Online Casinos Canada — Comparing The Top Casinos for Canadian Players
Canada is one of the biggest online gambling markets in the world. Canadians love playing video slots, roulette, blackjack, poker, and other games over their PCs and mobile devices. Nevertheless, the online gambling industry is in constant expansion, and many Canadians are left wondering which casino site to choose, as there are literally thousands of them scattered all over the world wide web. Read More
Canada´s Best Online Casinos of 2021
Online Casinos Canada Reviewed for You — Games That You Can Play
Apart from the bonuses and promotions, we take a look at many other things when reviewing top online casinos in Canada. Although having a nice welcome bonus is always a good thing, it doesn’t mean much if the site has a poor selection of games.
In the beginning, online casinos were only able to offer a few standard casino games such as roulette and blackjack, and maybe a couple of basic video slots. The technology wasn’t as advanced, and the gaming software could only handle so much. However, as the years went by, online casino technology grew more powerful. Today, many new Canadian casino sites don’t even require you to download their software, as all the games can be played directly on the browser.
With easily integrated online platforms, casinos can now stack thousands of games into their online libraries and allow you to access them within a few clicks.
Best Canadian Online Casino Reviews
Online gambling has taken Canada by storm in the past few years, with players from every corner of the Great White North stacking up record-breaking wins. The competition among online casinos is stiffer than ever before, and new operators are popping out every day. With so many options to choose from, it can sometimes be tricky for beginners to pick one that would suit their gambling preferences. There are a lot of factors to consider, and not to mention how time-consuming the research is.
With all of this in mind, we dare to ask — why would you bother going through all that hassle when there is someone else who can do all the heavy lifting for you?
Our team of casino experts has gone above and beyond to track down the best online casinos in Canada and present them to you in detail so that you can focus on the high-quality casino action.
To reserve a spot on our exclusive list, all online casinos in Canada have to go through our rigorous testing procedures. We analyze the ins and outs of every site, from bonuses to game selection and customer support, among other things.
All the sites from our list are Canada-friendly, meaning that all Canadian casino players are allowed to legally play at these establishments. Once we finish our evaluation process, we rate the services of each online casino and provide you with a review of each individual operator, highlighting what makes it unique, and potentially lucrative. In the sections below, we’re going to provide you with lots of tips and tricks on how to locate the best online casino in Canada.
We’ll start things off by showing you our list of hand-picked casino sites in Canada. Afterward, we’ll explain in detail why we consider these operators the top destinations for online gambling. And last but not least, you’ll find a section dedicated to additional resources and some frequently asked questions. Let’s get down to business, shall we?
Popular Casino Games to Play Online
Canadians like playing all sorts of casino games, but if we had to single out one type of game that is the most popular in this region of the world, it would have to be video slots. As a matter of fact, the popularity of video slots is not something specific to Canadians. It seems that players from all over the world love playing slot games, and the reasons are many.
For starters, video slots are really easy to play. They are primarily luck-based games, so you are not obligated to learn all sorts of complicated rules and strategies. Beginner players have a probability of landing a jackpot just as much as the players who have tried it for years.
There are literally tens of thousands of video slots that you can try out on top Canadian casino sites. They all differ from each other, not just in the way they reward players, but also in how they look. Each slot has its own theme and backstory. This gave slot developers an opportunity to experiment with all sorts of topics and create games that revolve around ancient mythology, popular culture, animals, movies, cartoons, sports, and many other things.
Speaking of video slot developers, there are dozens of them who dominate the online casino industry. So, apart from just looking at the variety of games that a given Canadian casino site offers, we also check to see what these games are about and who made them. The top names in the world of online video slots include companies such as NetEnt, Microgaming, Play’n GO, NextGen, and BetSoft, to name a few.
Another reason why video slots are so popular in Canada and throughout the world is the fact that they can potentially be the most rewarding casino games out of all. Video slot jackpots tend to be massive, especially those who are labeled as progressive. Namely, the majority of video slots have a fixed jackpot that rewards you when you collect the maximum number of the most rewarding symbol in a pay line. These jackpots can usually be worth 5,000 times your wager, or more.
