The Best New Online Casinos in Canada

Slots are the most popular online casino game, closely followed by table games. Table games are those that pit players against the house, as opposed to a game like poker which positions players against each other. Among the biggest table games include the card games blackjack and baccarat, the dice games craps and sic bo, and the famous roulette wheel. All of these games – and their numerous variations – will be available to play at the best new online Canadian casinos. 

Live dealer casinos serve as hybrids between brick-and-mortar and online casinos. At a live dealer casino, players use video streaming technology to transport themselves to an authentic casino setting where they can interact with a professional croupier in real time. The innovation of live dealer games came to fruition just over a decade ago, offering players a more personalized alternative to the fast-paced world of casino sites. Since then, software developers like Evolution Gaming have sprung up exclusively for the live dealer market, concentrating all their efforts on creating live dealer games.

Free spin bonuses are typically contingent on a minimum deposit, and offers will look something like ‘100 free spins when you deposit $50’. When it comes to free spins, wagering requirements are calculated against the amount you win with your bonus spins rather than the bonus’s monetary value.

Much like your typical welcome bonus, minus the deposit! If this looks like free money, remember that the T&Cs are likely to be more stringent. Still, a handful of cash or free spins with no commitment on your part is a nice way to get acquainted with a new site and its features.

In a similar fashion, new online casinos in Canada may also introduce tournaments to bring a competitive edge to the site. These are usually targeted at the slots, but you may also find tournaments aimed at the site’s collection of table games. 

For slots tournaments, players compete against one another for their share of a fixed jackpot prize. As you spin the reels, your scores will be posted onto a leaderboard for the duration of the tournament. The player who tops the list will take home the largest share of the jackpot, but there are often smaller prizes for those finishing in lower positions — this can sometimes stretch all the way down to the 20th place. 

The casino will select which game it wants to promote via a tournament — it may be one of its latest additions, or simply the casino’s most popular slot at that moment. While most tournaments require players to opt-in, you may find that spinning the reels of the selected slot will automatically see your score posted on the leaderboard, meaning you won’t miss out on prizes if your luck’s in.

Virtual reality (VR) has been a buzzword in gaming technology for decades, but it’s finally starting to be deployed at new Canadian casinos. VR immerses players in simulated representations of reality, creating new territory for game developers to explore. Evolution Gaming’s Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt — the latest iteration of the hugely successful NetEnt slot, Gonzo’s Quest — is the first casino game to make use of VR technology. In this live game show-style title, the eponymous hero will merge the worlds of 16th century South America with wherever you happen to be playing. You’ll need a VR headset and a controller to play this version of the game, but it’s a trend that will only grow in popularity in the coming years.

Evolution’s meteoric rise in the industry is thanks in large part to the success of the live dealer genre of casino game, where players can watch a live stream of their favourite games from real casino environments. It’s a trend that developed in the mid 2000s and owes almost its entire existence to this developer, which carved a profitable niche in this new frontier of online gambling. Today, Evolution’s games are found in all of the best online casinos in Canada, and its acquisitions of NetEnt and Red Tiger Gaming in 2020 have strengthened its position in the industry. 

Play’n GO was founded back in 1997 but pivoted its direction after the establishment of mobile gambling. Prior to this, Play’n GO developed all manner of casino games, but now it focuses exclusively on high-quality slots. Visually engaging, well-conceived, and expertly delivered, Play’n GO slots are some of the most popular in the industry, and include the likes of Reactoonz, Fire Joker, and the Rich and Cat Wilde series. 

Introducing itself to the online casino world at the turn of the last century, Playtech quickly became one of the most prominent developers in the industry. Through exclusive rights deals with the likes of Warner Bros and DC, Playtech was able to create unique slots based on the most famous products of these major studios, including Gladiator, The Matrix, and various superhero franchises such as The Dark Knight trilogy. 

Last but certainly not least, Microgaming claims to have invented both the world’s first online casino software and mobile casino software. Other developers dispute this claim, but one thing is for sure: Microgaming is practically synonymous with online gambling. This developer was founded in 1994 and creates the full range of casino games. In its slots catalogue, some of its best titles include Immortal Romance, the Thunderstruck series, and the safari-themed progressive jackpot slot, Mega Moolah.