Canadian Gambling List 2024 | Top CA Gambling Sites
The Canadian Gambling List is your one stop shop for everything to do with online gambling in Canada, including an independent review, analysis, tips and news service. We aim to be your ears and eyes, whether you are at Montreal Casino or Commonwealth Stadium in Alberta, or even learning about casino games or real money gambling sites. We will help you thrive when entering the online gambling world!
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Online gambling in Canada
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Canadians love to gamble, to the extent it is estimated to be a $13 billion industry annually, meaning more than $1000 per household is spent every year on average.
The Canadian gambling industry is diverse, too, with many land-based casinos across the 13 provinces and territories. But it is probably sports betting, despite technically being illegal, that is the most popular form of gambling.
Ice hockey, basketball and baseball are all prominent in Canada, with many ”offshore” bookmakers accepting custom in Canadian dollars. There are limited Canadian-sanctioned sports betting options, with most punters electing to wager with sites licensed in places as diverse as the United Kingdom, Malta and Gibraltar.
Online casinos are also heavily frequented by Canadians, with most of the popular ones again being licensed offshore. Despite not being based in Canada the casinos will cater to the CAD and many bring great reputations as they chase the lucrative market.
Top gambling sites in Canada
Online casino gambling in Canada is not clearly covered in law. This means there are no online casinos licensed by the Canadian government.
The exception to this is the Kahnawake Gaming Commission which is based in the Province of Quebec. It has been a contentious licensing body in Canada with some politicians labelling it illegal, however, there are still online casinos licensed by this body, but these generally won’t service the Canadian market.
The lack of true regulation in Canada means most people wishing to wager at an online casino will do so at an offshore site, with many of the world’s best casinos — licensed in places such as the United Kingdom, Sweden and Malta — accepting Canadians and CAD deposits.
You will find casinos with leading software providers such as Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt and Betsoft and be able to play everything from live-dealer card games to thousands of different slots — giving you much more choice than you will find at land-based casinos.
We will go into more detail about the best casinos for Canadians to play at in further articles, but for now rest assured you can gamble at many offshore sites without fear of running foul of officials.
List of gambling sites in Canada
- Betway (betway review)
- Fan Duel (Fanduel review)
- DrafKings (DraftKings review)
- Leo Vegas
Best CAD mobile gambling sites
Mobile gambling has exploded in Canada in recent years and now is comfortably the no.1 way people in this country gamble online. The top mobile gambling sites are based overseas but still feature downloadable apps, upwards of a 1000 real money slots, live dealer games and various other features.
You can also claim all the usual casino bonus codes, promotions, sign up offers and pretty much any other forms of gambling promotion you can think of via mobile. Online slots are a definite highlight of the top gambling sites in Canada, with these games the most played on mobile.
Canadians will also find many familiar banking options at mobile casino sites, although some payment types might not be available on smaller screens, through no fault of the gambling site, but rather the payment option does not support mobile.
While as a general rule you will find less games at mobile gambling sites, this is improving all the time, with all new games releases catering to smartphones and tablets. Gambling apps, as a general rule, are only available to Android users in South Africa, with iOS users not allowed to download real money casino apps from the App Store. Android gambling apps have a function where it allows you to download non-market apps.
CAD Casino Banking Guides
There are numerous online gambling sites with Canadian Dollar friendly payment options. These include credit and debit cards, web wallets and crytpocorrencies. WGL Canada has hundreds of real money gambling site payment guides to help you with your gambling banking needs.
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Paypal
- Bitcoin
- Instadebit
Depositing money at online gambling sites can be daunting, but the reality is there are protections in place for players to make sure nothing goes wrong. The methods we can use to fund a gambling account, including those licensed in both Canada and offshore, are plentiful and include things such as credit and debit cards, payment processors such as InstaDebit, which is a very popular option, and other web wallets and cryptocurrencies.
Cashing out online gambling winnings
This can be one of the most challenging parts with online gambling, receiving your payment after you have scored a big win. In theory you should receive your payout within 2-5 business days, but this largely depends on the operator you are dealing with.
You also need to be aware there can be limitations put on withdrawals by a gambling operator, like a weekly or monthly withdrawal limit, which is usually pretty high, but if you are seriously laying down some coin it might pay to do your homework on the site you are opting to sign up at.
Some of the more common ways Canadians withdraw money from gambling accounts include:
- Bank transfers
- Visa
- Check
New online casino sites in Canada
There are thousands of gambling sites out there, and there are constantly new online casinos being added into the mix. We have our finger on the pulse and provide new gambling sites for Canadians weekly.
