Canadians are prolific gamblers. The latest statistics show that the average annual gambling spending per household is CA$1,000, imagine that!
The country has over 60 land-based casino venues, though online gambling regulations are not singular and can easily confuse the average player.
Our team created this guide after months’ worth of firsthand testing of online casinos and legal research. Continue below for the best online casinos in Canada, games, bonuses, regulations, and more.
Online Casino Shortlist – the best gambling sites in Canada
We have casino testers and expert reviewers residing in Canada. They had the pleasure of gambling online at several venues over the years. Some of them turned out great, while others not so much.
Since slots and casino gaming are mostly performed at offshore sites in Canada, it is important to conduct thorough background checks to ensure the casino is licensed and treats its users fairly.
The following list has been curated to only showcase CA online casinos that passed our vetting process and have amassed positive user ratings.
AU$3,000
200 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
⚡️4000 AUD
🎰 +400 Free Spins
TOP3 Best casino offer in AU
AU$3000
300 Free Spins
⚡️750 AUD
🎰 +200 Free Spins
New casino offer in AU
$25 FREE CHIP
Code: 25JOURNEY
WGR: 60x / Max. cash-out: $180
AU$4,500
+150 Free Spins
* 🎡 Crypto Wheel!
A$1000
+ 100FREE Spins * for Aztec Magic Deluxe (BGaming) or The Hive by BSG
💰 4000 AUD
+ 🆓 150 Free Spins
🇭🇲TOP3 Best casino offer in AU
Online Gambling in Canada – rules and regulations
Gambling is prevalent in Canada. Popular betting activities include lottery, sports, race tracks, casinos, bingo, and charitable gambling.
Lotteries first became legal throughout Canada after a Criminal Code reform in 1969. In 1985, the Federal Government ruled that each province would be responsible for regulating gambling activities.
Land-based casinos, betting shops, lotteries, and race courses are widespread in most Canadian provinces. Ontario was the first (on April 4, 2022) and only province with regulated online gambling. Rest provinces have state-owned gambling sites such as PlayNow, Sport Select, and Pro-Line. Betting there comes with significant restrictions, such as daily limits of CA$250 and no single-game bets. The minimum age to gamble in Canada varies per province, set at 18 in more liberal states and 19 in the majority.
Except for Ontario, most Canadians gamble at online casinos and betting sites based offshore. There are no laws against this practice and solid operators cater to this market. Before we expand on their services, here is a quick overview of the Canadian gambling landscape:
| Province | Regulatory Bodies | Online Casinos | Online Sportsbooks | Offshore Gambling? | Land-Based Casinos | Minimum Age |
| New Brunswick | New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation and Gaming; Liquor & Security Licensing Branch | / | Pro-Line | Yes | 3 | 19 |
| Manitoba | Liquor, Gaming & Cannabis Authority; Manitoba Gambling Control Commission | PlayNow | Sport Select | Yes | 6 | 18 |
| British Columbia | Gaming Policy & Enforcement Branch; British Columbia Lottery Corporation | PlayNow | PlayNow | Yes | 17 | 19 |
| Alberta | Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission | PlayAlberta | PlayAlberta | Yes | 25 | 18 |
| Ontario | AGCO (Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario); Ontario Lottery & Gaming | DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, Caesars, BetRivers, and more | DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, Caesars, BetRivers, and more | No | 31 | 19 |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation | / | Pro-Line | Yes | 2 | 19 |
| Prince Edward Island | Consumer, Corporate & Insurance Div. | / | Pro-Line | Yes | 1 | 19 |
| Quebec | Quebec Lottery Corporation; Quebec Alcohol, Racing, and Gaming Commission | Espacejeux | Mise-O-Jeu | Yes | 10 | 18 |
| Saskatchewan | Indigenous Gaming Regulators; Saskatchewan Liquor & Gaming Authority | / | Sport Select | Yes | 9 | 19 |
| Northwest Territories | Department of Municipal & Community Affairs; Northwest Territories Liquor, Gaming & Cannabis Commission | / | / | Yes | / | 19 |
| Nunavut | Department of Health | / | / | Yes | / | 19 |
| Yukon | Professional Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Division; Charitable Gaming Licensing | / | / | Yes | 1 | 19 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Consumer Affairs Div. | / | Pro-Line | Yes | Illegal | 19 |
Things to Know About Canada Online Casinos
Online casinos bring unparalleled convenience which is why most Canadians choose to gamble this way. Some of the main features you will encounter when gambling online include:
- Registration
- Verification
- Deposits
- Bonuses
- Games
- Withdrawals
- Customer Support
To begin, you must ensure you are over the minimum gambling age in your state. Most offshore online casinos accept 18+ users.
