The Canadian online casino’s situation is more or less a combination of the United States’ circumstances and those of the now-controlled European nations’ industries in the mid-2000s. While Canadian players kinda sorta enjoy the benefits of the latter in the form of 100% legal-and-approved government-run operations, the superior (in terms of gameplay, selection, payouts – essential everything crucial) privately-run online casinos continue to exist in a legal grey area.
Since 1985, the Canadian Criminal Code has passed the responsibility for regulating/licensing both “bricks-and-mortar” and internet casinos – and therefore for collecting tax revenues as well. The federal government has made it illegal for a Canada-based online casino provider to advertise to or collect money from Canadian citizens, which has resulted in at least one big software producer feeling a financial pinch. As far as Canadian players are concerned, however, both federal and provincial governments reply to questions of playing at offshore-based online casinos with a shrug: The Criminal Code itself notes that any attempt to stop citizens from playing at whatever site they wish is virtually impossible.
So where should the Canadian casino-game player head for a solid casino and gambling action online? Glad you asked!
Even better for Canadian players than an impotent law is the special status given the Kahnawake Mohawk tribe in Quebec. Thanks to legal provisions given to the First Nations peoples in Canada, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established in 1999 as an official licensing and regulation authority for any online casino “located” within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, which is to say on a server overseen by Canadian firm Continent 8 Technologies. At present, 50+ gaming providers run over 250 online casinos and poker websites via Kahnawake servers.
Any online casino with a seal of approval from Kahnawake is proper assurance of both fairness (through rigorous assessment of the games’ RNGs) and security. And as proof of the control the Commission exerts over the gaming operators, the body received compliments from the US Department of Justice for Kahnawake’s part in bringing down the poker website Ultimate Bet after a cheating scam was revealed there in 2009.
The top Canadian online casinos, then? (By which we mean the best casinos at which Canadian players are accepted.) Right now, we’re enjoying bgo Casino quite a bit; bgo’s format is particularly friendly for mobile-device formats and, whoa, if you play slots and/or are into franchise-based games, you *must* see this virtual place now. Through multiple software providers, bgo has amassed well over 50 franchise titles from superheroes to Ace Ventura and well beyond. In addition, bgo is no mere simple casino website: There’s a full sportsbook covering odds on worldwide events, live-dealer table games and online bingo. Nice.
First going live in the early 2000s, Spin Palace and Jackpot City are old standbys which always seem fresh upon reentering the site. Part of this is due to the Microgaming slot games they host, allowing essentially free updates monthly (at times even more frequently) as the big software producer cranks out several new slots every month. Both also update the actual look of the landing pages and format for new technology as well.
But the real key to this pair as two of the top Canadian online casinos are the bonuses. Spin Palace and Jackpot City consistently offer some of the very highest welcome bonus offers and the loyalty programs reward like few casinos do these days. Serious Canadian casino game players need to check out at least one of these today!
First, it's important to note that Canadian online casinos are accepting payments in CAD (Canadian Dollar). You can make deposits in CAD, withdraw winnings in CAD, and receive your casino bonuses in Canadian Dollars as well.
Several payment methods are available at the top Canadian online casinos, though Canadian players may not be depositing and withdrawing with Visa/MasterCard(s): Cards financed by some Canada-based corporate banks and all US-based banks are unlikely to work. Reportedly, cards based at Canadian credit unions are useable at online casinos, however.
Please note, too, that all sites associated with CasinoCanada are quality-tested for fairness and safety – even those not based with the Kahnawake Commission. Government-overseen and/or independent auditors are filling the gap in legislation regulation (cough, ahem, in countries like Canada, ahem cough cough) to help protect the players.
You may rest assured that whichever top Canadian online casino you choose, you’ll get a seamless and safe gaming experience!