Canada's Best Gambling Sites in 2023

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 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. In 2021, the C-218 amendments to the Criminal Code Canadian law allowed single-game sports betting, which was previously only available as a parlay through provincial lotteries. The Ontario government launched its legal and regulated online gambling market in April 2022, meaning that an influx of new Canadian gambling sites will soon be available to play in the province. This first-of-its-kind legislation should be seen as the formal legalization of privately owned casino operators in Canada. 

There are also regulatory bodies like the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which regulates and licenses online gambling sites hosted in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec. In order to receive a license, a gambling site must be hosted on Mohawk Internet Technologies servers located in the territory.

Both online and retail gambling is legal in the following jurisdictions:

• Alberta – online/retail
• British Columbia – online/retail
• Manitoba – online/retail
• Nova Scotia – online/retail
• New Brunswick – online/retail
• Newfoundland and Labrador – online/retail
• Ontario – online/retail
• Prince Edward Island – online/retail
• Quebec – online/retail

The remaining four jurisdictions only permit retail gambling:

• Northwest Territories – retail only
• Nunavut – retail only
• Saskatchewan – retail only
• Yukon – retail only

Of course, offshore sites remain an option in all jurisdictions.

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. Online casino 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 poker 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’ve outlined some 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 casino 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 casino 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

While players in other countries can use a wide range of e-wallets to meet their online gambling needs, this is unfortunately not the case for Canadians. There’s a lot of misinformation around the subject that further confuses matters, so here’s the bottom line: PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller can’t be used for online gambling deposits or withdrawals in Canada. ecoPayz can still be used for online gambling transactions. 

According to PayPal’s policies, it only accepts gambling transactions in jurisdictions where online gambling is regulated. With the legal landscape shifting in Canada, perhaps we could see PayPal permit transactions at Canadian gambling sites in the future, but it’s not allowed for now. 

Skrill and Neteller — both owned by the Paysafe Group — also don’t permit online gambling transactions with their e-wallet services and haven’t done for a long time, with Skrill changing its policy at the beginning of 2014 and Neteller pulling out of the Canadian market some time before that. It’s presumed these services are unavailable for the same reason as PayPal: a hesitance to operate in a grey market. 

So, who does that leave? ecoPayz can still be used for gambling transactions in Canada. It’s favoured by many due to its strong security and convenience. You won’t need to enter any bank details at the site — just log in with your username and password to check out securely and quickly. 

Debit Cards

One of the easiest ways to make a deposit at a Canadian gambling site is with a debit card. Most punters have access to one already and are familiar with using it for online transactions. All it takes is keying in the 16-digit card number, expiry date, CVC, and confirming the transaction. The two main card issuers are Visa and Mastercard, with both seeing widespread support at Canadian casinos and sportsbooks.

Deposits are generally instant, but you’ll need to wait a bit longer for withdrawals. Once you’ve requested a cash-out, you can expect the money to hit your account in 3–5 business days. Another drawback is the need to share your card details with the gambling site — while all our recommended sites are 100% licensed and safe, some players would prefer to keep their sensitive banking information private.

Sports Betting at Canadian Gambling Sites

It’s not just casino games you can bet on at Canadian gambling sites. There are plenty of sportsbooks too, letting you wager on all manner of events. Below, we’ve run through the typical sports betting options you’re likely to find at any Canadian sportsbook.

Available Sports

Whether it’s popular North American games like football and basketball, international events like horse racing, or even more niche sports like volleyball and badminton, you’re bound to find something that takes your fancy at one of our top Canadian gambling sites. Common sports you’ll find include:

• NBA Basketball
• NHL Hockey
• NFL and CFL Football
• Soccer including MLS and CPL, La Liga, the Premier League, and the World Cup
• Esports like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Horse racing
• Virtual betting on simulated events

Betting Markets

Within each sport or event, you’ll also find different types of bets you can make — some are simple and others are more complex. Here are a few you’ll see most often at Canadian gambling sites. 

Moneyline

What many would think of when it comes to sports betting, a moneyline is sometimes known as a head-to-head or straight-up bet. You’re betting on the team or player to win the match, like the Toronto Maple Leafs to beat the Boston Bruins — pick correctly and you’ll win. 

Point Spread

When you bet on point spread, you’re betting on a team to win or lose by a certain number of points. Let’s say the Raptors are playing the Celtics with the following point spread: 

• Toronto Raptors -5
• Boston Celtics +5

Raptors are the favourite, ‘giving five’ — they need to win by at least six points for your bet to come good. However, bet on the Celtics who are ‘getting five’ and they need to either win the game or lose by less than six points for your bet to win. If the Raptors win by exactly five points, it’s a push and all bets are refunded.

