If you’re looking for the best Canadian online gambling sites, you’ve found the most honest, legitimate source for that information on the internet. If you’re like us, you’re tired of visiting banner farms with barely readable sentences masquerading as useful information. That’s why we’ve created this resource, and that’s why we think you’ll find it useful.

Canada’s favorite guide for top gambling sites do not charge any deposit for registration. They are strict to the rule: no deposit casino bonus codes instant play. But they will charge you some to access the incentive if you want to transfer it to your casino.

Our editors, researchers, and writers have years of experience and know-how specifically related to the top Canadian online gambling sites. We’re experts in all kinds of gambling games, including table games like blackjack, craps, and roulette. We’re also knowledgeable about gambling machines like slots and video poker. Our goal is to combine that expertise with our knowledge of gambling in Canada to create the web’s premier resource for Canadian gamblers. But why would you need such a guide?

• It is legal to place sports bets online in Canada, but the laws surrounding sports betting sites state that any gambling website based and located in Canada must hold a government-issued gambling.
• Canada vs U.S: It is clearly illegal in Canadian law to operate an online casino/gaming site from within Canada (i.e. Legally formalized there, playing servers located there) without a license. However within the Criminal Code of Canada there are no laws that explicitly address offshore gaming sites.

How We Help Canadian Gamblers

After all, can’t you find countless gambling sites that accept bets from Canada?

Sure, you can. The problem is that not all of these sites are trustworthy. Some sites have wonky random number generators that don’t produce truly random results. Some of them have legitimate random number generators but lousy customer service, slow payout times, and unrealistic bonus requirements.

We’ve done the research to provide you with recommendations about which Canadian gambling sites offer the best player experience. Our combined decades of experience in the industry make us uniquely qualified to provide such recommendations.

In other words, we only provide recommendations for the top Canadian online gambling sites.

But we provide more than just reviews and recommendations. You’ll also find countless how-to guides for gambling games, sports betting tips, picks, and advice, and even insights into how the industry is evolving over time.

We’re also thoroughly modern in our approach. We understand that many, if not most, of our readers, are placing bets on a smartphone or other mobile devices, too.

Best Canada Gambling Sites by Province and Territory

You’ll find plenty of so-called Canada gambling sites guides which purport to offer the best choices for Canadian gamblers, but many of them just offer a blanket list of sites that are best for the entire country. They ignore the fact that Canada is actually made up of 10 provinces and 3 territories, each of which has its own character and laws regarding online gambling games.

One of the things we do is offer recommendations to our Canadian readers organized by their location. All the sites suggested have been editorially chosen on the basis of how suitable they are for our audience there, as well as having been carefully vetted for reliability, trustworthiness, and integrity.

We offer recommendations for each of the following provinces:

We also offer recommendations for these territories:

Here’s the great news about the market in Canada, too-you’ll find more options than people in other countries when it comes to choosing Canada-focused online casino sites. Be sure to visit our (forthcoming) specific guides for each of the provinces and territories by clicking on the links.

Canada Gambling Laws – Can You Gamble Legally in the Country?

One of the first questions most beginning online gamblers ask is whether it’s legal for them to gamble online. Laws change constantly everywhere, of course, but we make a concerted effort to offer only the most up-to-date information about Canada gambling laws.

It’s beyond the scope of this specific page to provide you with everything you need to know about every aspect of gambling law in Canada, but we can provide you with general information. You can click on the links to the other pages in this section for specifics about gambling law in specific provinces and territories.

Online Gambling Canada

The basic rule of thumb related to gambling legalities in the entire country is that gambling is illegal if it’s not licensed by the Canadian government in some way.

Prior to 1970, gambling in Canada was almost exclusively operated by organized crime organizations. As laws changed, more organizations became authorized by the Canadian government to offer certain kinds of gambling to Canadian citizens.

In 1985, the provinces and territories were also given authority to regulate specific types of gambling like lotteries and slot machines.

Illegal gambling in Canada consists of activities like running a betting company without a license or cheating at any game of chance in an attempt to defraud another party.

These are serious offenses where the federal government is concerned. You can go to prison for up to 5 years for violating some of these, but most offenses aren’t so strict. Most gambling offenses carry a maximum term of 2 years. Some of them only see fines of up to $5000 and 6 months in prison.

But none of these laws make it illegal for a Canadian citizen to place a bet online or play a slot machine on the internet.

Choosing the Top Canadian Online Gambling Sites

The first step to choosing the appropriate gambling site is understanding what your goals are. If you only want to play poker and bet on sports, signing up for a casino that only offers slot machine games is probably the wrong choice-even if the casino in question has the best reputation and payouts in the industry.

On the other hand, you might only be interested in playing poker. You can find sites that cater to that need, too. Specific poker players have specific goals, too, and those should be accounted for when choosing a site. If your goal is to play razz, it doesn’t make sense to sign up at a site that only offers variations of Texas holdem and Omaha.

You should also have some idea of what kinds of stakes you want to play for. If you want to bet heavily on sporting events, you should do some research into the minimum and maximum bets for each candidate you’re considering.

The more clarity you have about your goals, the likelier you will be to find the best possible Canada gambling site.

Since many of the gambling websites you’ll encounter operate in foreign countries, it behooves you to do some research before signing up and making your first deposit. One of the tools you can use for this purpose is our site.

We offer the most detailed, comprehensive reviews of online gambling sites on the web. Each of our reviews covers both the pros AND the cons of a specific property.

Don’t take our word for it, though. Compare our reviews with some of the other reviews you’ll find online and decide where to get your information based on that comparison.

We’re confident you won’t find more authoritative reviews for online Canadian casinos or sportsbooks anywhere on the web.

