Canada Legal Online Gambling Guide For 2024
Canada is one of the most active legal gambling countries in the world. The nation has a long history when it comes to gaming, with formal gambling operators popping up as far back as the 1500s. Today, of course, things are very different. But as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. As such, legal Canada online gambling is now the number-one way Canadians crank the slots, play table games, bet sports, and ante up at the poker tables.
However, even though gambling is generally legal throughout the Great White North, that doesn’t mean domestic options are always best. In many cases – perhaps even in most cases – legitimate offshore gambling sites offer more games, better odds, and bigger pots than local gaming venues. To learn more aboot legal online gambling in Canada, take off with our brief guide, eh!
Legal Online Casinos In Canada
Most online gamblers in Canada are interested in online casino gambling first and foremost. And at the best online casinos, CA residents are guaranteed the biggest selections of the best casino games in Canada. It’s really that simple.
Every site featured here has more games than any retail brick-and-mortar venue, with hundreds of different real-money online slot machines, online casino games, and online live-dealer casino games to choose from.
These sites are also completely mobile-accessible and optimized for iPhones, iPads, and Androids regardless of the make, model, and screen size of your device.
Top Online Casinos Accepting Canadian Players In 2024
Slots.lv
500% up to $5,000
Legal Online Sports Betting In Canada
Canada sports betting is a popular market, and – for the most part – the games that draw the most betting interest are about what you’d expect.
However, domestic sportsbooks generally have odds that skew toward home teams or regional favorites. Thus, local Canada sports betting might not actually be the best Canada sports betting.
For the most competitive odds, the answer is offshore online sports betting. Canada residents can get access to thousands of daily lines at these sites, including in-game odds, custom props, futures, and more. If you want the number-one sportsbooks for Canada residents, you’ve found them!
Top Online Sportsbooks Accepting Canadian Players In 2024
Legal Canadian Friendly Online Poker Sites
When it comes to online gambling, many players immediately think of online poker. Canada gamblers are well-known for their love of poker, and while there are plenty of good local poker rooms in Canada, those aren’t always convenient.
(This is especially true in the winter when you’d rather stay warm and cozy in your full house than risk losing your hat to a royal flush on some black ice).
So, if you’re after real online poker, Canada gambling options run the gamut at the venues featured here. These are the best poker sites in CA, and they’ve got all the Holdem, Omaha, Hi-Lo, cash games, Sit-N-Gos, and online poker tournaments you could ask for.
Top Online Poker Rooms Accepting Canadian Players In 2024
Safe And Secure Canada-Friendly Banking Options
All the best CA online gambling sites support a variety of payment methods to ensure that you’ll find an appropriate online gambling banking option for your needs.
In general, we recommend betting online with Bitcoin or altcoins, as crypto gambling allows for 100% guaranteed deposits, the best possible online gambling bonuses, and access to same-day payouts with zero added fees.
However, if you’re not comfortable with gambling with crypto online – or if you’d just rather use a different and more readily accessible method – the top sites should have several different viable options.
While not every legit site for gambling in Canada supports all the following banking methods, you’ll find a healthy mix regardless of where you play:
Crypto Options
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Stellar (XLM)
- Ripple (XRP)
- Binance Coin (BNB)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Solana (SOL)
- Avalanche (AVAX)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- ApeCoin (APE)
- Tether (USDT)
- USD Coin (USDC)
Credit Card Options
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover
- Diners Club
- Prepaid Cards
Misc Options
- Interac - Most Popular For Canadians
- Vouchers
- MatchPay
- Cashier’s Checks
- Bank Wires
- Money Orders
- Retail Money Transfers
Canadian Domestic Gambling VS Canadian Offshore Gambling
There are several differences between domestic online gambling in Canada and offshore online gambling in Canada. These differences aren’t trivial, either.
At most domestic casinos in the Great White North, players have to be at least 19 or older to gamble on the casino floor or play most other kinds of traditional gaming or betting amusements for real money. The only exceptions are found in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec, where the minimum age to play is 18 and up. But the offshore gambling sites we recommend almost universally require their members to be just 18+ to sign up and play.
And though this is a big difference, it actually isn’t the biggest difference. It’s just one year, after all.
No, the biggest difference between local and international gambling online in Canada is that with the latter option, you get far more casino games, thousands more daily sports betting options, and constant poker action – all with more access to things like daily and weekly online slots tournaments, online blackjack tournaments, and online poker tournaments.
In general, offshore gambling venues offer the following perks that domestic Canadian casinos, Canadian sportsbooks, and Canadian poker rooms don’t:
Reasons To Bet With Offshore Gambling Sites In Canada
Canada Gambling FAQ's
Yes
Gambling is explicitly legal at the domestic level in all provinces as well as the Yukon.
The Northwest Territories and Nunavut territory do not have legal local gambling options, though the pastime isn’t technically illegal, it’s merely unavailable.
Yes
In most Canadian provinces, there are legal retail casino venues available to the public.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the only Canadian province without brick-and-mortar casinos. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut also lack physical in-person casino establishments.
200+
According to our sources (aka “the Internet”), Canada has over 200 retail gambling venues scattered throughout the nation.
Of course, most of these are not Vegas-style casino resorts, although Canada has more than a few of those, too.
Most brick-and-mortar CA casinos are of the “truck stop casino,” “gas station casino,” or “strip mall casino” variety.
Yes
All day every day.
It depends
Some retail Canadian casinos take USD and some take only CAD.
Of course, if you’re going to gamble at a local Canada casino, we recommend sticking with the local government scrip.
Yes
Online casinos are legal in all provinces where online gambling itself is legal (i.e. everywhere but Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and the three Canadian territories.)
However, that’s only the case with domestic online casinos in Canada. Offshore casinos are legal to access in all Canadian provinces and territories.
No
In most provinces, domestic online sports betting is legal. The only exceptions are Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, along with the nation’s three territories.
That said, offshore sports betting in Canada – as opposed to domestic sports betting in Canada – is legal nationwide.
Yes
Online sports gambling is legal in Canada in most provinces (excepting Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan).
However, there is no domestic online sports betting in any of Canada’s three territories.
That said, if you bet sports online in Canada using legit offshore sportsbooks like those featured here, the activity is legal everywhere in the country.
Yes
As with all other forms of gambling, poker is legal in Canada wherever casino gambling and sports betting are allowed (i.e. everywhere but Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut).
Yes
Online poker in Canada is legal at the domestic level in all provinces except for Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and the three territories.
Of course, if you want to play online poker with an offshore online poker room, that’s actually legal everywhere in the country.
For the same reason there are tribal casinos in the USA
The First Nations Gaming Act (FNGA) became law in Canada in 1995, and it gave native tribes in the country the right to host gambling services on their own sovereign lands.
The Canadian Indian casinos law was modeled after America’s 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
No
That’s right, you heard us!
In Canada, unless you’re a “professional gambler” who makes the majority of his or her money through gambling, you do not have to pay income tax on your gambling winnings.
So, casino winnings are taxable in Canada only if you’re really, really good at gambling.
Fair to middling is the ticket, folks!
A whole lot of nonsense
A Canadian bet is a form of very complex parlay bet – popular in sports like football and horse racing – that involves 26 individual wagers within the parlay.
Also called a “Super Yankee” bet, Canadian bets are comprised of 10 doubles, 10 trebles (or triples), five four-time accumulators, and a single five-time accumulator.
To be completely frank, we don’t recommend messing around with these. Stick with two- and three-leg parlays.
Very well, thank you
At least for the house.
For the player, Canadian bets work like this: You risk some money and you lose it.
Because it just is, OK
Canadian bets are also called Super Yankee bets, and given that Yankees are American northerners, Canadians would be “super” Yankees.
Or something.
Actually, legend has it that the Yankee bet – which is a less complex (but still very complex) form of parlay than the Super Yankee bet or Canadian bet – was so named at some point in Australia, with the subtext that America is the land of equality.
Since such massive parlays have to hit on all sides or legs to pay out, they are – in a sense – symbolic of American equality.
Honestly, that all seems a bit far-fetched. We just think a lot of bacon and beer was involved.
Legal Gambling In Canada – Province By Province
Canada is home to 10 provinces and three territories. The provinces and territories have different constitutional allowances and authorities under the Canadian federal government, which impact the kinds of gambling – both online and offline – that are allowed within each region’s borders.
Note: Several provinces have their own native-run domestic online casino sites, but others haven’t gone quite that far yet and offer only those few online slots or online bingo games available through federally approved services like the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC).
Note to Ben: Maybe make a chart for these (and you can combine both into one big chart if you want. If you do that, make the header: Legal Gambling Options In Canada By Region. Whatever looks best and takes up the least room. If you combine them, you might can do a two column deal that takes up less space. A check mark for yes and X for no or something? Could also do it as a stylized map or something like that.)
Status Of Canadian Provincial Gambling Options
Alberta
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (18+)
- Online Domestic: YES (18+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
British Columbia
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Manitoba
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (18+)
- Online Domestic: YES (18+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
New Brunswick
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Land-Based Domestic: NO (N/A)
- Online Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Nova Scotia
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Domestic: NO (N/A)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Ontario
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Prince Edward Island
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Quebec
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (18+)
- Online Domestic: YES (18+)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Saskatchewan
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Domestic: NO (N/A)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Legal Gambling In Canada Territories
Northwest Territories
- Land-Based Domestic: NO (19+)
- Online Domestic: NO (N/A)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Nunavut
- Land-Based Domestic: NO (N/A)
- Online Domestic: NO (N/A)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Yukon
- Land-Based Domestic: YES (19+)
- Online Domestic: NO (N/A)
- Online Offshore: YES (18+)
Is Online Gambling Legal In Canada?
In most respects, Canadian gambling laws are like the laws that govern gambling in the United States. That is, whether or not a given province regulates brick-and-mortar or online gambling is up to that province alone. In other words, there is no federal gambling ban or federal online gambling ban in Canada.
Of course, despite the varied Canada gambling regulations, none of the different laws bars access to reputable offshore gambling sites. As such, Canada residents who don’t have convenient access to domestic online casino games, online sports betting odds, or online poker tournaments are free to join international gambling sites like those recommended here.
Note, though, that these sites will not have a Canada online gambling license, as they operate outside the reach of Canadian gaming laws. If that concerns you, read on to learn why this is a non-issue.
Disclaimer: We are not lawyers and are simply reporting the status of legal gambling in Canada based on our research and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns about the legality of online Canadian gambling sites operating outside CA borders, please consult a local gaming attorney.
What Is The Legal Gambling Age In Canada?
Canadian gambling law is established on a province-by-province basis, so there’s no universal age to gamble in Canada. That said, in most regions with legal domestic gaming options, the Canada gambling age is 19 and older. Nevertheless, a handful of provinces has set their minimum gambling ages to 18 and up.
Of course, if you want to avoid any confusion, the sites we recommend here have universal minimum ages to join and play, usually at just 18-plus. While some are 21+, these are exceptions to the rule.
But regardless of how old you have to be to gamble in CA at the sites featured on this page, those ages apply to all Canadian residents across the entire country, and there are no geofencing restrictions to limit access based on geography. At the best online gambling sites, Canada – all of Canada – is fair game. It's also fair iGaming certified!
How To Gamble Online In Canada
In the world of online gambling, Canada residents really have just two things to worry about: the operator’s legitimacy and the actual signup process itself.
The first thing, then, is make sure the online Canada gambling site you’re thinking about joining is actually a legit online casino, sportsbook, and/or poker room. There are literally thousands of online gambling sites out there, and most of them are untested at best and downright untrustworthy at worst.
Naturally, you’ll want to join only a tried-and-true operator that’s established in the industry. All our featured sites have years of experience and millions of US and Canadian customers, and we’ve been playing with them for years – and in some cases, even decades!
Next, you’ll need to actually go through the enrollment process. Fortunately, if you’ve ever signed up for any online service or store, you’ll know what to expect. Seriously, it’s faster than signing up for an NHL LIVE subscription!
How To Sign Up At Legal Canada Online Gambling Sites
As stated, once you’re ready to sign up with a legal Canadian online casino, online sportsbook, or online poker site, the process is simple as can be, and it works more or less the same way at every reputable CA betting site.
Here’s all you need to do:
- Follow any link here to a legit online gambling site that accepts Canadian residents.
- Click/tap the “Join Now” or “Sign Up” button.
- Enter in all required personal information, including your name, mailing address, email address, mobile phone number, desired username, and desired password. Depending on the site you choose, you may have to complete further Know Your Customer (KYC) ID verification steps. All private data is secured by SSL/TLS encryption, and your info is never sold or shared.
- Choose a deposit option and deposit amount.
- Select an optional online gambling promo (recommended).
- Submit your deposit and bet real money online safely and legally!
Gambling Laws In Canada
As in the US, Canada has been expanding its online gambling industries at a record pace since 2020 or so. Many provinces offer full online casino gambling, online sports betting, and even online poker.
However, the laws that govern Canadian online gambling vary from province to province, and you should never assume that one area’s laws are applicable to another area’s laws.
Please make sure you research all the Canada betting laws, rules, and regulations in your particular province or municipality before signing up and betting real money with any site featured in this legal online Canadian gambling guide.
