If you enjoy sports betting, slots, poker, bingo, or almost any other type of gambling online, you will already know that the legalities of playing change often.
The rules for Canada vary from province to province, we have collated a guide for everything there is to know about the gambling rules in Canada.
How many people enjoy online gambling in Canada?
Online gambling, including bingo, slots, and poker across the globe, is one of the fastest-growing industries. And Canada is no exception. In Canada, there are 1.93 million gamblers enjoying online games; not only that but it is ranked 8th in terms of online gambling spending.
Many regions have already tapped into the profitable business. Alberta, Ontario, and New Brunswick are some of the provinces that are already enjoying gambling to the fullest. Residents in British Columbia can also enjoy online casino games as there are now many different BC sites for players to choose from.
One of the mindblowing figures for the revenue is that Canadians are spending a massive $16 billion in local casinos and a further $4 billion on offshore gambling.
With such big spending numbers, you might be tempted to ask how many Canadians are gambling online? That figure sits around 20 million Canadian residents.
Most Canadian online gamblers are between the ages of 30 and 50, although there is a more significant percentage that is in the younger demographic. The older demographic enjoys playing bingo, but overall, slots are the most played game. And further to those stats, women make up 43% of gamblers, and over half of women play via mobile.
Is it legal to play at online casinos in Canada?
Much like the US, each province has its own rules when it comes to online casinos and gambling. Although casinos are legal, it is essential that each casino has the relevant licenses granted in order to have legal online gambling.
The first fully legal and regulated casino in North America was launched in British Columbia in 2012, and from there, we have seen a spate of other provinces legalize online gambling.
Pre 1969, the only betting that could be done in Canada was horse racing, fair lotteries, and charity lotteries.
Here is an overview of the current gambling standing in each province.
Alberta
Both online and land-based gambling is popular in Alberta for those that are over 18. However, when it comes to sports betting, the maximum spend is $250.
Manitoba
There is a single official online casino for this province; however, you can play at casinos overseas. Like many other provinces, there is a limit of $250 for sports bets.
Quebec
If you are aged 19 or over, you can enjoy any of the nine land-based casinos in Quebec, as well as offshore casinos and the government-run Espacejeux.
British Columbia
In British Columbia, there are several legal kinds of gambling, and they have 15 land-based casinos. For online gambling, the only official method to wager on casino games and sports is through PlayNow, but there is nothing in the law that prevents gamblers from playing with sites situated offshore. Anyone placing sports bets must stick to parlay betting.
New Brunswick
Land-based casinos are legal in New Brunswick; there are 15 land-based casinos to enjoy. For online casinos, you can play legally at offshore websites. And for sports betting, there is a single offering for the residents.
Newfoundland and Labrador
With one of the tightest gambling regulations, you won’t find land-based casinos in the province, and there are no online casinos within their regulations. While there is no law to stop gamblers playing offshore, sports wagers are capped at $250 – but this cap isn’t in place for most offshore websites.
Northwest Territories
While there are no restrictions for land-based casinos, there aren’t any operating here. Sports betting is most popular here, and there are no regulations to prevent residents from playing at offshore sites.
Nova Scotia
The government offers two land-based casinos in the province, and residents are free to join offshore online casinos. However, unlike some of the other provinces, the minimum age to gamble in NS is 19.
Ontario
Ontario has one of the most relaxed sets of rules when it comes to gambling as the market has recently opened up. It is legal to play at land-based casinos – of which they have 24; not only that, but you will find slot machines in many different types of venues. Residents can play at any casino site across the globe, but there is only one regulated through Ontario.
Prince Edward Island
There are no dedicated casinos in action in the province, and there are no regulations in place for online casinos either. The minimum age for playing casino games is 19.
Saskatchewan
While residents can access online casinos based in other countries, online casinos aren’t allowed to be found in Saskatchewan.
Yukon Territory
Casinos are not permitted to operate indefinitely in the Yukon Territory, but temporary gambling establishments are allowed to operate for up to three days. It is allowed to play in internet casinos, although none are licensed or regulated in the country.
What does the future look like for Canadian gambling?
The future of gambling in Canada looks bright; with more regulated casinos both online and off in the pipeline and some provinces relaxing their rules (and seeing profit because of it), it’s likely to keep booming.
Since more provinces allow offshore online gambling, there is likely to be a growth in spending in that area.
