Canada Online Casinos
Canada online casino apps are legal.
In Ontario, that includes more than 70 online casino apps such as BetMGM, SlotsMagic, Caesars Palace and BetRivers with the biggest and best casino deals, including no deposit offers, bonus spins, matched welcome bonuses, and loyalty rewards.
Here at PlayCanada, we simplify online casino gambling in Canada, so you don’t have to.
Best Canada online casinos
Download casino apps or play no-download casinos
Real-money casino games can be accessed on phones, tablets, or desktops. Some brands provide all their games via browser, using HTML 5 with a responsive design that adjusts to your screen size.
You will also find casinos with mobile apps specially produced for either Apple or Android devices.
For mobile gaming, it is worth comparing the pros and cons of apps and no-download games. A big advantage of apps is that you will be sure that the games are optimized for smaller screens and touch input. While most browser games will adjust, the detail of the layout can be hit or miss, especially for older games that were not created with mobile play in mind.
Load times are faster with apps, and in many cases, the gameplay will appear smoother.
The key drawback is game diversity. While the full website versions of online casinos can have up to 1,000 games, apps sometimes have as few as 50. That said, certain types of games work perfectly on smartphones, like online slots, video poker, and scratch cards. Other types of games — for example, live dealers — are better on a tablet, laptop, or desktop than smaller screens.
Bonuses at real money casinos in Canada
You do not need to spend a fortune to get a bonus from an online casino in Canada. In fact, you can get cash with zero money down via no deposit casino bonuses. Others have a big bonus package for just a minimum deposit, including bonus spins or bonus chips to try out different areas of their site.
No deposit bonuses give you the opportunity to check out the games — and even win money — without having to deposit your own money. These offers are small amounts — not enough to be meaningful stakes to many players. To get a bigger bonus, you must make a deposit.
Online casinos will match your first deposit with bonus credits. The amounts can get big, with some brands offering up to $1,000 or smaller amounts over multiple deposits. You need to turn your bonus credits into real cash by meeting the playthrough requirement specified in the terms and conditions at each casino. This can get complicated by weightings and game exclusions — see the section below for a more in-depth explanation.
Other types of bonuses include no-lose offers. Here, any losses from your first day are returned in bonus credits up to a specified amount. You can find deals that give you bonus chips or refunds to try out mobile casinos or live dealer casino rooms too.
Loyalty schemes, VIP bonuses and ongoing promotions are a lot more important than many players believe. Those welcome offers are a great way to kickstart your bankroll. Over time, loyalty rewards reload, and regular promotions will have a far bigger impact on your balance.
How to compare casino bonus offers
When you first compare the bonuses, two offers of ‘100% match to $500’ look identical. However, when you check the terms and conditions, you might find they are quite different.
The key factor is the number of times you need to bet your bonus before it becomes real money that can be withdrawn. This is known as your ‘playthrough’ or ‘wagering’ requirement. It can be expressed in two formats. First, as a multiple of the bonus amount and second, as a multiple of the bonus amount plus the amount that you deposited. Typical ranges are anything from 20x and up.
To complicate things a little, casinos weigh their games. If a game is weighted at 10%, it means that only $1 of every $10 bet counts towards your bonus playthrough. Slots, Keno games, and scratch cards have the highest (100%) ratings. Table games and some video poker are in the middle, and some games with a lower house edge are completely excluded.
Other terms to check for include how much time you have to claim and clear your bonus. Casinos will also void bonuses for things like covering all the numbers on roulette or betting both player and banker in baccarat.
Real money casino games
Game options explode when you visit online casinos. Even the biggest live casinos in Canada can only offer a few dozen gaming tables. This means only the most popular games like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat are offered, along with some casino poker variations. The 1000 slots at the bigger casinos give you a mix of retro (reel slots) and multimedia games to choose from.
Online casinos curate their games from multiple software houses. The online brands compete with those from live casinos that are rapidly moving their games online. The types of games you can find at online casinos are covered below; after that, you will find an overview of the biggest software providers.
- Online casino games: With no dealers needed, there are hundreds of casino games available at online casinos. Popular formats like blackjack and roulette have multiple variations. You will find games with side bets, different rules, and single/multi-hand (or wheel) variations. Casinos also mix things up; examples include free bet blackjack, blackjack switch, or French roulette. Add in casino poker variants, baccarat, craps, casino war, and pai gow poker.
- Live dealer table games: You can gamble on casino table games that are happening in real-time at online casinos. Options include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, casino poker games (UTH, Three Card Poker, or Casino Hold’em are popular), and wheel spin-style games. The big plus of these games is the social/real casino feel. You can interact with the dealers and other players. Keep in mind that minimum stakes are higher and that your hand will be folded if you disconnect during play.
- Online slots: There are thousands of online slots to choose from, with new titles added every week. You can play slots found in live casinos online. These are joined by games produced with online casinos in mind. The range of games includes online versions of traditional (three-reel) slots, simple video slots, and games with complex bonus features. Look out for online slots that use well-known brands from TV, movies, and musicians. Many online slots have jackpots — some of the biggest progressive prizes reach life-changing money levels.
- Video poker: This traditional game works well at mobile casinos. You will find all the regular formats, including Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, and Deuces Wild video poker. There are multi-hand games, bonus poker-style-pay tables, and ultimate x-style bonus games available. Online casinos have innovated around the theme, creating titles with second chances, break-out bonus games, and real money video poker games based on poker formats other than ‘draw.’