Online casino promotions
Online gambling promotions are readily available to Canadians, with these including sign up bonuses, cash back offers and much more. The latest CA gambling promotions for 2024 are:
Casino gambling in Canada
There are more than 100 casinos located across the 10 provinces and three territories of Canada, of varying sizes. These are licensed by the individual local governments and operate under their specific laws and regulations. The “gambling hubs” of Canada are probably the southern provinces Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.
The casinos are owned by both the Canadian government and the First Nations Tribes with some casinos located near the US border proving a solid tourist attraction.
There are mixed feelings towards the First Nations casinos in Canada, with some believing they foster gambling problems on the reserves, while others argue they create jobs and stimulate the economy. We are not sure what is right in this case but the River Cree Casino was one hell of an experience when we passed through Alberta.
One of the major casino companies in Canada is Gateway Casinos, which controls 26 venues in Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia, with the company weathering somewhat of a storm in 2018 when its 700 workers went on strike for more than four months, demanding better pay and working conditions. This standoff ended at the start of November of the same year.
While many of the casinos in Canada might be as small as a room with a dozen slots and a few electronic games, there are some great gambling venues.
Some of the biggest casinos in Canada are:
River Rock Casino: Sitting next to the Fraser River in Western Canada, River Rock Casino boasts more than 900 slots, a large poker room and many table games such as blackjack and roulette. It also has the famous high-stakes Dogwood Club.
The River Cree Resort and Casino: In Edmonton, The River Cree Casino has over 1000 slots and about 40 tables for patrons. You will also find off-course betting at this great venue.
Casino de Montreal: Situated in Quebec over five floors, the Casino de Montreal is one of the biggest of its type in the world. Features more than 3000 slots, more than 120 tables and a massive poker room which generally has upwards of 20 tables running.
Gambling companies in Canada
While Canada does not have a massively regulated market, it does boast some of the world’s biggest gambling companies, although many of these have been bought out by bigger international operators. Here are some of the more prominent ones:
Chartwell Technology: This software development company has affiliations with gambling giants such as Bwin and Betfair. Chartwell specialises in online casino software and employs over 100 people in three different countries, including at its head office in Calgary. The company was bought by the Amaya Gaming Group, the eventual owners of Pokerstars, in 2011.
FUN Technology: One of the most most well-known gambling companies in Canada, largely through its affiliation with Fantasy Sports. FUN was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2004 and the London equivalent the year previously. The company was eventually bought out by Liberty Media, which is an American-owned company, and FUN was discontinued as a brand in 2007.
Gateway Casinos: One of the biggest casino ownership companies in Canada, with 12 venues across British Columbia and Alberta. Founded in 1992 the company began with just two venues and 150 staff but in 2018 has over 3000 people in 12 venues. Some of the more prominent Gateway-owned gambling venues include Starlight Casino New Westminster and the Grand Villa Casino & Convention Centre.
Great Canadian Gaming: Great Canadian Gaming is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. It operates 28 gaming venues across Canada and Washington State. They have casinos, horse racing tracks (That do feature slots) and smaller-scale venues like bingo halls. The company was founded in 1982.
Parlay Entertainment: A bingo software company that was founded in 1998 in Canada. Has both 75-ball and 90-ball bingo available and is known for having a patent for its bingo platform in Canada and the USA.
Sask Gaming: This is owned by the Government of Saskatchewan and is officially the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation. The company was set up in 1996 to run the Casino Regina, while it expanded to also open Casino Moose Jaw.
Stronach Group: Stronach Group holds interests in many horse racing tracks, including in the USA and Austria. The company is also heavily involved in parimutuel betting in the States. The company is headquartered in Ontario, Canada.
The Stars Group: Formerly known as Amaya Gaming, the company bought two of the world’s biggest poker operators Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker. Eventually rebranding to the Stars Group, the company now operates brands like Pokerstars, Pokerstars Casino, Betstars and Full Tilt Poker. The company also has strong interests in Australia, where it operates BetEasy after the high-priced purchase and rebranding of Crownbet and William Hill. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Sports betting in Canada
Canada has some of the quirkiest sports betting laws in the world; the one law that hinders sportsbooks based in Canada is that they cannot accept single-event wagers on sports. But there is also nothing in the laws of Canada stopping people from betting on sports with offshore betting sites.
