Is Online Casino Legal in Canada? Insights from Montréal Guardian

The legality of online gambling in Canada and the entire punting industry is pretty much common knowledge. From the government-endorsed lotteries to the widespread land-based casinos, you wouldn’t need to look far to ascertain the legal climate here. Online gambling, however, may be a little less apparent.

Having only gained traction in the last couple of years, online gambling’s legal borders in Canada are still blurry to many. Moving forward, we’ll be reporting the facts and unraveling the legal landscape of online gambling in the Great White North. 

The legal landscape of online gambling in Canada

The full scope of online gambling laws and regulations in Canada alas, isn’t as straightforward as you’d hope. The entire scene has been rendered intricate by provincial, territorial as well as federal regulations stitched together. However, certain laws remain binding on online gambling throughout the country. Here are the most profound ones; 

• The Canadian Criminal Code; A federal law that prohibits gambling not regulated or licensed by a provincial government. The Criminal code also makes it illegal for unlicensed Canadian companies to provide online gambling services to Canadians. As such, the law does not apply to abroad-based companies.
• Federal and Provincial Legal Provision: The Canadian Criminal Code leaves a decentralized opening for provinces to regulate online gambling within their boundaries. Unlike some other countries where national laws govern online gambling, Canadian provinces possess the legal framework to license and regulate their own activity.

Provincial Online Gambling Laws and Regulations

David Ebby, Former Premier of British Columbia – “The lack of federal enforcement against offshore gambling operators creates a regulatory gap that provinces must address to protect consumers.”

As we’ve established, online gambling in Canada is ultimately authorized and regulated under the supervision of provincial governments. And as stated earlier, these regulations vary depending on the legal and leadership orientation of the said province. As promised, below is a rundown of the basic legal framework in all Canadian provinces; 

Furthermore, here’s a rundown of provinces with the most online gambling activity in the Great White 

North;  

• Ontario
• British Columbia
• Quebec
• Manitoba

In overview, since the criminal code prohibits unlicensed gambling, each province has its own online gambling laws. These laws encompass local regulations, legal age, and licensing terms for local and offshore providers. 

Fun Fact: In 2022, Ontario became the first province in Canada to launch a fully regulated, competitive market for online gambling. 

Canada’s Gambling Statistics

Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction – “Provinces across Canada have increasingly adopted responsible gambling measures, recognizing that it’s critical to protect the well-being of players.”

Due to the level of online gambling legislation in Canada’s provinces, the overall gambling numbers have experienced a much-anticipated surge. According to several sources, at least 75% of Canadians are involved in some form of gambling. As you might have guessed, lotteries reign supreme with over 45% of that number. Casino gambling also accounts for 26% of the figure.

The gambling population is also predominantly male between the ages of 45-64. And just like every top gambling region in the world, low-income individuals gamble more in Canada. While the nation’s gambling market shrunk to $12.54 billion in 2021, online casinos boasted a 97% win rate the following year. 

This outstanding number was achieved during the rampage of online casino gaming in 2022; Experts have attributed the win rate partly to the ever-improving casino incentives like no deposit bonus offers at today’s online casinos. Unsurprisingly, the Canadian online casino space is abundant with guide to no deposit bonuses for users who are just getting onboard. 

iGaming and online casinos in Canada 

In the present day, online casino gambling is a well-organized and regulated endeavor in Canada. 

Especially in major provincial markets like Ontario, there are designated agencies like the iGaming Ontario (IGO) that regulate online casino gaming. Through these agencies, operators of online casinos will have their games and systems tested to ascertain quality and fairness. 

How iGaming Affects Canadian Gamblers

With iGaming now reaching far and wide in the Great White North, several positives have been recorded. With its thriving markets, the industry supports over 12,000 full-time jobs and also contributes over $900 million in labor income. Canadian iGaming is also making a reputation overseas, with thousands of foreign users gambling on Canadian-based providers. 

Safety and integrity in online gambling

At inception, online gambling in the Great White North was met with many questions about its integrity as well as the safety of funds and data. After a few years of organized online gambling, there are almost no concerns left. 

Typically, today’s online gambling providers are end-to-end encrypted. As a result, your data and transactions are shielded from the public eye. Also, the best gambling sites around only partner with trusted payment providers to facilitate cash transactions. 

Fun Fact: The Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec operates its own regulatory body, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which has been licensing online gambling sites since 1996. It’s one of the oldest online gambling regulators worldwide.

Final Words 

In the end, Canada’s legal stance on online gambling does not vary very much. Most of its provincial laws allow online gambling via recognized and regulated providers. Also, Canadian players can access services via licensed offshore platforms. 

The Great White North remains a region with one of the most comprehensive legal structures for online gambling.