Then, visit the online casino and tap on the registration area. Enter the required details carefully and register your new account. I always advise players to verify their address and identity right off the bat to avoid delays when trying to cash out.
The next step is going over the bonus rules, identifying the minimum deposit required and what you will get in return. Select a payment method from the cashier and apply the requested details. The real money funds and bonus should be credited after a short delay.
CA online casinos we recommend to you are partnered with numerous gaming studios. This translates into rich gaming lobbies with thousands of games across several categories. Take LeoVegas for instance, it boasts a selection of 2,000 slots, 100+ single-play table games, live casino games, sports betting, and jackpots. You can select any and play for real money or test them in demo.
Withdrawals become available when wagering requirements are cleared and you have provided all KYC documentation. Payouts are usually processed within three days thereafter. Online casinos available for Canadians are compatible with all devices. You can experience the above features via desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Some let you install dedicated apps too!
Any issues you encounter when gambling online can be addressed to the casino’s support team via live chat or email. Help centres, phone, and social media support might also be available.
Quick Facts for Canadian Gamblers
| Are online casinos legal in Canada? | Regulated in Ontario; State-owned casinos in the majority of provinces; Offshore casinos are also permitted |
| Licensing body | Varies per province; offshore online casinos hold MGA, UKGC, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Curacao eGaming licenses |
| Popular gaming options | Online slots, progressive jackpots, live casino, crash games |
| Payment methods | Interac, Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Trustly, Wire Transfer |
| Gaming vendors | Big Time Gaming, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, High 5 Games, IGT |
| Best brands | Wazamba, NeedForSpin, Wild Tokyo, 7Signs, BetAndPlay, North Casino |
| Top bonus | CA$5000 + 300 Free Spins at BetAndPlay |
Canada Online Casinos We Recommend
Every online casino operator can take a unique approach in terms of design, theme, interface, and bonuses.
Yet, the majority of CA online casinos we’ve approved feature similar games, registration, support, and banking options. It appears that the gold standard for a successful online casino has been set.
The following sections shed light on the areas we review when testing casinos. I use BetAndPlay, a hugely popular offshore online casino in Canada, as a benchmark. Read on to know what to expect at approved CA online casinos and when independently evaluating operators.
Good range of local payment systems
Deposits and withdrawals are essential to online gambling. Casinos must set up a user-friendly cashier through which players can select from a variety of banking methods to add money and cash out their winnings. Operators accepting Canadian players must partner with international and local gateways to ensure fee-free, fast, and secure transactions.
BetAndPlay supports instant deposits from CA$10 through Interac, Visa, Bank Transfer, MuchBetter, Neosurf, INSTADEBIT, MiFINITY, Jeton, and Crypto. The majority of these can also be used for withdrawals. Payouts take up to 24 hours to be processed internally, and the money reaches you in less than 72 hours.
100% safe & legal
The only province handing out local licenses is Ontario. Operators who opt for one cannot accept Canadian players from other provinces. This is why most international casinos choose to market their services to the whole country except for Ontario. To that end, they utilise their preexisting licenses issued by the MGA, UKGC, or Curacao.
Before recommending BetAndPlay, our team verified that their e-gaming license issued to Dama N.V. by Antillephone N.V. is valid. This means that they passed the benchmarks set by authority and you can contact this body if any issues occur.
Hefty bonuses with fair T&Cs
Casinos welcome new players with welcome offers, in most cases deposit bonuses and free spins. Existing players see free spins, reload bonuses, cashback, and VIP rewards come their way. A casino bonus is as good as its terms. Our team ensures the wagering requirements and game restrictions are according to the industry standard before promoting any offers.
New BetAndPlay users can grab deposit bonuses and free spins up to CA$2500 + 250 free spins across their first four payments. 50% reload bonuses and free spins await every Monday, Wednesday and Weekend. Referring a friend and playing selected Pragmatic Play games may lead to additional perks.
Excellent customer service, around-the-clock support
Players often need help at online casinos. A game might keep crushing or a withdrawal request fail to pass the internal check. We evaluate the customer support department to ensure help is at hand when problems arise.
Live chat, email, FAQs, contact form, and a help centre are all present at BetAndPlay. Although the type of support and response time ranges, the variety of options ensures players will find the answers they need. Some Canadian online casinos provide phone support, too, which we welcome.