While you’re doing this research, consider both the quality of the properties and how well they fit into your goals. It does you little good to sign up at an online casino that also offers sports betting and poker if that casino operates in an underhanded manner.

You’d be surprised how often you’ll find gambling websites that delay your payouts or refuse to payout at all.

One of the benefits of using our recommendations is that we’ve thoroughly vetted the sites we’ve listed here for integrity and trustworthiness. Not every gambler will have a positive experience at every site we list. It would be naïve to think so, as people vary.

But we’re confident that the gambling sites we recommend for people in Canada are better than you’ll find listed anywhere else.

When we rank Canadian gambling sites, or any other type of site, we do so with an eye toward which properties are best for the largest number of readers.

This doesn’t mean that these are the best options for you, necessarily. You should pay careful attention to your goals and what each site offers when examining a rankings list. Don’t sign up at an all-slots casino just because it’s #1 on our list (or someone else’s) if you want to play poker or bet on horses.

You should eventually be able to do your own rankings and make your own recommendations, but for now, examine our rankings and recommendations in light of how well a specific site can help you achieve your gambling goals.

Many online gambling information portals just want to get a commission or sell an advertisement to a gambling site. That’s our business model, too, but here’s the difference:

We want to maintain an ongoing relationship with our readers.

Please let us hear from you in the comments, or send us an email with your feedback about our recommendations.

We’re experts, but even experts are fallible. And situations at gambling websites can change at any time. We rely on readers like you to re-evaluate your rankings and revise our reviews to make sure they’re current.

Help us help you.

Keep in touch with us.

The best Canadian sports betting sites will, of course, offer wagers on the sports most popular in Canada. This means that an ideal sports betting site for someone from Canada will offer betting on all of these sports:

Of course, those aren’t the only sports a site should offer, but any sports betting website catering to someone from Canada can and should offer action on at least those favorites of the country.

You should also look for Canadian sports betting sites that offer a wide range of minimum and maximum bets. It’s common to find betting sites that have a minimum bet of $5 (CAD) and a maximum bet of $500 (CAD), but if you want to place wagers lower or higher than that, you can find sites that cater to your needs, too.

Finally, reputation is everything when it comes to any sportsbook which wants to serve Canadian bettors. We’ve carefully reviewed bettor feedback from multiple sources when ranking the sports betting sites listed here.

Best Canadian Esports Betting Sites

Esports betting is becoming a global phenomenon, too, and more Canadians are getting involved in it every day. It’s hard to imagine a niche within sports betting that’s growing faster than esports betting.

What’s esports betting?

It’s where you get to bet on esports games like League of Legends or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Besides recommendations for the best sites for Canadians to place bets on esports, we offer multiple advice articles and blog posts about how to get better results when betting on esports contests. Be sure to return to the site regularly, as we provide updated tips and tricks specifically for Canadian esports betting on a regular basis.

Finally, we just want to make it clear that you don’t have to be good at League of Legends or any other esports to place a bet on such contests.

You’re not betting on your own performance. You’re betting on your picks for who’s going to win in a match you’re probably not even participating. You don’t have to be good at football to bet on a football game, and esports betting works the same way.

The Best Canadian Casino Game Sites

The best Canadian online casinos must offer the casino games you want to play. If you want to play video poker, be sure to find a casino which caters to Canadian gamblers and also offers the video poker games you want to play.

The online casino sites we’ve listed offer huge varieties of games from multiple software providers. All the games are fair, and each of these properties are independently audited on a regular basis by an outside firm. You want to play at an online casino where you have a reasonable chance of winning.

It’s also important that a Canadian casino site offer fast, responsive customer service and reliable, fast payouts via multiple deposit and withdrawal methods.

All the online casinos we recommend for Canadian casino gamblers meet these criteria at a minimum.

All online casinos offer slot machines. In fact, at most casinos, online or off, 80% or more of their revenue is derived from the slot machine games. We pay special attention to the variety and quality of the slot machine games available at the Canadian gaming sites we’ve recommended here.

We’re especially fond of online progressives, like Mega Moolah. In January of 2019, the Mega Moolah progressive jackpot paid out $20 million to its most recent winner. We like to play games where winning provides us with the opportunity to change our lives dramatically.

You’ll find dozens of slot machine game reviews on our site. Each of those reviews includes the pertinent details for the game in question as well as advice about where the best places to play it are.

Most online poker sites gladly accept poker players from Canada, but most of them offer a different variety of games. If you want to play Texas hold ’em, you’ll have no problem, because all Canadian poker sites offer the game.

If you’re interested in more obscure games, like stud or razz, you might have a harder time finding an appropriate Canadian poker site at which to play. Check our detailed reviews for complete listings of which poker games are available for Canadian rounders.

Canadian poker sites, more than almost any other kind of gambling site, vary in terms of the sizes of bets they take. Some poker sites offer microstakes games where the blinds are just $0.01/$0.02, but others only have games in the $1/$2 range.read more…

Our reviews cover which stakes are available at each site, too. Many Canadian poker sites specialize in poker and offer no other games or betting activities, but you’ll also find plenty of options for multi-faceted gamblers. Many sportsbooks catering to Canadian bettors offer both casino games and multiplayer poker games in addition to their sports bets.

Such sites are well worth considering, especially if you’ re interested in different kinds of action.

Play Money Gambling versus Real Money Gambling in Canada

At most Canadian online casinos and poker sites, you can choose to gamble for play money or for real money. When you gamble for play money, you’re just given a certain number of credits that have no real monetary value to play with. You can experience the sights and sounds of the casino or poker games without risking any money.

The downside to the play money games for Canadian gamblers is that even though you’re not risking any money, you’re also not able to win any money.