However, progressive jackpots work differently. The jackpot size increases every time somebody places a wager on the game and keeps rising until someone lands the most powerful combination of symbols. Because of this mechanic, progressive slots can have jackpots worth millions of dollars, which is the main reason a lot of players have a high interest in them.
Table Games
Table games are the second most popular type of games you can play on Canadian online casino sites. As the name suggests, these are all the classic casino games that are played across gaming tables. They include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, and craps. Of course, instead of having a dealer, the games are run by an RNG software that ensures that all outcomes are randomized.
Canadian players have a very high interest in blackjack because this game allows you to lower the house edge by using a proper strategy. Nevertheless, blackjack also has some luck involved, so you can hope to win a lot while playing it even if you’re just going off of your hunch. Playing blackjack is relatively easy. The goal is to beat the dealer by reaching a higher card total. You can’t go over 21, so you need to be careful when choosing when to hit and when to stand. Blackjack is a very exciting game, especially if you know what you’re doing. There are plenty of strategy tips that you can read online. They are not hard to understand and will raise your chances of winning quite a bit.
Baccarat is another popular online casino game. It’s somewhat similar to blackjack but much more straightforward. This is an ideal card game for beginners, as you don’t even have to be familiar with all the rules of baccarat in order to win. All you need to do is bet and wait for the dealer to draw the cards. Everything in baccarat is about luck.
When it comes to poker, you need to understand a few basic differences among casino poker games. Competitive poker is a game that you play against other players. It utilizes a lot of skill (unlike other casino games) and can be played in various tournament formats. This kind of poker is usually offered on specialized poker sites like 888 or PokerStars, but some all-in-one best online casinos do allow you to play poker against other players. On the other hand, there’s casino poker in which you play against the house (the dealer), and where the rules of winning are quite different. When we say that you can find poker in the collection of the casino’s table games, we are referring to this particular type of game. There’s also video poker, but we will mention that a little later on.
If you’re not much of a card player, you might want to try roulette instead. Every Canadian casino site that we reviewed has at least several versions of roulette, and the most popular ones include American, European, and French forms of the game. Roulette allows you to take dozens of different bets and lets you choose on your odds of winning. Of course, the smaller the odds, the bigger the payout. As far as the different variations go, we recommend that you play European or French. American roulette has a double zero slot which increases the house edge quite a bit. French roulette also has a few extra rules that help out the player. Other online versions of the game include speed roulette, mini roulette, and double ball.
Craps is a very popular game in land-based casinos. It has a high social factor, so playing it through a website might not be as fun, and it’s mainly the reason why craps is probably the least popular online casino game. Nevertheless, craps are often found on top Canadian casino sites. Even though the rules of crap might be a bit confusing at first, you will enjoy this game very much once you figure out how it works.
Live Dealers From Online Casinos
The recent years saw a meteoric rise in the popularity of live dealers or live casino games in Canada. Live dealer games represent all the table games that we mentioned above, with the only difference being in how they are projected. Instead of a virtual RNG setting, live dealer games are played through a live stream with real dealers running the action. The games are recorded in a gaming studio and can come from a variety of software providers, although the most notable live dealer game developer is Evolution Gaming.
Apart from roulette, blackjack, baccarat, casino poker, and other popular table games, the live casino section usually has a few unique money wheel games like Dream Catcher and Monopoly Live. These games are rarely found in land-based casinos and are almost exclusive in their live dealer form.
To play the games, you will get to interact with a virtual interface that is layered over the video. Once you place your bets, the dealer will get a signal and start to interact with the real game elements. Live casino games also have a unique feature of live chat through which you can communicate with other players and the dealers themselves.
Since the game is recorded by multiple cameras, players are allowed to switch between different camera angles, while also adjusting the sound and picture quality. You can also choose to play the games in minimized or full-screen modes.
Apart from living casino games, some Canadian casinos offer dual play games. The only difference between live dealers and dual play is that the latter is recorded in a real land-based casino rather than an improvised casino studio, thus allowing you to play alongside players who are physically there.
In order to play live casino games at their full capacity, you need to have a stable internet connection. Otherwise, you won’t be able to enjoy the game in HD or even full screen. Also, since these games cost more to operate, the minimum betting limits are higher than usual.
Different Types of Online Casino Bonuses
Online casinos are constantly competing against each other in order to attract more customers. They do so by offering rewarding bonuses and promotions for their players. We already reflect on the fact that online casino bonuses represent one of the key factors in choosing the right casino site. Now, we are going to discuss what types of bonuses exist and how you can unlock them.
Deposit Bonuses
As a new player on a Canadian casino site, you will be eligible for that casino’s welcome offer. Welcome promotions themselves can come in many shapes and forms, but they are usually represented by cash deposit bonuses. The way they work is that you get rewarded for making the first deposit on the website. For example, if a casino has a 100% bonus up to C$500, this means that if you deposit C$500, the casino will give you another C$500 to play with. Deposit bonuses will also have minimum limits on how much you must pay, which is usually around C$10 or C$20. Of course, these bonuses will be tied to various terms and conditions that prevent you from withdrawing that bonus money right away, but we will talk about that a little later on.
Some Canadian casinos extend their welcome offers to second and third deposits as well. Apart from welcome offers, you can also get a cash deposit bonus in the form of a reload bonus. These promotions usually come once a week or a month and are similar in size to welcome bonuses.
No Deposit Bonuses
There are plenty of generous Canadian casinos that will reward you for merely making an account on their website without completing a deposit. Of course, you can’t expect these bonuses to be larger than C$10 or C$20, but they are still worth using. No deposit bonuses are a great way for you to test out a given casino site without any risk involved.
Turning no deposit bonuses into withdrawable cash is very difficult. These promotions are usually tied to some very high wagering requirements. After all, online casinos don’t have a habit of giving anything out for free, so this shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Nevertheless, if you find a casino that offers a no deposit bonus, you should always take that deal, as it won’t cost you anything.
Free Spins
Free spins can be a part of both deposit and no deposit promotions, but they do not come in the form of bonus cash. Instead, you will be rewarded with a certain number of spins (plays) that you can use on the website’s video slot games. Free spins are often available to only one or a few games on the website. These games are usually new titles that the casino wants to promote at the moment.
When playing video slots regularly, you will have to put down a wager every time you press the spin button. But with casino free spins, you will get a certain number of plays without anything being deducted from your balance. These spins are not to be confused with free spins that you can earn in the game itself. Regular video slot free spins are acquired after you land a specific set of symbols, but to achieve that, you have to place a bet first. On the other hand, casino free spins are completely free and can be used as soon as you load the game.
Depending on the casino you’re playing in, the number of free spins can differ drastically. Some Canadian casinos offer only 20 or 30 free spins, but they are usually tied to the cash deposit bonus. If you get free spins as a standalone promotion, you can expect their number to be 100 or more.
VIP Programs
VIP programs are not bonuses that you get for depositing or creating an account but are instead privileges that you earn as you keep playing on the website. Not all online casinos have VIP programs, although some of the top Canadian sites that we reviewed do.
As you keep depositing and making wagers, you will earn loyalty points from the casino. The more points you earn, the higher your VIP status (level) will be. Each new level carries with itself special perks, like cash bonuses, free spins, faster payments, account management, and more. Some casinos will even allow you to trade your loyalty points in exchange for bonuses, and high VIP levels tend to have a better conversion rate for those points.
If you consider yourself to be a high-roller that regularly plays casino games, choosing a website with a good VIP scheme can be pretty useful.
Casino Payment Methods
Canadian players can make online casino payments in all sorts of ways, including credit cards, e-wallets, direct bank transfers, cryptocurrency, and more. However, before we go into explaining each of these methods, we should also reflect on the fact that the variety of payment methods is not the only important thing when it comes to online casino banking.
Minimum and maximum deposit and withdrawal limits are something that you need to be familiar with before committing to any casino site. For example, if you win C$20,000 but the casino you selected allows only C$5,000 withdrawals per month, you will have to wait four months to fully cash out your winnings. Also, different payment methods can have different limits associated with their use. Pay attention to any additional charges (fees) that might be forced by the operator. If you are playing from Canada, make sure that your preferred payment method is not restricted to Canadian players and that you can deposit and withdraw using CAD.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s check out some of the most popular online casino payment methods.
Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and Prepaid Cards
Credit cards are still the most widely used method for online payments. All Canadian online casinos accept credit cards for both deposits and withdrawals. The most popular credit card services include Visa and MasterCard, but some casinos also accept Discover and American Express. Debit cards such as Switch, Visa Debit, and Maestro are also widely accepted, and so is Canadian-based Interac. Alternatively, you can use a prepaid card from services like Paysafecard.
Cards are considered safe and reliable. The deposits go through almost instantly, while the withdrawals take a few business days, but are nevertheless much faster than the majority of other methods. Some casinos have fees for credit card transactions, but not all of them. Whether you encounter any fees from the credit card service itself will depend on which card you’re using. The minimum deposit limits for credit cards are usually around C$10.
E-Wallets
E-wallets are online banking systems that allow easy and safe transactions over the web. Their utility is pretty much the same as credit and debit cards, but some e-wallets also have the feature of connecting your physical bank account to the online world.
The most popular e-wallets in Canada include PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, EcoPayz, and others. E-wallet transactions are extremely fast for both deposits and withdrawals. However, they might have a few restrictions that make it not such a popular option for online casinos. For example, Neteller and Skrill are often excluded from the casino’s bonus offers. Also, when trying to cash out, the e-wallet service you’re using might impose some high fees.
Bank Transfers and Checks
Some Canadian players prefer traditional payment methods like bank wires and checks. Although these methods are extremely secure, they are not that great for online casino transactions. The main issue is that they take a lot of time to process, as withdrawals can take over a week. Also, the casinos will almost always put additional charges on doing bank and check transactions.
On the upside, bank transfers allow for high deposit limits, so using this method is ideal for high-rollers and players who wish to deposit large sums of money at once. A banking service called InstaDebit is especially popular for Canadian players.
Cryptocurrencies
By now, a lot of people are already familiar with how cryptocurrencies work. Online casinos recognized this and started offering crypto payments to their players. Setting up a crypto account might take some time, but once you buy some cryptos, it’s all smooth sailing from there.
Cryptocurrencies allow you to do anonymous transactions over the web. They are very secure and are especially popular among casino players because of their speed and high deposit and withdrawal limits. The most popular casino cryptos right now include Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Ripple. Currency fluctuations might be the only reason why cryptos are not always the best option, together with the fact that a lot of online casinos still don’t accept them.
Pay By Phone
Many Canadians choose to play their favorite casino games over their smartphones these days, as it’s simply more convenient. To make things even more convenient for them, some casinos are offering pay-by-phone payments that allow you to make a deposit by simply entering your phone number. The most popular mobile payment services include PayForIt, Boku, and Siru.
Minimum Deposit and Wagering Requirements
For the most part, casino bonuses are splendid, but they do come with some strings attached. Since they are essentially free money on your account, certain rules are imposed to balance the scales.
If online casinos were to constantly throw away free cash, they would have long gone out of business. That’s why all casino bonuses are subject to a set of terms and conditions every player must meet. Reading the fine print of a casino bonus beforehand can save you a lot of frustration.
Below, I’ve mentioned the two essential requirements you should always pay attention to before triggering a specific bonus.
Minimum Deposit
A minimum deposit refers to the minimum amount of money every player must deposit in order to become eligible for a particular bonus. In most Canadian online casinos, it’s between CAD$10–20. On this page, we’ve listed some quality casino bonuses you can claim with deposits as low as CAD$10. We want to help out our fellow recreational gamblers get fantastic perks for the smallest deposits.
Wagering Requirements
The wagering requirement is a multiplier that shows the number of times a player must wager bonus cash before they are allowed to withdraw any winnings. For instance, a 30x wagering requirement on a CAD$1,000 means that you have to wager a total of CAD$30,000 on eligible games before you can request a cashout.
Some operators impose sky-high wagering requirements, making it impossible to actually win anything from the bonus. Such casino sites certainly won’t get a recommendation from our team. We pick online casinos in Canada that have some of the lowest WR in the industry.
Data Protection and Security
In this day and age, you can never be too careful when browsing the Internet. This is especially the case with online casinos since you will constantly be moving the money to and from your casino account. There’s also a fact that there are a lot of fraudulent online casinos out there who do not offer fair games and just want to steal your money.
