You’ve heard the stories. Someone was playing video slots at an Internet casino and won $100,000. Another person played the same games and won $5 million. Are these stories true? Can you play casino games for real money in Canada?
Yes, people have been playing casino games and winning real money for a while now. Many of them play at offshore casinos for several reasons we’ve highlighted below.
Online Gambling is a Gray Area in Canada
In many countries, online casinos are either legal or illegal. In the UK, online gambling is legal and regulated by the Gambling Commission. In the US, legalization varies by state: The industry is legal in New Jersey but banned in California.
Canada has no laws about online gambling, at least not at the federal level. Provinces can regulate the industry and many of them do. But at the federal level, online gambling is neither legal nor illegal.
Against that backdrop, the general interpretation of the law is that you can play real money casino games at foreign websites. But investors can’t set up an online casino based within the borders of Canada.
With that in mind, not every foreign casino accepts Canucks. It is important to find trusted Canadian casino sites to play at for real money before you even decide on the games to play. Look for a gambling review site that lists casinos that accept Canucks. Then choose the best operator and create an account.
A Full Range of Games to Play
In addition to accessing hundreds of offshore casinos, Canadians can play virtually any online game in the world. There are no laws to stop them. If you like slots, you can choose from 1000+ machines at leading websites.
You could play classic slots like Fire Joker and Mega Joker. Or you could spend time relishing the graphically advanced video slots like Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest. If you have bigger dreams and want to win a jackpot, try games like Mega Fortunes and Mega Moolah.
Slots aside, many casinos in Canada also feature popular table games, from poker and blackjack to roulette and baccarat. Then there are scratch cards, Keno and Bingo. Some of these games—table games—support live gaming.
You could play poker with friends in real-time. All you need is to set up web cameras and find a casino that helps friends organize live games. If you can’t play with friends, you could also play these games against human dealers instead of bots.
Banking and Limits
Not only can you gamble online in Canada but you also don’t need to go through a long process to deposit and withdraw your money. At many casinos, the minimum deposit amount is $10. The maximum amount ranges from $500 to $50,000.
There’s a wide variety of ways to deposit money. The most common options are cards like Visa and MasterCard, e-wallets like PayPal, instaDebit, crypto, and direct bank transfer. Usually, deposits and instant and cost no fees to players.
However, withdrawals can cost a small fee and take a few hours or days. To ensure you don’t fall for scams, choose top-rated casinos with a reputation for paying out money to winners quickly.
Banking aside, playing casino games is pretty cheap. Picture this. With a budget of $10, you can spin a slot machine up to 100 times. With the same bankroll, you can play two hands of blackjack, one Texas Hold’em game, or ten bingo games.
In other words, online casinos in Canada accommodate all sorts of players regardless of their budgets. You could have a budget of $50 per month or $50,000 and you’ll find a gaming website that’s suitable for you.
Fair, Irresistible Bonuses
The possibility of winning $1 million at a slot isn’t the only thing that motivates Canucks to play casino games. There’s also the fact that you can score free betting money by doing little more than creating an account or depositing money.
Every gaming operator has unique bonuses for players. Many casinos give you a bonus after you make a deposit. Then they match your amount 100% so that a $100 deposit becomes $200. The more generous operators match your deposit 200%, 300%, or 1000%.
Additionally, you can receive loyalty bonuses, VIP rewards, cashback offers, and birthday gifts. Word to the wise—look beyond the types and amounts of bonuses you get. Instead, pay more attention to bonus terms.
If you receive a 200% bonus, look at the conditions for turning this money into cash you can withdraw. If the conditions are exploitive, find a bonus with better policies even if the amount might be small.
Safety and Security
Another reason online gambling is growing popular in Canada has something to do with increased security. You can create an account at an offshore casino knowing your data will be safe.
You see, the iGaming industry hasn’t always been secure. During its early years, online casinos were not regulated. They didn’t encrypt their data and there was no way of assuring customers that the money would be safe.
Those days are gone. Nowadays, all you need to bet safely is to join a licensed, secure site. Look for a license from a trusted regulator like Malta or the UK. Operators from these regions feature advanced security tools like SSL, multi-factor authentication, and web firewalls.
Mobile Gaming
When you think of playing online games, what comes to mind? If your answer is an expensive gaming machine, you haven’t tried playing slots on your iPhone. At least two of the several Canadians who’ve won million-dollar jackpots at online casinos were playing through mobile devices.
Mobile devices are as efficient for casino gaming as any computer. They can support 3D graphics. Games run smoothly and you don’t have to install a betting app. Most casinos work on mobile browsers.
In fact, there’s no difference between playing real money casino games using your desktop or android smartphone. You can play at the same casinos, play the same games and receive similar bonuses.
