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Guide to Legal Online Casinos in Canada: Features and Laws

Online gambling is not legal in Canada, but playing bets using offshore casinos is perfectly legal for Canadians. It’s kind of a legal grey area, as laws in the country catch up with the speed of technical innovations. In Canada, all gambling apart from horse racing is a provincial jurisdiction. Each province sets its laws regarding casinos, lotteries and bingos. Today, every province except Saskatchewan is moving to include online gambling to that list.

British Columbia was first, and it now has had online sports betting and lotteries for 15 years, including online casino games for nearly 10. These same options are now available in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba. Alberta has plans in place to start local online casinos by 2020. On the East Coast, Atlantic Lottery runs online bingo and lotteries, but it does not have online casino games yet. To help you navigate the gaming field, we have compiled a list of the best Canadian online casinos.

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$1000
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$1600
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$1200
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150%
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$750
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  • PlayNow.com

PlayNow.com is the online casino for the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), and now Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries is using the same platform for players in that province. PlayNow.com offers slots, blackjack, keno, a live casino, a shared poker network, and sports betting.

The shared poker network is also available to Quebec residents through its provincial regulator, Loto-Quebec. Games are available on desktop and mobile and are fully customizable for each player. You have to create an account, and there is free software to download. PlayNow.com has a number of bonuses and promotions, including a welcome bonus of $20 for a first-time sign up to the casino and matched sports betting.

Customer support for poker is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. General support is offered from 7am local time to midnight, via phone, email, or live chat. You need to be at least 19 years old and a provincial resident to play, and there are weekly account transfer limits.

  • PlayOLG.ca

PlayOLG.ca is Ontario’s online casino. You can play slots as well as table games such as blackjack, Texas hold’em, baccarat, roulette, and poker. The site also has video poker, and you even can bet on horse racing. The online casino features progressive jackpots and instant games, including Keno.  The interface is easy and appealing, and there’s also a PlayOLG app you can download for mobile gaming.

Once you sign up, there are promotions and a starter package which offers a match to your first deposit. You also can sign up for a lottery subscription, so you never miss out on provincial lottery draws. This same site will allow you to access ProLine, the Ontario sports betting site. You must be at least 19 years old and be in the province of Ontario play at this online casino.

  • Espacejeux.com

In Quebec, Espacejeux.com (French for “gamespace”) is the online casino gaming space. Don’t worry, the site is fully available in English, and it offers live casino options including live blackjack, live baccarat and live roulette games.  There are also slots, keno, table games, and video poker.

There’s even an online scratch game. On Espacejeux.com you can bet on sports, play online video games for cash, and play poker and bingo. There is some software to download for some of the games, and there’s a large variety of promotions available. You have to be a Quebec resident that is 18 years old or older to play.

  • ALC.com

ALC.com is the online casino for the Atlantic Lottery Corporation on Canada’s East Coast. There are bingo games, keno, poker lotto, and online scratch-and-wins.  You can also bet on sports on ProLine. There’s a mobile version as well for ALC.com if you download the app. You must be at least 19 years old and be a resident of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador to play.

FAQ: Understanding Online Gambling in Canada

Is online gambling legal in Canada?

Online gambling is conducted in a legal grey area in Canada. While running an online casino in most parts of the country is illegal, Canadians have the legal right to play at offshore casinos. Gambling regulations, including online gambling, are primarily handled at the provincial level, with most provinces now moving to include or considering including online gambling under their jurisdictional laws.

What was the first province in Canada to offer online gambling?

British Columbia was the pioneer in integrating online gambling within Canada. For the past 15 years, it has provided online sports betting lots, series, and online casino games for nearly a decade. Following British Columbia, other provinces like Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba have also introduced various forms of online gambling.

What should I know about PlayNow.com?

PlayNow.com is an online casino platform run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and adopted by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries for use in that province. It offers a variety of gambling options, including slots, blackjack, keno, a live casino, and a shared poker network. PlayNow.com is accessible on both desktop and mobile devices, requires account creation, and provides various bonuses and promotions for players.

What online gambling options are available in Quebec?

Espacejeux.com is Quebec's regulated online gambling site. It offers various games, including live casino options, slots, keno, table games, video poker, and an online scratch game. The site also allows betting on sports and participating in online video game tournaments for cash. To play on Espacejeux.com, you must be a Quebec resident and at least 18 years old.

What services does ALC.com provide?

ALC.com is the Atlantic Lottery Corporation's online gambling portal, serving residents of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. The site offers bingo, keno, poker lotto, online scratch-and-wins, and sports betting through ProLine. A mobile app is also available to provide more convenient access to the platform. Players must be at least 19 years old and residents of the provinces mentioned above to participate.

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