That’s the reason data protection and security were at the top of our list of priorities when we conducted research for the best Canadian online casinos. We wanted to make sure that the players’ money and data are always safe above all else.
All the casinos that you can read about on our site have state-of-the-art 128 bit SSL encryption technology backed by advanced firewall systems. Also, all the games that you can play in those casinos have been RNG-certified by third parties.
Of course, we also took great care in checking the licensing of each casino site. If they aren’t based in Canada, we made sure that they at least have licenses from reputable offshore gambling jurisdictions such as the UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission), MGA (Malta Gaming Authority), Gibraltar, Curacao, or others.
Online Casino Software
The first thing every reputable casino operator does when launching out a casino is teaming up with the most prominent software developers in the industry. For many gambling connoisseurs, the number of software providers involved in supplying the casino’s portfolio of games is paramount. Without further ado, we present to you the most popular casino software providers in Canada.
Microgaming — A household name in the industry, with over 1,000 titles under its belt. Microgaming was the pioneer of progressive jackpots, and their Mega Moolah slot is known for paying out mind-blowing jackpots. All their games are optimized for mobile devices.
NetEnt — NetEntertainment is a renowned software provider with a two-decade-long experience of creating cutting-edge casino games. Their gaming catalog comprises of everything from 3D-animated slots to classic table games.
Quickspin — This Sweden developer focuses on providing visually appealing and entertaining video slots. Some of Quickspin’s finest releases like the Big Bad Wolf are widely popular among Canadian casino enthusiasts.
Evolution Gaming — Known as the King of Live Casino Software, Evolution Gaming is usually the players’ number one choice for live dealer games. This dominant software provider creates games with rich added-value features, catering to all types of players — from beginners to the most discerning VIPs.
Playtech — Playtech is the world’s leading software developer that prides itself on creating engaging and innovative online casino games. Their slots boast some of the highest payout percentages in the industry.
The more software developers a casino has, the more engaging your gambling experience will be. With that in mind, we only consider online casinos that provide titles from over 15 different software providers.
Other Things We Looked At Canadian Casinos
Bonuses, games, and security are the holy trinity of online casinos in Canada. If all those things are up to their quality standards, we are going to recommend that casino to you. However, our research wasn’t limited only to that. We also took a peek at some other things that, although less important, were considered important as well.
Website design — Casinos’ functionality is often reflected in their website design. Apart from looking attractive, Canadian casinos should also make navigation easy for their customers. Everything should be in plain sight and just a few clicks away.
Mobile compatibility — A casino operator without a mobile-friendly platform is going to lose a lot of interest from tech-savvy customers. Having a functional mobile site — or preferably an app — is very important to some players, and that’s why we only give high grades to casinos that work well on iOS and Android devices.
Customer support — We check customer support responsiveness for every website that we include on our list. A casino who cares about its players must have 24/7 live chat, email, and telephone support.
Online Casino Canada FAQ
Are these online casinos in Canada safe?
All online casinos that we listed in this article are safe. They are some of the top brands in the online casino industry, hosting hundreds of Canadian players on a daily basis.
Are online casinos legal in Canada?
There are only a few online casinos that are legal in Canada. However, there are also thousands of offshore casino websites that accept Canadian players. Playing on these sites is completely allowed and you don’t have to fear any legal consequences.
What is the best online casino in Canada?
You can find the list of the best Canadian-friendly online casinos on this page. They all have fantastic bonuses and plenty of games to choose from. If you want to know more details about each operator, browse through our website, and read our casino reviews.
How to deposit real money on a Canadian online casino?
To deposit money into your account, you need to go to the website’s cashier page. From there, you need to choose one of the available payment methods and type in the amount you wish to deposit. Allow the casino several minutes for processing your payment. Once the deposit goes through, you can start playing the games.
Can I play for free in Canadian online casinos?
Most Canadian-friendly online casinos offer demo mode for their games, allowing players to try out the games before playing for real money.
Are offshore casinos safe?
We can’t vouch for the safety of every offshore operator available in Canada, but we can guarantee you that the brands that you’ll find on this page are 100% safe. These highly-secured operators utilize top-notch security measures like SSL encryption and advanced firewalls.
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