Тhe best gambling sites Canada in July 2023

Best online gambling sites

Below we have carefully picked the best online gambling sites Canada offers to players. They provide exceptional bonuses, game selections, terms, and websites.

Since we have spent countless hours researching and checking each of the above online gambling sites, you can be sure they are first-class. Have a look at them to understand why they tick all our boxes!

Is it legal to gamble on the Internet in Canada?

Canada has ten provinces and three territories, each adhering to its offline and online gambling laws.

The laws are constantly changing, and new online gambling sites are getting into new states each year. We will update this information often, so you can always get up-to-date news.

Canada online gambling laws by province

History of gambling in Canada

Canadian gambling history has been turbulent, yet casino games have been a favorite pastime since its introduction to the land by the settlers and with the country's development. Residents of Canada are free to play games of chance and place bets online and offline. Today, you can even find government-sponsored websites. Gambling in the country dates back to the natives when sticks for betting and casino games were used. John Cabot's voyage to the Canadian shores in 1497 brought the playing of cards, which introduced the early faro game versions that later evolved into blackjack and poker. Other loved by Canadians games include dice and barbotte games.

Although gambling has always been permitted, the government started overseeing and regulating it in the late 1800s. By 1970, the authorities gave the provinces the freedom to control gambling, resulting in land-based casinos' growth. Nowadays, the decisions related to online gambling are left to players, with the Canadian provinces providing only regulatory oversight.

1380 - The prohibiting of dice games

In 1380, long before Canada was discovered, Richard III banned dice games on suspicion that his archers spent too much time playing dice games. The monarch prohibited all dice games out of fear that they neglected their duties, causing safety breaches.

1497 - Ban on gambling

John Cabot claimed the English territory, and while exploring Canada, he found out that the Native populations were playing card games. Canada was under British rule, so the ban on gambling went into effect on its territory too.

1767 - The first horse racing event in Quebec City

On July 1st, 1767, the first horse racing event marked the official start of gambling events in Canada. Canadians from all walks of life came together on the Plane of Abraha in Quebec City to watch the racing of horses and win the prize. The mare Modesty ridden by Captain Prescot won the event earning $40 (or $1,558 after inflation).

1892-1900 - First gambling laws

The 'Canadian Criminal Code' - the first official law document that included all forms of gambling, was enacted in 1892. It had statutes that made casino games acceptable under certain conditions, though they were not permitted yet. Morality and religious views were predominant at the time, so the legislators had to satisfy the masses with a ban on gambling. The gambling hunger, on the other hand, provoked the opening of an underground gambling network of illegal dens.

1900-1910 - Next gambling laws

In 1900, Canadians started playing raffles and bingo for charity. The government realized the tremendous economic potential of some betting games and amended the laws legalizing bingo and raffles for charity. In 1910, another part of the Criminal Code was reformed, letting pari-mutuel betting on horse racing. Other casino games were allowed for charity and religious purposes only. In the 1900s, gambling became more and more accepted by Canadians.

1925 - Gambling events at fairs and exhibitions allowed

Many people started to appreciate the value of gaming activities. In 1925, the government made more changes to the Criminal Code that allowed the hosting of gambling events at town exhibitions and fairs.

1969 - Lotteries became legal

Once the government realized the importance and potential of lotteries, it again amended the Code, approving them. As a result, federal and provincial governments started using lotteries to subsidize specific projects.

1970 - Canadian provinces license and regulate gambling

The gambling regulations had to undergo plenty of modifications, and the government had been paying no heed to illegal schemes for decades. Ultimately, the law changed to give each province autonomy with the right to execute, license, and regulate its gambling activities on its territory.

1974 - The first lottery held in Canada to raise funds for the Montreal Olympics

Five years after the legalization of lotteries, Canada held the first lottery in an attempt to fund the Montreal Summer Olympics. The Stadium was estimated to cost $250 million, but ultimately, it cost $1.4 billion! The government helped by raising $15 for the Games. It offered another $1 million jackpot free of taxes - the biggest lottery payout ever given then!