The online sportsbooks on offer that are licensed by the various provinces are very limited, with SportsInteraction the best of them. These restrictive laws mean most of the bigger sports betting operators have chosen to not set up a base in Canada.
While there has been plenty of talk about sports betting regulation in Canada, which would likely mean official licensing for popular sites such as William Hill and Bet365, there has been minimal movement on this front in recent times.
The Canadian Football League, while not as popular as the NFL, has a strong following in Canada with most sportsbooks offering extensive odds, on both match day and prop betting. A few select sportsbooks even offer futures markets on things such as the Grey Cup outright winner.
Horse racing in Canada is also popular with a thriving scene largely based in Ontario. It has taken a hit in recent times after a change in a government funding model but has continued to be a popular pastime.
While the sites regulated by the Canadian government are OK, the WGL recommends wagering with one of the many far superior offshore sites. As at 2018 there has never been a Canadian prosecuted for betting with an offshore sportsbook and they cannot be under current laws.
Another great perk of betting online is that you can receive sign-up bonuses and other promotions for being a member. This often is a great way to enhance your betting balance. Read our guide to online sportsbook bonuses in Canada for more information.
Parimutuel betting in Canada
Parimutuel betting is from the French term Pari Mutuel, and directly means mutual betting. It is a system devised where all money wagered is put into a pool and then a vig or taxes are deducted so there is money generated for the house. The pool is then split between winning bets and in turn decides the odds and payouts. It is often referred to as the Tote or Tote betting.
In Canada the government controls parimutuel betting through a special “Operating Agency” of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that supervises the practice on horse racing across the tracks in the country. The Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency is funded by an 0.8% levy of all bets placed in Canada. There are other provincial and race club taxes and levies, some of which are used to fund racing and community projects.
Betting promotions and sign-up offers
When you sign up as a new member at online betting sites you will often be given a bonus offer to complement your first deposit. The World Gambling List is constantly sourcing the best new CA betting bonuses for our readers. We will always promote licensed betting sites and the top bonus offers to our Canadian readers.
Live gambling sites
The thrill of being at a casino can be replicated at the best live gambling sites in 2020. Read our guides to find our more about your favourite casino table games that are available in live dealer format.
Live Roulette
Live Blackjack
Live Baccarat
All Live Dealer GamesBest CA live dealer casinos 2024
Live dealer casinos are available in the Canadian market, with these meaning that you can play your favourite table games via video streams. Essentially it is like playing blackjack or roulette at a real life casino.
Because there are very few restrictions about what gambling sites Canadians can play at, it can be hard to work out which live dealer casino you want to play, with so many options. As long as you stick to one of the bigger software companies like Microgaming, Evolution Gaming or Net Ent you will have a good experience.
The games available at live gambling sites includes all of your casino staples, but the best part is that there is a heap of unique titles that you only find online. These unique titles are include things like Monopoly, Football Manager and Dreamcatcher. On top of this there are many variations of casino classics at the top CA gambling sites.
Another huge plus about playing online casino games at the the best gambling sites Canada is that the table limits suit all types of players. For instance at real life casinos you often find the table limits restrict many players, because they can’t afford it. But online you will find lower table limits and more variations of games that, if you look deep enough, can provide players with a better house edge.
Online poker
Online poker is one of the most popular forms of gambling in the world, with tournaments worth well into the millions of dollars hosted on a weekly basis. Major online poker companies such as Pokerstars and 888 Poker are available in Canada.
Poker – Rules and types
Texas Hold’em
Online Poker
Beginner’s Guide to poker
Best lotto gambling sites
Canadians can buy lottery tickets in the government-backed draws or can bet on lottery draws from all over the world, via the top lotto gambling sites.
Legal Lottery in Canada
Canada has some huge lotto jackpots up for grabs on a weekly and daily basis, with these draws governed by five different corporations, with each territory or province falling under the jurisdiction of these bodies. The lottery operators, which as a collective are part of the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, in Canada are:
- Atlantic Lottery Corporation
- British Columbia Lottery Corporation
- Loto-Québec
- Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC)
- Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Because these bodies are effectively one corporation, it allows pool sharing between the provinces and territories which creates huge jackpots like Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49, with the former having a $CAD60 million winner in October of 2018.
The Liquor and Gaming Authorities in each province of Canada have effectively put in legislation that allows legal lotto games to be held, with some local governments following the legislation of bigger neighbouring governments.
Lottery tickets are available to purchase at news agents and other retail outlets across Canada, while the online aspect has not been neglected, with it possible to open an account at your province’s dedicated website.