Numerous, quality gaming options
There are three main types of online casinos in Canada. Small offshore brands with weak licenses issued by Panama, Costa Rica, and Kahnawake typically host 200 – 300 games powered by Rival, Dragon Gaming, RealTime Gaming, and Saucify. Such casinos are not recommended by us.
Licensed Ontario gambling sites are excellent because they host numerous games from tightly regulated gaming vendors and local providers/studios. However, their reach is limited.
Offshore online casinos we recommend utilise state-of-the-art software (i.e., Softswiss) with numerous gaming studio partnerships. For instance, BetAndPlay features nearly 100 gaming studios, translating into over 10,000 games. Slots, live dealer games, bonus buy, jackpots, crypto, tabletop games, and more categories are covered.
International casino sites accepting Canadians utilise the freedom provided by their more laxed gaming authority and partner with up-and-coming and established gaming vendors. This ensures the versatility of options. To illustrate this point, BetAndPlay features games by Evolution, Novomatic, Play’n GO, Microgaming, and Hacksaw; and from smaller studios like Tornado Games, 7Mojos, Apparat, Bad Dingo, Belatra, and PG Soft.
Best Online Casino Bonuses for New Canadian Players
AU$3,000
200 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
⚡️4000 AUD
🎰 +400 Free Spins
TOP3 Best casino offer in AU
AU$3000
300 Free Spins
⚡️750 AUD
🎰 +200 Free Spins
New casino offer in AU
$25 FREE CHIP
Code: 25JOURNEY
WGR: 60x / Max. cash-out: $180
AU$4,500
+150 Free Spins
* 🎡 Crypto Wheel!
A$1000
+ 100FREE Spins * for Aztec Magic Deluxe (BGaming) or The Hive by BSG
💰 4000 AUD
+ 🆓 150 Free Spins
🇭🇲TOP3 Best casino offer in AU
All sorts of bonuses are available at Canadian online casinos. Most of our readers select gambling operators based on this criterion. Although we don’t recommend ignoring the gambling services and focusing on a single aspect, we understand the allure of free money.
This page showcases the welcome bonuses we consider the best across all online casinos in Canada. They typically involve a deposit bonus. How it works is you deposit CA$100 and the casino doubles the amount with CA$100 free money. Free rolls for selected slot games are often thrown into the mix as an added incentive.
Reload bonuses and free spins for existing players work in the same fashion. Offers reserved for returning players are usually smaller, though. Cashback and VIP rewards are my personal best deals at CA online casinos.
Indifferent to the bonus, you should look under the hood before opting in. Crucial aspects to evaluate include the wagering requirement, playthrough, game restrictions, cash-out limits, and expiration. If these parameters don’t negatively influence your gaming, you should 100% claim the bonuses featured by the casino of your choice.
Disclaimer: No deposit bonuses found in other markets, like the US, are not widespread in Canada. Such offers typically provide a free cash amount or spins after registration. They are heavily restricted in terms of application and winnings, yet free money never goes out of style. When we find good no deposit deals for Canadian players we’ll update this space.
Land-Based Casinos in Canada
| Best Casinos in Canada | Province | Gaming options | Established in |
| Montreal Casino | Quebec | 3,000 slot machines and 80 gaming tables | 1993 |
| Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto | Ontario | 4,800 slot machines and 145 table games | 2023 |
| Casino Niagara | Ontario | 1,500 slot machines and 40 card tables | 1996 |
| Casino Rama Resort | Ontario | 2,500 slot machines and 100 table games | 1996 |
| St. Eugene Golf Resort and Casino | British Columbia | 200 slot machines and 20 table games | 2000 – 2003 |
| River Cree Resort and Casino | Alberta | 1,300 slot machines and 40 table games | 2006 |
| South Beach Casino & Resort | Manitoba | 570 slot machines and 200 table games | 2005 |
I’ve discovered over 60 casinos throughout Canada during my research.
These venues are located in Indian reservations or outside the city centres to not disrupt the daily lives of residents. Some of the largest and most prestigious resort casinos can be found in Canada, and I’ve listed some iconic venues above.
Read Our Reviews & Compare Casinos in Canada
I have created this guide after years of engaging with online casinos open to Canadians. Provincial casino rules and regulations often change, and Ontario marked a significant shift towards a more regulated gambling environment.
For now, the vast majority of punters will find a home at offshore online casinos. I have listed the ones I consider the safest and best digital destinations on this page.
You can read my in-depth operator reviews or utilise the info provided throughout this guide to get started on the right foot. Get in touch for any queries.
The following guides unpack other gambling markets, check them out to compare the Canadian gambling landscape to how other countries approach the same.