1985 - Gambling in Canada becomes legal

In 1985, after a long road of plenty of changes and particular restrictions, Canada made gambling and sports betting legal. However, single-game wagering was not permitted and became so much later - in 2021.

1989 - The first land-based casino in Canada opens its doors

After the long waiting for the ban to end, in 1989, the first brick-and-mortar casino was opened in the country. Crystal Casino, owned by the government, and located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, lasted only eight years. In 1997 two other gambling centers took over Crystal Casino's operations.

1994 - Online casino gambling legalized

Though illegal, online casinos were not completely banned by the government. Canadians could use offshore platforms to gamble. Canadian online gambling sites used to have shabby graphics then, and screeching sounds came out of the dial-up. They weren’t at all as luxurious and convenient as they are now. Many players gave up using them for these reasons.

Monthly we update the “the best online gambling site of the month” based on multiple criteria, and we offer you the best current place for online casino.

Mobile gambling

The best online gambling sites Canada provides offer the most popular types of games. You can find players' favorites like Thunderstruck II and Mega Moolah and table classics such as roulette, poker, blackjack, baccarat, etc.

Some of the most popular mobile gambling games are:

You can play casino games or bet on sports with the mobile sports betting options of Canada's best online gambling sites. Many have sports betting apps – William Hill, 888sport, LeoVegas, bet365, Betway, bwin, and many other sportsbooks.

Some online casinos Canada have apps for casino games besides instant play from browsers for mobiles. Others will have mobile-optimized websites if apps still need to be created. You can choose from MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, IFC betting, curling, and many other betting odds.

Best Canada mobile casinos

The best online gambling bonuses

Some of the most common types of promotions given by online casinos in Canada include:

• Welcome bonuses - these are usually generous deposit bonuses matched to a certain amount that may consist of free spins as well;
• Reload bonuses for existing players - could be deposit matches with or without free spins;
• Cashback on losses;
• Weekly tournaments.

Apart from the above, you can find no deposit bonuses for Canadian players, free spins on selected slots, usually on certain days of the week, which may include bonus codes, free bets on specific sports events, and other deals.

New real money online casinos - our latest recommendations

Our team constantly searches for the best and the latest released online gambling sites. You can count on us to find the most promising and worthwhile online casinos we have for you. Below is our selection of fresh, new gaming platforms you can feel protected in and get the best games available online. So, search no more and check these gambling websites.

Benefits of online gambling in Canada

The government of Canada doesn't ban gambling in foreign online casinos, so Canadians are in an advantageous position. There are countless benefits related to playing games of chance in the country:

Disadvantages of online gambling

Online gambling has its drawbacks as well. Here are some of them:

Deposit options for web gambling

The best online gambling sites we have selected for you have many and various depositing methods, secure as well. Choose the ones you feel most comfortable with, considering that specific banking methods trigger deposit bonuses. In most cases, you need to use the same methods for depositing and withdrawing.

Here are some of the most common ones at the best online casino sites for Canadians:

Canada online gambling statistics

Let’s see some numbers revealing how much Canadians spend on gambling.

• 6 out of 10 Canadians have gambled for money.
• The average Canadian spends $6.75 monthly on games of chance and gambling.
• 63% of men and 57% of women admit to spending money on gambling per month.
• 56% of men and 43% of women reveal having initiated some form of gambling online.
• In Canada, there are over 19.3 million active gamblers.
• Ontario’s reported revenue from gambling in 2020 was 3.8 billion.
• Canada’s revenue from its online gambling industry in 2021 was $1.2 billion.
• About 2% of Canadians aged 15 and above have a gambling problem.
• 73% of Canadians admit gambling-associated problems have multiplied in their province.
• 83% of Canadian residents believe everyone is responsible for their gaming and gambling habits.