Lotto betting in Canada
The big disruptor in the lotto scene is “synthetic lotteries” like Lottoland which effectively let Canadians bet on draws from all around the world, with the payouts insured by the operator.
Using Lottoland as an example, the operator, since August of 2017 has operated in Canada and is licensed offshore meaning they pay no tax in Canada.
If the habits of Canadians mimic those in other countries where Lottoland or other lotto betting companies have entered, where tax made by the government on the lotto is greatly reduced, we could see changes in the laws surrounding what is legal and what is not legal.
Lotto betting allows you access to draws from places like the United States, Canada, Australia and all of the major European lotteries. The lotto betting operators insure your bets, meaning they take minimal risk on, but give you exactly the same payout as the the winner of the draw. There is some complicated maths behind the business model that makes lotto betting work, but we’ll go into that more in other articles.
Top sports gambling sites
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The best sports gambling sites in Canada are based offshore on 2024, although this could change soon, with single event wagers back being discussed by politicians. WGL Canada will keep our finger on the pulse with the latest information about sports betting sites.
Online sports betting
Sportsbook reviewsGambling laws in Canada
Canada has some of the most lax gambling laws in the world, with nothing stopping residents from playing with offshore gambling sites or those licensed at home. Basically, there is very little oversight of the top gambling sites in Canada, although there is talk about regulating and taxing them in 2024.
Canadian gambling laws
The legal gambling age in Canada usually corresponds to the legal drinking age, which is set by the state or province you are in.
In Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec you must be 18 to gamble at a casino or wager on sports, with the remainder of Canada setting the legal at 19.
Each different gambling pursuit is governed by different laws in Canada, about which we will go into further detail in more articles down the track, but as a general rule you can gamble online in Canada without fear of getting in trouble.
The two levels that govern gambling in Canada are Sections 201-206 of the Federal Criminal Code, which effectively rules that all types of gambling and sports betting, barring parimutuel horse racing betting, are illegal, but these laws don’t effectively cover the online aspect of modern gambling.
A 1985 amendment, Section 207 of the Federal Criminal Code gives permission for the provinces and territories of Canada to provide regulated gambling.
Each province and territory has a body that oversees their land-based casinos, poker rooms and other forms of gambling like lotto and bingo. While there has been some progress from the provinces in launching online gambling products (think sites such as SportsInteraction) the fact that Canadians can still legally play or bet at offshore companies with a superior product mean the local brands face stiff competition.
A remarkable fact about Canadian gambling is that for a long time our very own Kahnawake Gaming Commission helped flout the US laws banning sports betting and gambling and licensed brands that were openly accepting players from across the border. When the Kahnawake body eventually said enough is enough, no more marketing to the USA, brands such as Bovada promptly ditched their accreditation.
There has been some pushback against the laws of Canada from anti-gambling factions, but this has just resulted in things like tighter restrictions around advertising, including in television and print.
Generally each of the 10 provinces and three territories will have their own guidelines surrounding gambling. To really understand Canadian gambling sites you need to understand the history behind gambling.
Update August 2021: Canada has finally made progress in regulating the online gambling and sports betting industries into the modern era, with bill-218 passing the Canadian Senate. This bill officially makes single-event sports bets legal, which will make it possible for the regulated sportsbook industry to compete with the thriving offshore betting sites that serve Canada.
The new online gambling legislation is also like to significantly impact online casinos and poker sites, with many of the brands that accept Canadians unlikely to seek licensing, which will seem them depart the market. Others will seek licensing, in whatever form it comes in, which is looking like it will be done on a province-by-province basis.
Ontario is expected to be the first province to launch a newly-regulated online gambling industry, having already formed a body called Ontario iGaming. Which will lay down the framework for the regulated sports betting and casinos in the state. Ontario iGaming will also be charged with making sure marketing, including digital and television, is not presented in a way that could target minors or encourage problem gambling.
The Canadian Gambling List will keep you abreast of the latest developments in online gambling in this country, with our guides and reviews regularly updated by people who understand this part of the world.
Canadian gambling statistics
The gambling industry is worth billions to the economy globally and makes a fascinating case study. Read our regularly updated articles about the business side of wagering, including the global gamblign ladnscape, of which Canada is a big part of.
The Canadian Gambling List team regularly write articles about the latest trends and statistics that emerge from the online gambling world, with these including things like financial reports of companies.
Canadian Gambling by province
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan