Canada’s Top Online Gambling Sites: Best for Each Gambling Type

Written By Simon Rose Published on 08.11.2019 Last Updated on 19.07.2024

Canadian players have a whole world of online gambling sites at their fingertips. Though there is little regulation from the Canadian government, there are still plenty of safe and trustworthy gambling locations for Canucks. This page will give an overview of the best all-round hard hitters in the industry, then a breakdown of recommendations for each type of gambling.

The table above provides an overview of the five online gambling sites with the most comprehensive options for Canadians. They all offer a collection of wagering options including casino games, sports betting, live casino and poker games at a minimum, and we have highlighted the best and additional markets that they service.

All the Gambling Options for Canadians

As the table above are the best options for overall gambling experiences, it doesn’t necessarily reflect which operator is the best online gambling sites by type. The following list highlights each of Canada’s most popular types and provides the number one operator for each type of gambling.

• Unibet – Best Casino Gambling Site
• Betway – Top Poker Site
• Unibet – Best Sports Betting Site
• 888Ladies – Best Bingo Site
• Betway – Best E-Sports Gambling Site
• The Lotter – Best Lottery Gambling Site

Of course, these operators likely have other types of gambling available, however that isn’t always the case. Some of the best online gambling sites focus purely on one niche, in an effort to be a master of one, rather than a jack of all trades.

The following sections will break down each of Canada’s available types of gambling and give you a quick overview of each category and what makes it popular. We will also recommend an operator that is a trustworthy site for each type of gambling online that has met our judging criteria for what makes one of the top online casino gambling sites Canada or betting sites.

Casino Gambling – Classic Table Games and Slots

Unique and Popular Slots and many classic table games

Fantastic Casino Games

Play Here!

Canada online casino gambling sites represent a billion-dollar industry that is growing every year. New casinos for Canadians are being founded on a regular basis, but somehow these newcomers just can’t yet compete against the industry powerhouses like 888casino.

Leading the way since 1997, 888casino is one of the only online casino gambling sites in the world that develops its own gaming suite. You can find hundreds of unique games like the progressive jackpot slot Millionaire Genie alongside slots from additional external software developers, plus of course classic table games like blackjack, roulette and baccarat.

Sports Betting – Wager on Every Match

Multiple Markets Covering all the most popular sports

The Best Sports Bets

Play Here!

Sports betting in Canada has a long and complicated history, with the concept going back and forth between being legal and illegal for more than 600 years. Currently, for Canadian players it is only legal to place bets at offshore gambling sites, which is no great setback as it leaves you with hundreds of fantastic options, one of which is Unibet. Unibet has a fantastic collection of different markets which makes it one of the best online gambling sites.

Unibet has some of the best odds for many different markets including horse racing, NFL and darts, as well as virtual options. It should be considered a great all-rounder for sports betting thanks to its extensive betting guides and up-to-the-minute live scores. It also offers a generous welcome bonus and additional promotions like free bets to keep things interesting. To add to this experience, the website is easy to use and has a clear layout that also makes it preferable to use on mobile.

Bingo – Online Chat Community

Lots of Bingo Varieties With excellent bonuses and moderation

Friendly Bingo Rooms

Play Here!

Transitioning a game like bingo into online gambling sites is a tricky task, considering that much of the simple game’s charm is its social aspects. However, this is something that sites like 888Ladies achieve with aplomb. Instead of sharing a bingo hall, you’re sharing a communal chat with the many different players across the 25+ different rooms offering a selection of different variants, all kept open and inviting by friendly moderators.

On top of having plentiful rooms, there are also lots of different promotions to claim, including an excellent bingo welcome bonus. It’s always well worth checking the terms and conditions but with this operator, the wagering conditions are very low. To top it off, the gambling site has a selection of slot games that you can play while you wait for your room to open, which adds an extra level of entertainment on top of the already superb excitement of bingo sites in Canada.

Online Poker – Hold’em or Fold’em

Lots of Poker Games With many fun side bets

The Best Poker Site

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There are many different types of poker that you can experience on gambling sites. First are the digital only, random number generated (RNG) games like Joker Poker Power, which are incredibly simple online versions of video poker machines. Then, you’ve got RNG-based versions of more traditional options of casino poker like Caribbean Stud, which are still simple, player versus dealer games. Then, there are the live dealer versions of games.

Though these games vary in terms of visual effects and gameplay input, they still follow the same hand ranking rules as traditional poker. They’re also alike in that they are all available at Betway, our top choice for poker gambling online thanks to its massive collection of options. As you can see in our table of the best online gambling sites above, Betway is also a fantastic site for e-sports, but it also has thousands of casino games and sports betting options.

Betting Exchange – Become the Bookmaker

Ever wished that you could be the bookmaker, instead of losing to the bookmaker? Well, that’s exactly what you can do with a betting exchange. Set the odds you like, or take the odds as set by another player, the choice is yours. This is a fairly new gambling type at sports betting sites, and as the matches available to bet on entirely depends on players setting up the odds, the options can be slim.

We recommend 888 Casino as a great betting exchange gambling site for Canadians, as it has the most participating players and therefore the most options. If there are no betting exchange options you like, there are always traditional sports bets as well as e-sports and a fantastic live casino to keep you entertained. This is a great holistic operator.

E-sports – Gambling on Gaming

Lots of Gaming Action From all the biggest tournaments

Best E-Sports Bets

Play Here!

Betting on e-sports is one of the newest options available at Canada’s best gambling sites, as it has only grown in line with the popularity of professional competitive video gaming. These days you can place wagers on video game tournaments for Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), League of Legends (LOL) and DOTA2, as well as for other games. We recommend Betway Canada as our favourite e-sports gambling site.

As with all other types of sports betting, the odds on e-sports differ from one bookmaker to another, so it’s worthwhile having a look to see what the different options are, if you have accounts at several of the best online gambling sites. However, in our experience, Betway has some of the best odds for e-sports wagers in general, as well as a lot of different options based on the players in the teams, their history and the type of characters they play.

Lottery – Buy Tickets Online

Enormous Jackpots From National and Ontario lotteries

The Official Lottery

Play Here!

When it comes to online lottery participation, Canadians are able to buy their ticket online through the lottery resellers for the National Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49 and Daily Grand draws from all official online retailers. Though they rae regulated separately to other forms of gambling in Canada, offshore sites are able to offer Canucks tickets to the lottery. Through these forms, state residents can purchase state-based lottery tickets as well as other international tickets.

With prizes in the millions regularly being awarded to lucky Canucks, there is no confusion as to why looking for lottery on gambling sites is so popular. We recommend you stick to licensed resellers like The Lotter, which guarantees they are buying real tickets on your behalf and will be paid your winnings directly. In order to register, you’ll need to provide your full personal details including your address.

Live Online Casino Gambling Sites – Meet Real Dealers

There are a number of fantastic live software developers in Canada that produce an interesting collection of titles across the casino classics like blackjack, roulette and baccarat. The exact options will vary from one operator to another, but the best live casino gambling sites will offer games from both industry leader, Pragmatic Play, as well as titles from the other firms. As it answers this demand, we recommend Leovegas Canada as the best casino gambling live suite.

William Hill also stand out for the wide range of table limits that it offers across its live suite, covering the requirements for both high rollers and those with a smaller budget. You can access dedicated and themed tables with the lovely professional dealers that expertly guide you through each hand, chatting freely with participants from across both land-based and online gambling sites, in some rooms. Enjoy the high definition video streams and multiple camera angles offered by the expert teams behind the live suites for Canadian players.

Novelty Gambling – Bet on TV and Events

Novelty gambling, or specialty bets, is something of an addition to many sports betting sites that adds a different spin to the experience. Depending on the online gambling site, Canadian players can place wagers on almost anything significantly relevant, from who will win the latest reality television series to who will win the next Nobel Peace Prize. You can even bet on the outcome of political elections around the world. We recommend Unibet Canada for punters looking for novelty gambling, as it has current and frequently updated betting options.

There has been some controversy about operators offering wagers on pre-taped shows like some episodes of Canada’s Got Talent. Leaks from networks and players could pre-inform the bookmakers on the outcome, so it is always a good idea to stick to licenced and regulated operators that are constantly investigated and tested for fairness across their odds. Speaking of odds, the volatility of some events like the US elections can see that the odds can change drastically overnight, so it’s always a good idea to check the options at a few gambling sites.

Daily Fantasy Sports – A New Team Every Day

As opposed to traditional fantasy sports that play out across an entire season, a daily fantasy sports participant gets to start fresh every day, or week – for good or for ill. This is becoming increasingly popular among Canadians following NFL and soccer, for example, who keep a close eye on the value of different players across teams. There are not a lot of different sites offering daily fantasy sports due to the complicated legalities across the US, but Canadian players are welcome to make their teams and play at them.

Across the huge number of different types of games that you can bet on, there are additional options that make every match and every wager unique. Daily Fantasy Sports requires a combination of skill and chance, with every decision in the hands of the professionals when they hit the pitch. You can enjoy the Yahoo Sports options from desktop computer or on a downloadable app, which makes it easy to see and choose your players on the move.

How We Compare Gambling Sites

In our list of top 5 gambling sites, you can see a variety of different operators and their best markets. However, there is more to comparing sites than just finding out which gambling markets they best serve. For Canadian players, we need to make sure that the operators are licensed and regulated by trustworthy authorities like the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) or the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). Although these don’t particularly protect Canadian gamblers, it means that the site has been vetted and proven to be trustworthy by some of the world’s harshest critics.

We also look at the types of welcome bonuses and other promotions that are available, which can vary greatly both in the amount of money you can claim, and how hard they are to claim. We scour the wagering terms and conditions to find the most generous offers, then move on to check what payment methods are available. A great online gambling site must offer a selection of credit cards, eWallets and prepaid payment options from global financial service providers without charging any fees. Next, we confirm the encryption status of the website to protect you from hackers and look at the communication methods available for contacting customer support.

Once all of this is done, we look at the particulars of the list we’re making, so for the best online gambling sites we had to look at how comprehensive the options are across all of the gambling types we covered above. The top five are those who have the best all-rounder availabilities, meaning you’ve got a one-stop shop for all sorts of gambling experiences without needing more than one account.

Licences and Regulations for Safe Gambling

Having a licence to offer remote gambling services to players is more than just a piece of paper allowing operators to exist. The best casino sites must meet a high level of strict selection criteria from international regulators and licensing authorities.

You can trust that we have checked all operators on this site that we recommend, though it’s useful to know what to look for yourself. All licensed, safe online gambling sites will have the regulator’s logo in the footer of their website, and the URL address bar will show a small padlock, proving encryption is in place.

Another facet to safe gambling sites is their inclusion of responsible gambling services and resources. All licensed operators will promote BeGambleAware, and offer self exclusion options as well as betting limits to help people stay within their limits.

Types of Player Bonuses

When signing up for a new player account, players at gambling sites are often offered a welcome bonus of some sort. These vary wildly depending on the type of gambling you want to do, and the best bonuses in Canada will not be the same as the best sports betting bonuses. Here are a few options to give you an idea:

Regardless of the type of site you’re patronizing, there will be bonus wagering conditions that apply to any free bets, bonus spins or other types of offers. Casino gambling promotions often force you to wager a deposit and bonus amount a number of times, while free bets can only be used in certain markets.

Mobile Gambling App Availability

Being able to access mobile gambling sites through an operator is a hugely important criteria these days, with the majority of players preferring to use their smartphone for gambling. Many of the top mobile casinos for Canada are available these days as both a downloadable app and a mobile-optimised website.

Trustworthy and Safe Payment Methods

Having many different payment methods from global financial institutions is a requirement for all gambling websites. You must be able to choose between the various options to find the best one that suits you. Here are the most common payment methods at gambling sites:

• Credit Cards: Visa and Mastercard payments are widely available.
• Debit Cards: Maestro and Visa Electron options are often only for deposits.
• eWallets: Top options like Neteller and Skrill are the fastest methods.
• eCheque: One of the rarest and slowest payment methods.
• Bank Transfer: Slow, but steady and common method for deposits and withdrawals.
• Bitcoin: Cryptocurrencies are becoming more commonly accepted.
• Apple Pay: Ideal for mobile gamers, Apple Pay offers often instant payments.
• Pay-by-Phone: Add your deposit to your phone bill with this method.

Globally recognised brands like Visa Electron and Maestro are all examples of companies with enormous levels of trust. More than any of the others, they boast fast processing times and low fees, plus additional layers of security features for increased protection.

Neteller for Gambling Transactions

As you are likely already aware, PayPal is not available for gambling payments in Canada.. However, there are many great Neteller sitess that are great alternatives and make excellent use of the service’s incredibly fast processing times.

The most important things to watch out for when making a Neteller transaction at online gambling sites are if any currency exchanges will be required, and if there are any limits. Sites choose their own deposit limits, both in minimums and maximum amounts.

Bitcoin Gambling Sites

Though by no means the most common transaction option, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are becoming more readily available. They provide insurmountable levels of security through the use of blockchain technology, making payments effectively untraceable. Bitcoin casinos are still difficult to find, though we have identified our favourite gambling sites with the cryptocurrency here:

Aside from the security features, Bitcoin transactions also are exempt from fees, in most cases. There are some downsides to the payment method, including that it is complicated to use, and cannot generally be used for withdrawals. It’s also very unlikely that Bitcoin deposits will be able to trigger deposit bonuses.

Great Gambling Software

Just as all forms of gambling differ, the games that you can play even further vary on their graphics, gameplay and soundtracks – even within one game type. This is because they are sourced from a number of different software developers, each of which with their own design styles.

Some developers focus purely on one niche, like slots or bingo, only making gambling games that fall into that category. These firms are usually new companies, and often turn out some of the most exciting and ground-breaking new titles. Other developers have been providing to the industry since the beginning, earning them powerhouse status across many gambling types.

The developers in the table above are some of the most widely recognised brands of software in the Canadian casino industry. They all produce enormous quantities of high-quality titles for the most popular online casinos. Well-known games like Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest are just two examples of the hugely popular titles you can find.

Gambling in Canada 2024 – the Latest Trends

In the following sections, we will tell you more about the types of gambling in Canada and discuss the trends in the industry. We’ll discuss the history and current legality of online casinos Canada.

Gambling is a hugely popular activity in Canada that generates more than C$13 billion revenue per year. Across Canada, you will find hundreds of land-based casinos that appeal to locals and tourists alike. Other forms of gambling, including bingo sites, online poker, lotteries and sports betting, are also growing in popularity.

Yet if one trend stands out above all else in recent years, it is online gambling. Canadians have embraced remote gambling, and you will find lots of trusted and respected online casinos that accept players from Canada. Online slots and live casino games, in particular, are hugely popular with Canadian players currently.

Moving forward, we expect gambling trends to continue to center around online gambling. Virtual reality casino games are a trend that many expect will boom in the coming years. While a handful of operators feature VR games in their selections, as the technology develops, it is likely to be used more widely, giving players access to new immersive and engaging VR games.

Is Gambling in Canada Legal?

Changes to the Criminal Code of Canada saw provincial governments given the rights to oversee and regulate gambling activity within their own jurisdictions. All forms of gambling are regulated by each of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. As such, there are some differences in laws and practices across the country. In most provinces, the legal age for gambling is 18, yet you will find some places where you must be 19 years of age to gamble legally.

As for the legality of online gambling, it is illegal for an online casino to be operated from within Canada. However, it is legal for Canadians to play at online casinos based outside of the country. For this reason, many offshore casinos have opened their doors to welcome Canadian players.

There is an exception to the rule. Despite its location within Canadian borders, the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory is considered an offshore territory. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission has the power to grant gambling licences for both land-based and online gambling operators.

• Betway Limited (Betway) – UKGC Licence No 39372
• 888 UK Limited (888casino) – UKGC Licence No 39028
• White Hat Gaming Limited (Grand Ivy) – UKGC Licence No 52894
• White Hat Gaming Limited (Dream Vegas) – UKGC Licence No 52894
• White Hat Gaming Limited (Casimba) – UKGC Licence No 52894
• Casumo Services Ltd (Casumo) – UKGC Licence No 39265
• MT Secure Trade Limited (Dunder) – UKGC Licence No 39575
• LeoVegas Gaming Ltd (LeoVegas) – UKGC Licence No 39198

Online casinos in Canada are permitted to operate from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, provided they have met the strict criteria to obtain a gambling licence from the Commission. So, Canadian players can either play at sites that hold this licence or access reputable sites based overseas. We recommend that players ensure that the offshore sites are licensed by reputable authorities, like the UKGC, like the operators listed here.

History of Gambling in Canada

Canada has a rich history when it comes to gambling. In 1892, the Criminal Code banned gambling outright in all its forms. Yet this was soon amended to allow for certain types of gambling, with bingo and lotteries permitted for charity by 1900 and horse racing betting added within ten years. Another significant milestone in the country’s gambling history was the changes made to the Criminal Code in 1969.

The changes allowed federal and provincial authorities to run lotteries to raise funds for special projects, including the Montreal Olympics. Gambling continued to be managed provincially, and over the years, further rights were given, allowing them to permit other types of gambling. This brought a surge in land-based casinos, with casinos being established across most provinces in the country.

With the boom of the internet, from the late 1990s onwards, online gambling gained popularity. Many Canadians enjoy having a punt on football, horse racing, and the nation’s favourite sport, ice hockey. Online casinos and poker sites likewise started to cater to Canadians. Thanks to the legal framework allowing Canadians to gamble online, offshore gambling sites became the go-to choice for Canadian players.

The wide accessibility to gambling sites has also seen some famous gamblers emerge from Canada. Some of the world’s best poker players hail from Canada, including Daniel Negreanu. Evelyn Ng and Gavin Smith.

FAQs

We’ve collected the most common questions about Canadian gambling sites here to make it easy for any reader to quickly and easily find answers. We constantly update this section to make sure it is up to date with the requirements of readers, so check back often if you can’t find an answer.

Conclusion

Players in Canada are spoiled for choice when it comes to the huge variety of gambling types. Our best advice for choosing from the best online gambling sites is to take a close look at what type of gambling you wish to do, then ensuring that your selected site excels in that area.

Though it can be confronting to make this choice, we can guarantee that you will have a fantastic experience at any of the options we have recommended here. Never go off-book when it comes to selecting safe and trustworthy sites, as there is always one perfect for your needs.

Importantly, there will be plenty of Canadian sites that offer a fantastic collection of various types of gambling. The increased variety may be more important for some players than choosing a specialist site. Again, take your time when choosing to look through the full portfolio.

As long as you are sticking to online gambling sites that holds a valid licence, you are guaranteed to have a good time. You can sign up for many sites, so if there is no single perfect site, perhaps the right combination will be suitable instead.