Canada's Best eCheck Casinos

What is an eCheck?

An eCheck is a type of electronic funds transfer (EFT) that is overseen by the Electronic Check Council (ECC) – a US organization that develops solutions enabling the conversion of paper checks into electronic formats. Founded in 1995, the ECC is responsible for the design, monitoring and promotion of these solutions, and has over 140 members made up of financial institutions, vendors, retailers and other associations. 

Also known as electronic cheques, online cheques, or internet cheques, eChecks are the digital versions of physical paper cheques and can be used as a useful depositing method at many Canadian online casinos. eCheck payments are only available to those with a chequing account, which is where the money is electronically withdrawn before being deposited into another designated bank account.

eChecks work in exactly the same way as physical cheques, but processing is automated and therefore much faster. Casino players using eCheck payments will be required to enter their name, bank account number, and bank routing number when submitting an eCheck deposit; the casino will then contact your bank, who will in turn call you to confirm the transaction. This process is slower than other depositing methods at gambling sites, and it can take between 1-3 working days before your funds appear in your casino account.

Why Choose eChecks?

Once you’ve verified your chequing account with your online casino, eCheck deposits are simple, quick, and convenient. Given that eChecks are also tied to a registered chequing account, these payments come with all the security provisions of your banking institution, so users can be confident that they’re at a low risk of fraud or hacking attempts. 

However, there are a few drawbacks to using eCheck deposits at an online casino. Although the act of depositing takes less than a minute, the processing time is slow, and players will have to wait up to three working days before their funds are registered in their casino account. In the best instances, players will only need to wait one day for the eCheck to clear. And like physical cheques, eChecks also have the potential to bounce when there are insufficient funds in the chequing account. 

It’s also worth noting that, depending on your online casino, you may be charged a small fee for depositing with eChecks – be sure to take a look at your casino’s terms when it comes to eCheck payments.

How We Review eCheck Casinos

All of the eCheck casinos we research, review, and ultimately recommend to our readers must first undergo a rigorous assessment by our expert team. There are many different aspects of gambling at an online casino that need to be taken into consideration before a decision is made about where to deposit and play. That’s why we cover all the key areas that will be of interest to our users — so that you can make an informed choice according to your own preferences. Here are our main areas of assessment:

• Licensing – First things first: you’ll never find an unlicensed casino on our site. Licences are the linchpin of online gambling, acting as a guarantee of commitments towards data protection, fair play, and the promotion of responsible gambling. If a casino doesn’t hold a suitable licence, our review stops there.
• Site Design – If your first impressions of a site are poor, it’s unlikely that you’ll return. Good site design is about presenting and organizing the casino’s offering in an attractive and intuitive way, without the presence of bugs or technical hitches. You may not prioritize site design in your list of gambling needs, but it might have a more significant influence than you realize.
• Games Selection – The best eCheck casinos will have an excellent array of games on offer, covering slots, table games, live casino, scratchcards, bingo, and more. We also want to see depth within these categories; for example, in the slots library, are there separate sections for progressive jackpots, classic slots, and the latest additions to the site? This kind of organization often separates the wheat from the chaff.
• Software Coverage – Going hand-in-hand with games selection is variety of software developers. Hosting casino games from a healthy mix of the industry’s software providers is a sure-fire way of offering an eclectic range of titles, styles, and themes. Many casino sites have a tendency to simply repeat what’s come before; by offering games from both the most established names and from younger, smaller studios, online casinos are in a better position to offer a diverse gaming portfolio. 
• Payment Options – Casinos that accept eCheck will also accept a range of other payment options. We like to see as many of these listed in the cashier section as possible, offering customers more choice in how they fund their casino accounts. Bank cards, e-wallets, prepaid cards, bank transfer systems, cryptocurrencies — the more the merrier!
• Customer Support – When there’s an issue with your account, it’s important to know that the casino’s got your back. The best casinos prove this to you through 24/7 live chat facilities — we give top marks to the sites offering such a service in this part of our review. We also like to see phone and email support available for less pressing matters, and the use of social media accounts to answer general queries and keep customers up to date.
• Mobile – Offering a functional mobile-optimized site is par for the course at online casinos these days, so the highest-performing operators in this category distinguish themselves by creating bespoke apps for their members. These apps offer a far superior gambling experience, so we always recommend downloading them where possible.

How to Make eCheck Deposits at Online Casinos

Here’s how you can make a deposit at an eCheck online casino:

1. Consult our recommendations of the best eCheck casinos
2. Read our expert reviews, compare welcome bonus offers, and click through to a site you like
3. Sign up by entering your personal details
4. Once you’ve created an account, head to the cashier page to make a deposit
5. Select the eCheck option, and fill in the required information – this will include your bank account and bank routing numbers
6. Wait for verification processes to be authorized, which will involve a phone call from your bank to confirm – this can take up to three working days
7. Once the deposit has been authorized, the funds will appear in your account
8. Place your first wager!

Bonuses at the Top eCheck Casinos

One of the most effective ways casinos attract new players to sign up to their site is through the welcome bonus offer. Welcome bonuses are very often more generous than standard casino bonuses, and can be made up of different components. Here are some bonus types to look out for – the best eCheck casinos will offer these out on a consistent basis, but remember that terms and conditions will always apply. 

Matched Deposit Bonuses

When you make a deposit under the terms of a matched deposit, your online casino will equal the deposit at a certain percentage and up to a specified limit. For example, new players might receive a matched deposit offer in the region of 100% up to $200, which would see them land a total of $400 in their account following a $200 deposit.

Free Spins Bonuses

Exactly what it says on the tin. Free spin bonuses are issued following a required minimum deposit – for example, 50 free spins when you deposit $20. If you’re not interested in exploring your casino’s collection of slots, then free spins might not be the most valuable bonus for you.

No Wagering Bonuses

Before we can explain what no wagering bonuses are, we first need to talk about wagering requirements – one of the most widespread casino bonus conditions. Wagering requirements determine how many times players must wager their bonuses before they can start collecting any winnings connected to that bonus. Standard wagering requirements are usually set somewhere between 25-40x the value of the bonus, but this will vary across different gambling sites and offers, and they can be much higher.

No wagering bonuses remove this condition. With these bonuses, what you see is what you get – players don’t need to worry about plaything through any wagering requirements, and have a clearer route to converting their bonus into withdrawable winnings. The top online casinos will also offer low wagering bonuses, which are also worth looking out for.

Bonus Terms and Conditions

The best eCheck casinos in Canada shower their members with various bonuses and promotions, kicking things off with a generous welcome offer for new players. Although these bonuses can provide opportunities to win money, they always come with extensive terms and conditions that temper their value. Make sure you read these in full in order to gain an understanding of what you’ll need to do to make a success of a bonus offer. Here are some of the conditions to look out for:

• Payment Exclusions – Due to issues around bonus fraud, most casino sites will exclude deposits made with some of their payment methods from qualifying for the bonus. As a general rule, bank cards tend to always be eligible, but eChecks may be on the excluded list — take a look at the terms before you deposit.
• Wagering Requirements – Almost every online casino bonus is hindered by wagering requirements. This condition requires players who sign up to a bonus to wager the amount a specific number of times before they’re able to claim any potential winnings. For example, if you claim a matched deposit bonus at a value of $20 and it comes with standard wagering requirements of 30x, you’ll need to wager $600 in total before any related profits can be withdrawn.
• Game Restrictions – Not every game in the casino’s library will be eligible to play with bonus funds. Games that tend to be excluded are the ones with particularly high return to player (RTP) percentages, such as single-deck blackjack and French roulette.
• Winning Caps – Online casinos always impose a winning cap on their bonuses, placing a limit on how much players can win from a bonus stake. It’s easy to view these as an annoyance — particularly if you’ve reached the cap — but consider them instead as a sensible on-site limiter. After all, any profit from a bonus is a success.
• Time Limits – Last but not least, the clock will be ticking against your bonus. Actually, to give a more accurate account of time limits, two clocks will be ticking — one set against the completion of the wagering requirements, and one for use of the bonus funds. Depending on the casino, these are set at days, weeks, or months; if the time runs out, any remaining bonus funds will expire.

Alternative Payment Options

As well as eChecks, Canadian gambling sites offer a range of payment options. All of these have their own unique perks and drawbacks, so selecting the right payment method for you comes down to a matter of personal preference. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular options, and what users can expect from them.   

Bank Cards

Whether it’s credit or debit, all Canadian online casinos will accept bank card payments. And while the ubiquity of bank cards is a great benefit of this method, withdrawal times are the slowest of all banking options, sometimes taking up to seven working days before funds are credited to the designated account. 

Interac

Casino players can also use their Interac accounts to make deposits and withdrawals. Both of Interac’s e-transfer and online services are supported at Canadian casinos, though you might not find both options available at one site. Interac e-transfer is more widely accepted, but Interac online is the quicker option of the two, transferring funds directly from one bank account to another.  

ecoPayz

If you like the idea of using an e-wallet at your online casino, ecoPayz is a good option that’s widely available at Canadian gambling sites. It offers lightning quick deposits without the need to exchange any bank information, and can also facilitate fast payouts – players who request a withdrawal with this method will receive their winnings within 24 hours. 

Wire Transfers

Wire transfers are similar to Interac online payments, sending money directly from one account to another. Since there’s no third-party involvement, wire transfers are less likely to be susceptible to malpractice and hacking attempts, and are widely accepted at Canadian casinos. Although deposit speed and limits are both high, withdrawals are among the slowest of all payment options.

Pay by Phone Bill

Mobile players might like the idea of paying for their deposits by simply entering their mobile phone number at the cashier page. If so, then pay by phone bill services are a quick and convenient payment option, with your mobile network provider picking up the tab on your behalf, before billing your deposits to your mobile account at the end of the month. Deposit limits are strict, and users aren’t able to make any withdrawals.

Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

Modern online gambling means making use of modern banking technologies, which is why cryptocurrencies are now on the payment method menus at some Canadian casino sites. Bitcoin is the most available of these, but you may also find casinos that accept Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, and Dogecoin. The main attraction of using cryptocurrencies at a casino is the speed of transaction, which is instant on both the depositing and withdrawing ends. 

If you’re interested in using this payment method, make sure you carry out some initial research first. Cryptocurrency values aren’t tied to any material commodity, so trading with them is considered less economically secure than with traditional currencies. Our cryptocurrency guide to iGaming in Canada is a good place to start.

Examples of Top eCheck Casinos

Looking for a top eCheck casino in Canada? The recommendations below are four high-performing sites according to our ranking criteria. 

Ruby Fortune

Launched in 2003, Ruby Fortune has been dazzling its members for almost two decades. The standout feature of this online casino is its loyalty points program: every wager you make at the site will be rewarded with loyalty points, which can be exchanged for casino-based prizes. As you progress through the ranks, you’ll receive tailored bonuses, faster point-earning potential, invitations to competitions, dedicated account support, and ultimately, a seat at the Privé table. 

Ruby Fortune offers a 100% matched deposit up to $250 on each of a new player’s first three deposits, generating a maximum of $750 in bonus funds. The casino will also throw 2,500 loyalty points your way once you’ve made your first bet. With 24/7 live chat support and a bunch of on-site tournaments to enjoy, this is a well-rounded, player-first online casino. 

Royal Vegas

Fans of Microgaming will enjoy the Royal Vegas experience. This casino has a unique partnership with the godfather developer of online casino games, and you’ll find many of its most prized titles on site, including the progressive jackpot slot Mega Moolah, standard video slots like Immortal Romance and Thunderstruck II, and a range of table games. Games from developers like NetEnt and Red Tiger Gaming add variety to the catalogue, and there’s a live casino section supplied by masters of the genre, Evolution Gaming. 

When you first enter the Royal Vegas world, you’ll be struck by the size of the welcome offer: 100% up to $300 matched deposit bonuses on your first four deposits, offering the potential for $1,200 in bonus credit. This is a huge offer by anyone’s standards, but be aware that the 70x wagering requirements will have a big impact on any success, putting a cash withdrawal out of reach for most. This casino offers 24/7 customer support through its live chat facility and over the phone, and mobile gamblers can download the dedicated native app on both iOS and Android devices. 

Yukon Gold

At Yukon Gold, there’s an interesting approach to welcome offers. When you deposit your first $10, you’ll receive $37.50 in bonus credit. It’s an unusual total, but this is an unusual promotion — the bonus funds can then only be used in wagers worth $0.30. You’ll have 125 of these wagers, which is why the offer is framed as ‘125 chances to win’. There’s also a 100% matched deposit bonus up to $150 available on your second deposit. 

This is another casino that rewards players with a loyalty points scheme, but there’s an edge to redeeming prizes here. Yukon Gold is part of the Casino Rewards Loyalty Program — a network of online casinos that share loyalty points reward shops — so you can use the points you’ve accrued at Yukon Gold and spend them elsewhere, if you please. Live chat is available 24/7, and there’s also a helpful list of RTP percentages for every single one of Yukon’s 550+ games.   

Zodiac Casino

Ever wanted a free run at Microgaming’s seminal progressive jackpot slot, Mega Moolah? Well, with Zodiac Casino’s welcome bonus, that’s exactly what you’ll get. Deposit just $1 or more on your first deposit, and you’ll receive 80 free spins to take on safari, each worth $0.25. After that, Zodiac also offers matched deposits on your next four deposits, as follows: 

• 100% up to $100 on the second
• 50% up to $80 on the third
• 50% up to $150 on the fourth
• 50% up to $150 on the fifth

Zodiac is another member of the Casino Rewards Loyalty Program, which means you can redeem your loyalty points for casino-based prizes at all registered sites. There’s 24/7 support available, and a full list of RTP rates for all of its games.