Totals

Sometimes called over/under bets, totals are bets on a specific aspect of the game, commonly how many points, runs, or goals will be scored. For example, you might bet on over 5.5 goals to be scored in an upcoming Oilers v Kings match. A final score of 3–3 would see your bet win as that’s six goals in total — over the threshold. Depending on the sport, there can be many different totals markets. Take soccer: you can also bet on things like the number of yellow or red cards given.

Parlay Bets

Parlay bets are a special kind of bet where you chain together multiple different wagers. Also called accas, accumulators, or multis, these bets come with much longer odds for a chance at a huge payout. Of course, every bet needs to come good for you to win — drastically lowering your chances of success.

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 reels in the hope of landing winning combinations of symbols. Wagers can be placed from as little as 5¢–10¢, while progressive jackpot slots can offer prizes in the millions, but at significantly longer odds. 

RTP and Variance

When you’re picking a slot, it’s good to have an understanding of RTP and variance so you can choose a game to suit your style of play. RTP stands for Return to Player, and it’s the percentage of money bet on the game that’s paid back out to players on average over the long term. Say you’re playing a slot with 95% RTP — for every $100 wagered, $95 is paid back out in prizes. It’s important to remember this number is theoretical and based on millions of spins, so it’s unlikely to bear out during a standard play session.

Consider the variance too and you’ll get a full picture of how the slot pays out. Also known as volatility, this is a rough idea of how often you’ll hit wins and how big they’ll be. On average, low-variance slots will pay out smaller wins more frequently, while a slot with higher volatility will pay out less often but in larger amounts. Typically, low volatility is better suited for those on a smaller budget as you’re more likely to land some wins before you burn through your bankroll.

If you’re looking for some ideas on where to start, here are a few of the best slots to try at Canadian gambling sites:

Top Slots for High RTP

• Ugga Bugga by Playtech – 99.07% RTP
• Mega Joker by NetEnt – 99% RTP

Top Slots for Special Features

• Immortal Romance by Microgaming – 96.68% RTP
• Deadwood xNudge by Nolimit City – 96.03% RTP

Top Slots for Low Volatility

• Starburst by NetEnt – 96.1% RTP
• Reel King Mega by Red Tiger – 96.17% RTP

Top Progressive Jackpot Slots

• Mega Moolah by Microgaming – 88.12% RTP
• Age of the Gods: God of Storms by Playtech Vikings – 96.14% RTP

Mobile Gambling Sites

With smartphones playing such a significant role in our lives today, it comes as no surprise that there are plenty of mobile gambling sites available. With a mobile-optimized site or app, punters can play their favourite games on the go or place a sports bet without missing any of the action. 

At BestOnlineCasinos, we expect any online gambling site worth its salt to be compatible with a range of operating devices and systems, whether it’s through the mobile browser or a dedicated app you can install. In either case, functionality should mirror that of a full desktop site — that means the same range of payment options, access to customer support, account management tools, not to mention a strong selection of games and betting markets. 

As a quick word of warning, while they’re highly convenient, mobile gambling sites do make it easy to pick up and play at any time — which can encourage problem gambling and addiction. Always keep a close eye on how much time and money you spend on gambling, and make use of on-site limiters to ensure the hobby remains healthy. 

Why Play at a Mobile Gambling Site?

There are plenty of great reasons to gamble on your mobile:

• Play anywhere, any time – Whether you’re on the bus or the couch, you won’t have to be at the desk to place a bet
• Fast loading times – With solid 4G connection speeds and lightning-fast 5G rolling out, you won’t be kept waiting by loading screens or sluggish gameplay
• Choice of games and betting markets – Top mobile casinos and sportsbooks give players access to all the same games and betting markets they’d have on desktop
• Safety – Mobile gambling sites must be regulated and licensed just as desktop sites are, and all our top picks at BestOnlineCasinos are 100% safe and legitimate

Apps vs Mobile Sites

You might be wondering what the difference is between mobile gambling apps and sites. With an app, you’re likely going to get the most robust experience, as every gambling app has been designed from the ground up with touch screen handsets in mind. The best gambling apps give punters access to all the same games or sports markets they’d get on the desktop or mobile site, all accessible within a few taps. 

Bonus hunters will want to take note of one key feature of mobile gambling apps: push notifications. When you enable these, you’ll get pinged every time a new offer appears in your account, ensuring you never miss out, whether it’s a juicy reload offer, a bundle of no deposit free spins, or a risk-free bet on the upcoming match. 

That said, mobile sites do win out in some areas, namely compatibility. As they’re accessed via your phone’s mobile browser and built with the latest HTML5 technology, they’re agnostic of operating system and device. Gambling apps are generally only available for iOS and Android handsets — and sometimes only one or the other — so if you use something else, a mobile gambling site will be your best bet. The same goes for tablets: mobile apps aren’t always optimized for their larger screens so a site may offer a more user-friendly experience. There’s also no need to download anything, which is an advantage if storage space is at a premium.

Here’s a quick round-up of the pros and cons of each option: