Canada's Best Gambling Sites in 2021

Is Online Gambling Legal in Canada?

Online gambling is very much legal in Canada, approved by the federal government and controlled at the provincial level, much in the same way as it is south of the border. 

Each province has one online gambling site which is operated by the provincial government, such as Alberta’s Play Alberta. Only residents of the associated province are allowed to legally play at these online casinos, but Canadian gamblers can also access a rich marketplace of offshore gambling sites. Canadian gambling laws state that it is illegal for privately owned online casinos to operate in the country, but Canadian players are able to log onto these offshore sites and play at their favourite casinos from around the world.   

The laws are, however, starting to change. The Ontario government is in advanced plans to open the province up to greater gambling revenues by allowing the introduction of third-party operated online casinos, meaning that an influx of new Canadian gambling sites will soon be available to play in Ontario. This first-of-its-kind legislation should be seen as the formal legalization of privately owned casino operators in Canada.  

At BestOnlineCasinos.ca, we’ll never encourage punters to place bets at unlicensed or illegal casinos. Our aim is to streamline your search for the best Canadian gambling sites by providing all the relevant information to enable our users to make balanced decisions. So if you’ve found it on BestOnlineCasinos, you know it’s a site you can trust. 

How to Choose a Gambling Site

There are multiple factors to consider before selecting a new gambling site. As gamblers ourselves, we understand this better than anyone – that’s why we rank each of our recommended sites against a list of important online gambling criteria in our reviewing process. These reviews cover the full online gambling experience, allowing our users to prioritize their own preferences. Here are some of the key areas we look at before recommending an online casino. 

Licensing

Most importantly of all, we’ll never recommend an unlicensed casino. Casino licences ensure that players’ sensitive data is secure, and that punters aren’t being exposed to sites that are unfair or unsafe. It’s imperative that online gamblers avoid placing bets at unlicensed casinos, and you can be sure that all of our casino recommendations hold an appropriate licence from a regulatory body. 

Games Library

We favour sites that can offer players a diverse range of online casino games. This includes all the expected classics – slots, table games, poker – as well as depth within these games, and the option to play live dealer titles. Impressive games libraries are also representative of the best game developers in the business, as well as new development talent. 

Bonuses and Promotions

Arguably the biggest attraction of a new gambling site is the quality of its welcome bonus. Following this, the best gambling sites will offer their players a string of consistent and accessible bonuses. We look beyond the surface of these bonuses and examine the terms and conditions to determine their true value. Bonuses are no good to anybody if they’re saddled with excessively stringent T&Cs, and we take this into account before recommending a site.

Customer Experience

When sensitive data is being exchanged, customers understandably want assurances of excellent customer support. In our book, good customer service means making use of multiple communication channels and leaving them open and responsive throughout the majority – if not all – of the day. 

Design and User Experience

Well thought out, carefully designed, and intuitive websites on both mobile and desktop devices score well in this category. When time is of the essence, players want to be able to quickly navigate the site, and enjoy the quality of the design as they do so.

How Do I Sign up to a Canadian Gambling Site?

Here’s how you can sign up to the ideal Canadian gambling site: 

1. Think about what you’re looking for from an online casino 
2. Read our reviews of the top online casinos available in Canada
3. Compare the welcome bonuses on offer 
4. Click through to a site you like the sound of 
5. Sign up and enter your personal information
6. Make a deposit in line with the welcome bonus offer 
7. Place your first wager!

Gambling Games

You’ll find hundreds of different games at the best online gambling sites. Here are some of the most popular. 

Slots

Online casinos are packed full of computerized slot machines. These online video slots work in the same way as mechanical slots, with players spinning the reel (or clicking the button) in the hope of finding winning combinations of symbols. Wagers can be placed from as little as $0.10, while progressive jackpot slots can offer prizes in the millions, but at significantly longer odds. 

Blackjack

Blackjack’s popularity has survived many centuries and it continues to rank as the most played card game at both land-based and online casinos. The aim of blackjack is to attain a hand through a series of bets that gets as close to 21 as possible without exceeding the number and going bust. There are lots of blackjack variants available, and players should pay attention to multi-deck games that increase the casino’s house edge.

Roulette

While 17th century French mathematician Blaise Pascal failed to invent a perpetual motion machine, he inadvertently created one of the world’s most popular casino games: roulette. Players of roulette have the option to wager on low odds outside bets – such as red or black – or high odds inside bets – such as a specific number. You’ll find American, European and French variants at the top Canadian sites, as well as other interesting innovations. 

Poker

Texas Hold’em, Omaha 8, or 7-card Stud – whatever your preferred variant, you can play it online at the best Canadian casinos. Although there are many different poker variants, the hand rankings remain the same in each. The order and sequence of bets – and the number of cards dealt to each player – are the variables, so make sure you’re familiar with the rules before you start committing real money to wagers.

Baccarat

Similar to blackjack, baccarat is a card game where players bet on a hand to get as close to nine as possible. Cards 2-10 hold their face value, while each picture card (jack, queen and king) is worth nothing. Aces will count as one.  

Banking Options at Canadian Gambling Sites

There are several different payment options for players at Canadian gambling sites. Below we outline three of the most widely used. 

Interac

Online Interac payment services act as an intermediary between merchants and banks, meaning that payments can be made quickly and there’s no need to exchange personal data at the point of transaction. This can be handy if you’re looking to place a quick bet, and it also makes transactions less susceptible to hacks. Interac offers high limits on deposits and withdrawals, and fast payouts on the latter, but users of this method will be charged a small fee on transactions. 

eCheck

Once you’ve verified a checking account with your online casino, you can make deposits with eChecks. This process involves the same information as a physical check, and deposits are instant. However, eCheck users aren’t able to withdraw winnings with this method, so it will need to be used in conjunction with another banking option.   

E-Wallets

Skrill and Neteller are just some of the most popular e-wallet options at Canadian gambling sites, and offer high limits on deposits and withdrawals and instant payouts. E-wallet payments are quick, easy and secure, with transactions authorized by a password, email or a PIN number.