The reason that Canadian gambling sites offer these play money games is simple, though:

They’re hoping that you’ll enjoy the games well enough to try them for real money.

In this respect, Canadian gamblers are no different from gamblers anywhere else in the world. Risk is part of the game, and winning real money is how you keep score and evaluate your performance as a gambler

We encourage you to switch to real money gambling as soon as you can afford to. Gambling without risking money and without the potential of winning money is just a waste of time in our eyes. You can play for stakes as low as you’re comfortable with at most of the better Canadian gambling sites, too. You can easily find blackjack for $5 per hand, for example, and some online casinos even offer $1 blackjack.

We offer advice for Canadian gamblers interested in all aspects of real money gambling:

Since the legal situation for online gambling in Canada is relatively lax compared to other countries (ahem, the USA-we’re looking at you), making deposits and withdrawals is relatively easy.

In the United States, you have specific laws which interfere with your ability to withdraw or deposit money at online gambling sites.

This isn’t the case in Canada.

The easiest way to conduct these transactions from Canada is to just use any major credit card. Visa and Mastercard are the 2 most commonly used options, and they’re both readily available at any of the online casinos for Canadians that we recommend.

You’re not out of luck if you don’t use credit cards, though. Ewallets have been popular since PayPal and eBay were new, and now a number of ewallets specifically cater to Canadian gamblers. In the reviews of casinos on this site, you’ll find detailed listings for which ewallets work at which sites.

You’re not betting on your own performance. You’re betting on your picks for who’s going to win in a match you’re probably not even participating. You don’t have to be good at football to bet on a football game, and esports betting works the same way.

Finally, anyone with a bank account can also just use direct banking transactions. This works like writing a check, but without the physical paper check. If you’re gambling for enough money, a wire transfer is often the easiest route to go down when making your deposits and withdrawals.

We probably should have mentioned this as a subsection of the deposits and withdrawals section above, but cryptocurrency gambling is so different in some cases that it’s more than just an option for getting money to and from a casino website.

That’s because most gambling sites are able to handle cryptocurrency transactions with almost no banking fees at all.

And some gambling websites even operate exclusively in cryptocurrency.

We have several detailed explanations of how cryptocurrency gambling works in general. All that advice applies to Canadian gamblers just as pertinently as it applies to any of our other readers.

The most popular cryptocurrency in use, both for gambling and other purposes, is Bitcoin. You’ll find a complete guide to Bitcoin gambling on our site here. We also offer listings for:

Earlier we suggested that you consider our rankings of the top Canadian gambling websites as being somewhat arbitrary, but we might have given you the wrong idea. We actually spend considerable time and effort in putting together a list of sites in order of quality. Just because we suggest you evaluate that list with your specific needs in mind doesn’t mean that these sites are just listed in random order.

On a lot of other sites, you’ll find listings for casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks that have raving reviews for each of them. You’ll find that most of those “reviews” are nothing more than thinly-disguised advertisements.

We don’t do it that way.

Our reviews are based on more objective criteria than who’s going to pay us the most advertising money. We have too much respect for our Canadian readers to do that. Our Canadian gambling site reviews are the lifeblood of our site. We treat them as such.

Here’s what we look for when evaluating and ranking Canadian gambling sites:

If, like we suggest, you’re going to bet with real money, you need to know that your financial information is kept secure by the site you’re transacting with. You’re not just sharing a credit card number. You’re also sharing personal information like your address.

We only recommend the best online gambling sites which maintain appropriate security protocols. Your money and your privacy are safe at the sites we recommend.

Any Canadian betting website that’s been in business for any length of time has a history and a reputation. When we rank sites, we consider their track record related to customer complaints in forums and user reviews. Many properties have had so many issues in the past that we just decline to list them.

That’s one of the reasons why using our site for recommendations just makes sense. We have the expertise to recognize the properties with a good reputation and history.

To make real money wagers, you need a way to get money to and from a gambling site. We like to list gambling sites which offer multiple appropriate withdrawal and deposit methods. We’ve touched on that at some length earlier on this page.

It’s important that you have multiple easy options to use when making both deposits AND withdrawals. Otherwise, there’s no point in betting real money at all. After all, at least some of the time, you should be withdrawing some of your winnings.

We only recommend top gambling sites with easily-understood, easily-used interfaces. You want to get right to the betting. You don’t want to spend a long time learning how to navigate around the site.

It’s hard to consider a gambling site usable in this day and age if they’re not mobile compatible, so we evaluate that before ranking a site, too.

Is Gambling Legal In Canada

All the Canadian gaming sites we recommend feature perks like signup bonuses and ongoing promotional bonuses. They also offer rebates and frequent bettor programs.

Not all these offers are made equal. Some sites have exorbitant wagering requirements. Others make it next to impossible to earn your bonus money.

Questions come up regardless of what kind of business you’re in. Getting those questions answered in a timely and friendly fashion is what separates a great company from a mediocre or lame company. We want you to be completely comfortable with the level of customer service you get from the online gambling companies we recommend.

Luckily, customer service is easy to test. Most of these sites offer live chat and toll-free numbers, so we can call them and ask questions or text them with our questions and see what kind of experience they have. We can draw conclusions from those interactions about what kind of experience you’re likely to have, too.

GamblingSites.org Blog for Canadian Readers

If you are looking for blog posts that pertain to only Canadian topics, then you are in luck! We have categorized all of our blog posts and you can find all the most recent blog posts we have here on GamblingSites.org below!

Our mission is simple:

We want to provide you with the most trustworthy and comprehensive gambling site information on the web. Our goal is for you to be able to make informed decisions about betting online from Canada.

Online gambling shouldn’t be a hassle, and if you’re armed with the right information, it doesn’t have to be.

You can learn more about the team behind this site here.

What Else Can You Expect From Our Site?

Our site also offers a gambling blog that’s updated daily. Most of the advice there, including the sports picks, is applicable to our Canadian audience.

You can also find detailed casino reviews on our site, as well as industry news and information.

The nation of Canada is a unique blend of natural beauty and urban modernity.
From the frozen tundra of Nunavut to the steel and glass skyscrapers of Toronto,
the world’s second-largest country in terms of total area has a lot to brag
about. This sense of national pride also applies to their robust gaming
industry, as well as the gambling laws created to keep it running efficiently.

While other nations across the planet swing wildly from one extreme to the
other on the question of gambling, the citizens and lawmakers of Canada have
managed to take an even-handed approach despite the allure of easy money. In
most cases, the laws remain flexible while still keeping the welfare of the
public in mind at all times.

In this report, it’s my goal to provide you with an overview of the gambling
laws in Canada, specifically as they apply to various forms of gaming. I’ll also
include additional statistics and factoids in order to add a greater layer of
depth and distinguish this document from those of a similar nature.

Please keep in mind, however, that I am not a lawyer. The legal landscape of
gambling in any nation can change rapidly, so even the most well-intentioned
information can become outdated within a short span of time. If you want to be
cautious, it’s always best to consult with an attorney or email a government
agency directly before embarking on the life of a high-rolling Canadian gambler.

Illegal Gambling in Canada

Gambling Websites Canada Jobs

Several decades ago, illegal gambling in Canada was largely the domain of
organized crime. And since most forms of gambling were outlawed throughout the
country prior to 1970, these unsavory individuals had plenty of chances to ply
their trade.

That slowly began to change in 1970, when certain previously-illegal gaming
activities were made accessible to the average citizen. Another major leap took
place in 1985, when provinces and territories were given the right to oversee
activities such as slots, charitable gaming, and lotteries.

While modern organized crime figures still rely on illegal gambling as a
primary source of revenue, the practice has also been adopted by a more
tech-savvy generation of independent crooks. In either case, these unscrupulous
individuals bilk customers, rig sporting events, and avoid paying their fair
share of taxes. This has resulted in a greater burden for city and provincial
law enforcement, as well as national organizations such as the Canadian Security
Intelligence Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Criminal Code of Canada deals with a wide array of illegal gambling
offenses, but the following are the most common:

• Section 201 – Includes a large number of offenses, but the most common involves keeping a common gaming or betting house.
• Section 202 – Deals with illegal betting, book-making, and pool-selling.
• Section 206 – Offenses related to lotteries and other games of chance.
• Section 209 – Cheating at games of chance with the intent to defraud either the customer or house.

In July of 2010, the above offenses were adjusted in the Criminal Code to be
considered “serious offenses.” Under the laws of Canada, a serious offense is
indictable under the code or act of Parliament, and the federal government
doesn’t need to bring the matter before Parliament as an amendment to the
existing legislation.

While some serious offenses within Canada carry a maximum prison term of five
years, gambling-related offenses often fall significantly short of this mark.
Most are limited to two years imprisonment, while an offense such as knowingly
keeping a common betting house is limited to no more than six months in jail and
a $5,000 fine.

When compared to their neighbor to the south, Canada has rather lenient
gambling laws. This is in keeping with their desire to be a more progressive
nation, reserving long stretches of prison time for crimes such as murder and
rape.

This certainly applies to major gaming operations such as
land-based casinos, but it also applies to charitable options such as bingo and
raffles.

Online gambling often falls into something of a grey area. Canadian law
doesn’t prohibit the practice of betting via the Internet, but it does require a
service to be licensed or owned by a provincial government in order to be
considered legal. This hasn’t prevented over 1,000 unlicensed offshore sites
from offering their services to Canadian citizens.

One case of prosecution involving online gambling came when British Columbia
went after Delaware-based Starnet Communications International and forced them
to forfeit almost $4 million in revenue. Another example occurred in 2013, when
Ontario authorities conducted 10 raids, charged 19 people, and seized more than
$2 million in funds from users of Platinum Sports Book.

Luckily, despite all this, there are still plenty of safe online gambling sites
for Canadian players. Casumo is currently our most trusted site for Canadian vistors.
If you haven’t already, check them out today!

Gambling in the Provinces

The nation of Canada is divided into 10 provinces, including the following:
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Colombia, Prince
Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Each
province is a self-governing entity, with power granted to the various
lieutenant governors by the federal government, and any major changes in this
relationship require an alternation to the nation’s constitution.

In this section, we’ll examine the current gambling laws in each of the
nation’s 10 provinces, especially as they relate to the average citizen.

Gambling Laws in Ontario

Ontario has the highest population of all Canadian provinces, and over 90% of
residents in Southern Ontario are within a one-hour drive of a legal gaming
establishment. Considering this last fact, it should come as no surprise that a
2011 poll found that 82.9% of adults within the province had admitted to
gambling at least once during the calendar year. If you want to be included in a
future percentage, give one of these legal forms of gambling a try:

• Casinos

  Over 25 land-based casinos are active in Ontario, and these
  range from privately-owned entities to charitable locations run by the
  government.

• Slot Machines

  In addition to casinos, slots may be found at racetracks
  and other select locations. There are more of these gaming devices in
  Ontario than any other province in Canada.

• Horse Racing

  Quarter horse, Standardbred, and thoroughbred racing is
  available at racetracks from Ottawa to Fort Erie. These tracks enjoyed great
  success when slot machines were added in 1998, but their withdrawal by the
  government in 2013 has resulted in a massive downturn.

• Sports Betting

  Players may use the Pro-Line service to wager on
  multiple types of sports through the Internet or land-based lottery centers.
  At least two games must be wagered on, although the customer can choose from
  a number of betting options such as the point spread or over/under.

• Lottery

  In addition to national lottery drawings, residents can take
  part in provincial drawings that are administered by the Ontario Lottery and
  Gaming Corporation. Ontario boasts one of the largest lottery networks in
  North America, and in 2011 their fiscal revenue was in excess of $3 billion.

• Charitable Gaming

  This includes raffles and bingo. The Ontario Lottery
  and Gaming Corporation oversees licensing of such games, and they also
  manage a number of eBingo websites. Along with various lottery games, bingo
  generates the largest amount of gaming revenue for Ontario.

Gambling Laws in Quebec

Quebec has been offering legal games of chance since 1970, and the available
options have continued to grow over the decades. If you find yourself in this
predominantly French-speaking province, here are the most readily available
forms of legal gambling:

• Casinos

  Quebec currently has nine land-based casinos, and these are
  popular with both locals and neighboring residents in New York, Vermont, New
  Hampshire, and Maine. All activities are overseen by the Quebec Alcohol,
  Racing, and Gaming Commission.

• Horse Racing

  Only one race track currently exists in the state, and it
  primarily offers harness racing. In addition to placing wagers at the track,
  bettors can also pick their favorite ponies at several off-track facilities.

• Lottery

  A wide range of lottery games are offered, from Lotto Max and
  Quebec Extra to Tout ou Rien. Drawings are held on a daily basis, and the
  lottery represents the oldest form of legal gambling within Quebec.

• Online Gambling

  Residents can play at any online site that’s willing
  to accept them, including the government-owned Espacejeux. This may soon
  change, however, as the Quebec government has announced plans to block any
  online gaming site that’s not approved and licensed by Loto-Quebec.

• Sports Betting

  Legal residents of Quebec can wager on sports teams or
  individual athletes through a game known as Mise-O-Jeu. Players can wager on
  two to eight options, although all picks must be successful in order to
  receive a payout. Wagers can be made online or at participating locations
  such as convenience stores.

• Video Lottery Terminals

  Quebec was one of the last provinces to offer
  video lottery terminals. In 1994, it was estimated that over 40,000 illegal
  machines were in operation within the province. That number has dropped
  substantially since over 12,000 VLTs have been legally placed in select
  brasseries, bars, and gaming hall complexes.

• Bingo & Charitable Gaming

  From bingo and Kinzo to raffles, all
  charitable gaming within the province is regulated and licensed by
  Loto-Quebec.

Gambling Laws in Nova Scotia

The second-smallest province in Canada in terms of area, Nova Scotia is known
for agriculture and fishing. They also have a respectable gaming scene, with 87%
of adults playing games of chance at least once a year (for an average annual
expenditure of $609). The following forms of legal gaming are available
throughout the province:

• Lottery & Charitable Gaming

  Video and ticket lotteries, as well as
  other charitable games such as bingo, fall under the domain of the Atlantic
  Lottery Corporation. Tickets can be purchased online or from over 1,000
  retailers throughout the province.

• Casinos

  There are two land-based casinos in Nova Scotia, and both are
  government owned. Casino Nova Scotia has locations in Halifax and Sydney,
  and both facilities offer traditional slots and table games. The average
  payback percentage for slots, as reported by the Nova Scotia Provincial
  Lotteries and Casino Corporation, is 92%.

• Horse Racing

  Three legal horse racing tracks are currently available
  in Nova Scotia: Inverness Raceway, Northside Downs, and Truro Raceway. A
  handful of teletheatres are also available for those who want to bet but
  can’t make it to the track.

• Sports Betting

  The Atlantic Lottery Corporation uses the Pro-Line
  system to allow residents to wager on sports. A minimum of two athletes or
  teams must be wagered on in parlay fashion, and this is common throughout
  the nation. Customers must be 19 or older in order to participate.

• Online Gambling

  The province offers no gaming sites of their own, but
  residents can still seek out thousands of offshore casinos and sportsbooks
  without fear of legal troubles.

• Video Lottery Terminals

  There are over 2,700 VLTs in Nova Scotia at
  more than 300 licensed retailers. The average prize payout ranges from 93%
  to 95% of the total wagers. Legal games are only found in age-restricted
  locations such as bars and liquor stores.

Gambling Laws in New Brunswick

Even though the population of the province stands at less than one-million,
residents have a wide range of legal gambling activities to choose from. These
include:

• Video Lottery Terminals

  In 1990, New Brunswick became the first
  province to introduce video lottery terminals. The minimum payback
  percentage required by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation is 80%. Almost all
  of the province’s 2,000 machines, however, have a 93% payout.

• Casinos

  The only casino in the province is located in Moncton, and it
  contains an assortment of slots, table games, and poker.

• Horse Racing

  Permanent racetracks are located in Saint John and
  Fredericton, while the Great Western Fair circuit brings the excitement of
  racing to various regions of the province on a rotating basis. As of 2015,
  off-track betting facilities were available in Dieppe and Quispamsis.

• Online Gambling

  Residents can choose from a large number of offshore
  casinos and sportsbooks, although none of these are regulated by the
  government. In recent years, New Brunswick has openly discussed the idea of
  launching their own casino website in the mold of Manitoba and British
  Columbia.

• Sports Betting

  The Atlantic Lottery oversees Pro-Line, a parlay-style
  sports betting game that can be purchased online or through hundreds of
  licensed dealers.

• Lottery

  Lottery tickets can be legally purchased at over 900
  land-based dealers. Drawings and payouts are conducted by the Atlantic
  Lottery Corporation.

• Charitable Gaming

  Over 800 charitable licenses are currently issued to
  non-profit organizations within the province. Raffles are the most common,
  although bingo remains the most popular gambling activity among adults 65 or
  older.

Gambling Laws in Manitoba

Gambling is legal in this western Canadian province, and activities are
overseen by the Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba (which was created in
2014 by combining the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission and the Manitoba Gaming
Control Commission). Residents and visitors can enjoy the following legal forms
of gambling within the borders of the province:

• Online Gambling

  After British Columbia enjoyed success with a
  government-owned gaming website, Manitoba adopted the same business model in
  2013. While over 1,000 unlicensed casinos and sportsbooks are available from
  offshore operators, PlayNow Manitoba is the only one operating within the
  borders of the province.

• Casinos

  Manitoba has a mixture of government-owned and First Nations
  casinos. Winnipeg has two of these facilities, and both are owned by the
  provincial government.

• Horse Racing

  Both thoroughbred and Standardbred races are conducted in
  the province, and Assiniboia Downs is the only permanent track for such
  events. Winnipeg has several off-track betting facilities, and both live and
  simulcast events are overseen by the Manitoba Horse Racing Commission.

• Lottery

  The Western Canada Lottery Corporation offers lottery tickets
  and scratch-off cards. These can be purchased online or at licensed
  retailers such as convenience stores.

• Charitable Gaming

  Not-for-profit organizations within Manitoba can
  apply for a license to conduct one of the following forms of charitable
  gaming: bingo, raffles, breakopen, Monte Carlo, Calcutta auction, sports
  draft, and Texas Hold’em poker tournament.

• Sports Betting

  The Sport Select system allows players to wager up to
  $250 per day on two or more sporting event outcomes. The minimum age to play
  is 19, and participants can choose from options such as props, pools, and
  over/unders.

• Video Lottery Terminals

  These games of chance are confined to VLT
  lounges throughout the province and overseen by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries.
  The three most popular versions of the game are spinning reel, poker, and
  keno.

Gambling Laws in British Colombia

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation has been offering gaming to BC
residents for more than three decades, and the available gaming options have
continued to grow over the years. Whether you live in British Columbia or
neighboring U.S. states such as Oregon and Washington, here are the legal forms
of available gaming:

• Lottery

  The British Columbia Lottery Corporation has been offering
  government sanctioned games since 1985. Players must be 19 or older to buy a
  ticket, and winners have one year from the draw date to claim their prize.

• Horse Racing

  Fraser Downs is the only active track in BC. For those
  who don’t want to drive to Surrey, off-track simulcasts can also be enjoyed
  at over 15 locations throughout the province.

• Casinos

  There are over 15 casinos within the province, with a single
  facility belonging to the First Nations. The largest in terms of gaming
  space is Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, and it contains 1,000 slots, 70 table
  games, a poker room, and 8 baccarat tables in a high-limit room.

• Charitable Gaming

  Non-profit organizations may apply for a license to
  conduct one of the following charitable events: ticket raffles, bingo,
  poker, wheel of fortune, and social occasion casinos.

• Online Gambling

  The only regulated and entirely legal gambling site in
  BC is PlayNow, which is owned by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation.
  Launched in 2004, the site contains sports betting, lottery, bingo, poker,
  and casino games.

• Sports Betting

  Tickets are available in convenience stores and other
  licensed locations. Players must wager on at least two games, and most
  contests require a 100% winning percentage in order to receive a payout.

Gambling Laws in Prince Edward Island

Consisting of one major island and 231 smaller ones, Prince Edward Island is
the smallest province in Canada. The Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission
has been overseeing gaming in the region since its creation in 1976. Even though
the province consistently has one of the lowest gambling rates, the following
types of gaming are offered:

• Sports Betting

  The Pro-Line service allows anyone 19 or older to make
  parlay bets on various sporting events. Tickets may be purchased online or
  at licensed land-based retailers.

• Lottery

  The provincial lottery is operated by the Atlantic Lottery
  Corporation.

• Horse Racing

  There are two race tracks on Prince Edward Island:
  Charlottetown Driving Park and Summerside Raceway. Unfortunately, there are
  no off-track betting facilities currently in operation.

• Video Lottery Terminals

  In 2003, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation
  became the sole VLT operator for Prince Edward Island. In 2008, an
  initiative was enacted to reduce video lottery sites by 50% and the number
  of terminals by 20%. In 2014, there were 268 terminals at 39 sites, and
  rules were relaxed to allow these devices to operate every day of the week.

• Charitable Games

  Non-profit organization can apply for a license to
  conduct charitable games such as bingo, raffles, and lottery-style contests.

• Online Gambling

  Offshore gambling is unregulated, but it remains
  available to any PEI resident who can locate a site willing to accept their
  patronage.

• Casino

  The only legal casino is actually a “racino,” as it combines
  harness racing and casino-style gaming. Blackjack, poker, and slots are
  available, and anyone over the age of 19 can take part.

Gambling Laws in Newfoundland and Labrador

Located in the easternmost section of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador
allows most forms of gambling within its borders. The most notable exception is
land-based casinos, although First Nations tribes do have the right to open
their own facilities. The following forms of gambling are currently legal within
the province:

• Charitable Gaming

  Charitable gaming such as raffles and bingo are
  overseen throughout the province by the Department of Government Services,
  and over 3,800 charitable licenses are currently in use.

• Lottery

  Managed by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, this provincial
  lottery offers top jackpots ranging from $10 million to $50 million. Tickets
  may be purchased online or at one of over 1,000 licensed retailers.

• Horse Racing

  St. John’s Racing and Entertainment Centre is the only
  legal horse racing track currently operating in Newfoundland. In addition to
  live racing, patrons can also take advantage of simulcasting facilities to
  enjoy races from other Canadian tracks, as well as annual events such as the
  Kentucky Derby. This form of entertainment is co-regulated by Standardbred
  Canada and the Canadian Pari-mutuel Agency.

• Video Lottery Terminals

  Overseen by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation,
  more than 2,000 of these devices are present at 500 age-restricted retailers
  across the province. The minimum payout percentage is set at 80%, while the
  more generous machines have a maximum of 93%.

• Online Gaming

  Since land-based casinos are currently banned in the
  province, numerous citizens turn to the Internet to get their gaming fix.
  While no sportsbooks or virtual casinos are located in Newfoundland, there
  are over 1,000 offshore sites willing to accept players.

• Sports Betting

  The Pro-Line service offers parlay sports wagering to
  anyone who meets the minimum age of 19 (which is also the legal drinking age
  in Canada). Tickets can be purchased for as little as $2, while the maximum
  daily wager is capped at $250.

Gambling Laws in Saskatchewan

According to a study conducted by Statistics Canada, residents of
Saskatchewan spend more per household on gambling than any other province. If
you happen to be a citizen of this sunniest part of Canada, here are the legal
gaming pastimes currently available:

• Video Lottery Terminals

  These machines have been present in the
  province since 1993. A cap of 4,000 machines has been set, and there were
  3,991 at 620 sites as of March 2015. Revenue from the games goes to the
  government’s General Revenue Fund. For 2014-15, the provincial net income
  from VLTs was $179.6 million.

• Charitable Gaming

  Any not-for-profit organization may apply with the
  Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority for a license to conduct bingo or
  raffles.

• Casinos

  The province has six casinos run by the Saskatchewan Indian
  Gaming Authority, as well as two more operated by the Saskatchewan Gaming
  Corporation. In the case of First Nations casinos, revenue is split between
  the First Nations Trust, the government’s General Revenue Fund, and
  Community Development Corporations.

• Lottery

  This form of gambling has been available in the province since
  1974. Operated by Saskatchewan Lotteries, proceeds are used to fund more
  than 12,000 groups.

• Sports Betting

  Sports Select offers legal parlay betting on the
  following sports: baseball, basketball, hockey, football, and soccer. Wagers
  generally range from $2 to $100.

• Online Gambling

  While online gaming providers are prohibited from
  being based in the province, offshore sportsbooks and casinos are still free
  to offer their services to residents.

• Horse Racing

  There are three legal tracks operating in the province,
  although the West Meadows Raceway was forced to temporarily halt business in
  2014. A few provincial teletheatres also exist, allowing patrons to take
  advantage of off-track betting facilities.

Gambling Laws in Alberta

The largest of the Prairie Provinces in terms of population, Alberta has a
long tradition of sports and gambling. They receive over 4% of their budget from
gambling revenue, which is more than any other province in the nation.
Unfortunately, a 2013 study showed that half the revenue came from problem
gamblers, which means the province has a long way to go in terms of identifying
and treating gambling addiction. Some of the most popular legal forms of gaming
in Alberta include the following:

• Horse Racing

  Legal horse racing is available in Alberta at the
  following: Alberta Downs, Century Downs, and Northlands Park. In addition,
  15 teletheatres are also available in such diverse locations as Leduc and
  Peace River.

• Video Lottery Terminals

  Managed by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor
  Commission, these devices are located at age-restricted, liquor-licensed
  facilities across the province. Retailers are limited to 10 machines, while
  gaming centers can have from 15 to 30. Over 6,000 are currently in
  operation.

• Sports Betting

  The Sport Select service allows players to wager on two
  or more games in parlay style. No more than $250 in wagers can be made per
  day.

• Casinos

  Over 25 casinos are located in Alberta. Most of these are
  charitable operations, which means the casino splits the profits with
  various charities throughout the region. A couple of government-owned
  casinos are also present, as well as a handful that are operated by the
  First Nations.

• Online Gambling

  Residents of Alberta can gamble at online casinos and
  sportsbooks without any limitations.

• Lottery

  Drawings occur daily and are overseen by the Western Canada
  Lottery Corporation.

• Charitable Gaming

  In addition to most of the casinos in the province,
  Alberta also offers legal charitable gaming such as bingo and pull tickets
  to qualified non-profit groups.

Gambling in the Territories

In addition to the provinces, Canada includes the territories of Yukon,
Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. These areas are smaller in terms of
overall population (a combined 107,265 in May 2011), and they are largely
administered by the federal government. To many Canadian residents and
foreigners, this entire region is simply known as “The North.”

In this section, we’ll look at the gambling laws of Canada as they apply to
each territory. While opportunities for legal games of chance are rare in these
regions, they still exist if you know where to look.

Gambling Laws in the Yukon

With a sparse population of just over 34,000, the Yukon is not known as the
gambling center of Canada. A few legal opportunities do exist, however,
especially for those living in and around the territorial capitol of Whitehorse.

• Charitable Gaming

  Under the law of the Yukon, only non-profit groups
  are allowed to host charitable gambling events as a fundraising method.
  These groups must first be approved by the Registrar of Lotteries, and they
  must also obtain a license for bingo, raffle, or lottery. In addition to
  giving away money, lotteries and raffles in this territory are also known
  for giving away meat and other forms of food.

• Lottery

  The Western Canada Lottery Association gives Yukon residents
  the opportunity to win millions of dollars through the purchase of a single
  ticket.

• Three-Day Casinos

  Permanent casinos are not allowed in the Yukon,
  although temporary gaming establishments may be permitted for no more than
  three days at a time. These events require a casino license, and they can
  only be conducted by a religious or charitable not-for-profit organization.
  Games such as blackjack, roulette, and wheels of fortune are permitted, and
  all patrons must be at least 19 years of age to participate.

  The only semi-exception to this rule is Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling
  Hall. This Dawson City landmark holds the distinction of being Canada’s
  oldest casino, and it operates during the months of May through September.
  All proceeds are invested back into the town, making it a permanent
  not-for-profit structure. Available games include roulette, poker,
  blackjack, and slots.

• Sports Betting

  Legal sports betting is available through a service
  known as Sport Select, allowing residents to wager on their favorite CFL or
  NHL teams (among others). Options such as futures and over/unders are
  available, although the customer is always required to make a parlay bet on
  two or more teams.

• Online Gambling

  Residents can legally place bets over the Internet,
  whether it involves an online sportsbook or casino. It doesn’t matter if the
  provider is located within Canada or at an offshore location.

Gambling Laws in Nunavut

Nunavut is the newest and least populated territory in Canada, and the
capitol of Iqaluit only has slightly more than 7,000 inhabitants. Despite its
remote location and harsh weather conditions, the region offers a surprising
number of legal gambling options to its citizens. While each of the following
are legal under Yukon law, keep in mind that the limited population might
prevent all of these options from being continuously available.

Sports Gambling Websites Canada

• Video Lottery Terminals & Slots

  These free-standing games of chance
  with random number generators can sometimes be found in bars and taverns
  throughout Nunavut.

• Charitable Gaming

  This applies to bingo, pull-tickets, poker
  tournaments, raffles, and temporary casino-style gaming. Residents must be
  at least 16 to play pull-ticket games, and charitable casinos must cease
  operation by 2am on Monday through Friday and midnight on Saturday. For
  Texas Hold’em tournaments, the maximum entry fee per player is limited to
  $100.

• Lottery

  Residents can play the national lottery conducted by the
  Western Canada Lottery Corporation. Tickets can be purchased at licensed
  retailers or through the official online site.

• Sports Betting

  Despite a complete absence of professional, semi-pro,
  or collegiate sports teams, Nunavut residents may wager on everything from
  basketball to American football courtesy of Sport Select. This service is
  available online and at select retailers, and it allows customers to choose
  from props, pools, point spreads, over/unders, and several more options. A
  minimum of two games must be wagered on for any given ticket, and all
  selections must be correct in order for the player to receive a payout.

• Online Gambling

  Just like in other parts of the nation, Internet
  gambling is legal within the borders of Nunavut. This applies to both online
  sportsbooks and casinos, although those in more remote locations may have to
  struggle with a lack of Internet service.

• Horse Racing

  While this sport is allowed in Nunavut, there are no
  permanent tracks or regularly-scheduled events within the territory.

• Private Wagers between Residents

  This is one of the most common forms
  of gambling due to the small size of the territory, and private wagers
  between adults are not subject to government regulations.

Gambling Laws in the Northwest Territories

The most populous of the three Canadian territories, the NWT is comprised
primarily of Aboriginal peoples. The climate is harsh by most standards, ranging
from polar to subarctic. But despite unpleasant weather conditions and differing
cultural backgrounds, gambling and games of chance are still popular with local
residents.

According to territorial law, the following pastimes are currently legal
within the Northwest Territories:

• Lottery Games

  This category includes casino-style lotteries, bingo,
  raffles, and Nevada or pull-tickets. These may only be conducted by
  non-profit organizations, and a license is required before they can be
  legally offered. All lottery games within the territory are regulated by the
  department of Municipal and Community Affairs, although they are also an
  associate member of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

• Land-based Casinos

  There are no laws prohibiting land-based casinos in
  the Northwest Territories. Despite this fact, there seems little interest in
  building such a facility due to the low population and remote location.

• Sports Betting

  Governed by the NWT Lotteries, this form of gambling is
  legally available online or at land-based retailers through the Sport Select
  brand. Players can wager on the results on most major sporting events and
  choose from a variety of options such as over/under and point spread. A
  maximum of $250 can be wagered at a single location per day, and each ticket
  must be in the form of a parlay (which requires the customer to correctly
  predict the outcome of two or more events).

• Online Gambling

  From online sportsbetting to virtual casinos, all
  forms of Internet gaming can be legally enjoyed by the residents of the
  Northwest Territories.

Conclusion

Canada is a diverse country that promotes the celebration of various
cultural, religious, and racial backgrounds. The same can be said of their
gambling landscape, as a wide range of gaming pastimes are legally available
throughout the nation’s 10 provinces and three territories.

Charitable and online gambling are two of the most common, with the former
providing much-needed income for non-profit organizations such as churches. The
latter is available throughout the country with few regulations, which marks a
distinct difference between Canada and the heavily-regulated Internet gaming
climate of the United States.

Casinos are also prevalent and legal throughout the nation, especially in
southern provinces such as Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. These come in
all shapes in sizes, from those owned by First Nations tribes to establishments
operated by the Canadian government. In addition to local residents, casinos
near the U.S. border also draw a sizeable number of foreign patrons.

Unlike the United States, sports betting is widely available throughout the
provinces and territories of Canada. However, this form of gambling is commonly
limited to parlay bets, requiring customers to successfully wager on two or more
games in order to receive a cash payout.

Ultimately, the nation of Canada seems to have found a perfect approach to
conducting legal gambling within its borders. Most forms of gaming are allowed,
although reasonable laws and regulations exist to keep the hobby from becoming a
detriment to its citizenry. While no system is perfect, the model conducted by
the lawmakers in the Great White North stands as a shining example for all other
nations.