to gamble at an online casino?
Absolutely not. All the online casinos we list on this website do business in Canadian dollars along with a wide range of currencies. You can deposit and withdraw in CAD and avoid hefty conversion fees.
How do I know an online casino is safe and not a scam?
There are two things you can look at to determine if an online casino is safe: casino reviews and regulation through reputable authorities. Casino review sites, such as CasinoCanuck, work hard to research and play at online casinos to determine if they are legit. You should also only play at online casinos that are registered under respected authorities and/or audited by legitimate sources such as eCOGRA.
What does it take to be the best online casino for Canadians?
To be the best online casino for Canadians, the casino needs to have Canadian banking options with the availability to play in Canadian Dollars. They should have a Canadian specific website with promotions and welcome bonuses tailored to Canadians. The online casino must also have an amazing selection of games, be safe to play at and have great, Canadian specific, customer support.
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