- Other casino games: Many new casino games do not fit neatly into the categories above. There are keno and bingo variants — often with entertaining themes. You will find wheel spin games, scratch cards, novelty games based on game shows, virtual betting games, and hybrid games which mix the qualities of bingo and slots.
Casino game producers
You can play games from the biggest live game providers at real money online casinos. There is a separate list of games from online gaming specialists — some of which have been providing online casino platforms and games for over 20 years.
Here are the most popular software providers, along with highlights of their games:
- Playtech: Another online-only games provider, Playtech is behind the popular ‘Age of the Gods’ range of slots. It has many more options and also runs sports betting and poker software. Games to check out include Jackpot Giant and Pink Panther.
- NetEnt: Mobile casino slots include games with band tie-ins like Guns N’ Roses and Jimi Hendrix. Check out Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, and the entertaining Invisible Man range. This online game producer also creates virtual casino table games.
- IGT casinos: You will find many of the most popular live casino slots from IGT have made it online. They include Wheel of Fortune games, Cleopatra slot machines, and Stinkin’ Rich. Online, IGT links its slots into the ‘MegaJackpots’ range. You can win a huge progressive jackpot on any of these games.
- Aristocrat casinos: This company is behind the famous Buffalo slot games, which can be enjoyed in Canadian live casinos. They also produce Walking Dead-themed games and the Lightning Link/Dragon Link slots. Only the original Buffalo is available online. You will find a list of classic Aristocrat games at online casinos in Canada, including Choy Sun Dao and Big Red.
- Konami casinos: It produces quirky slots, which often have high volatility, including Dragon’s Law and China Shores. Konami continually innovates, creating games with amazing graphics and animations for both live and online casinos. Branded games include Silent Hill and Dungeons and Dragons slots.
- Bally casinos: This slot studio is best known for its ‘Quick Hits’ range, which is now available online. There are 100’s more options, including Dragon Spin, Hot Shot Progressives, and Sumo Kitty.
- WMS casinos: Non-standard reel setups and polished gems that look like playing card suits help WMS slots stand out on the casino floor. Popular titles include the Lock it Link range, Goldfish, Planet Moolah, and Bier Haus slots. Check out games that have 100 win-lines splits over two reel sets, including Lil’ Red, in the ‘colossal reels’ setup.
- Barcrest casinos: This slot producer created the popular ‘Rainbow Riches’ games. It has joined Bally and WMS as part of the Scientific Games company. Barcrest created the ‘high roller spins’ idea, where you bet extra for five spins with added benefits. Other titles include Ooh Aah Dracula.
- Scientific Games casinos: This casino game giant rivals IGT in size. It owns the three brands covered above and releases slots under its own name too. SG is behind the amazing range of James Bond and Invaders from the Planet Moolah. Under ‘SG Interactive’ it brings games from Bally, WMS, and Barcrest to online casinos.
Progressive jackpots at casinos in Canada
There are big progressives in both live and online casinos. Live casino jackpots include province-wide progressives, as well as those linked between different slots in a casino. Online slot jackpots have the advantage of scale. Many casinos using the same software can participate, so pools can grow rapidly.
The biggest progressives at Canadian online casinos come from NetEnt and Microgaming slots. Titles including Mega Riches (NetEnt), Mega Moolah and Wheel of Wishes (Microgaming), and Jackpot Giant (Playtech) have multi-million-dollar prizes. The biggest jackpot won online was over 18 million Euros.
Live slot providers have jackpots online. For example, IGT has its linked ‘MegaJackpots’ slots. It adds this progressive to its best games — including Cleopatra, Siberian Storm, and Cluedo — giving you the chance to win a multi-million prize on any title.
With hundreds of smaller prizes — many of them four or five figures, there are plenty of ways to get lucky at real money online casinos in Canada.
Live casinos in Canada
There are live casinos throughout Canada, and more populated provinces have a lot of options. Licensing and control of casinos happen at the provincial level. There are small differences between regions; for example, the minimum age for gambling and responsible gambling policies. There are also loyalty reward schemes and jackpot pools that are shared between live casinos in a province.
Venues range from luxury resorts with hotels, entertainment complexes, and racetracks to smaller tribal casinos.
Here is a quick overview of what is on offer for live casino fans, broken down by province:
- Alberta casinos: You will find 25 casinos and bingo halls in Alberta. They vary in size, from the huge River Cree Resort to smaller tribal casinos. There are more than 10,000 slots, VLTs, almost 400 gaming tables, and sports betting (Sport Select) options available. Alberta casinos share province-wide progressive jackpots. There is also a loyalty scheme that works in all casinos in AB. Some casinos run the ‘Winners Edge’ scheme in parallel with their own loyalty rewards program.
- British Columbia casinos: BC has its own online gambling portal, as well as 36 live gambling venues. There are more than 13,000 slots, 550 table games, plus VLTs, poker rooms, and OTB offices in British Columbia. They are under the jurisdiction of the BC Lottery Commission. The biggest live casinos are the Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby, River Rock in Richmond, and Cascades Casino Resort in Langley. You will also find five horse racing tracks in BC.
- Ontario casinos: You will find more casinos in ON than in any other province. There are more than 31,000 slots and almost 1,000 table games spread over 70+ casinos and OTB offices. Big resorts are located in Niagara Falls area, including the giant Fallsview Casino Resort. Great Canadian Resort Toronto next to Woodbine Racetrack is the largest casino in Canada and Caesars Windsor is popular with Detroit residents, as well as locals. Add to this list 15 poker rooms, 70 OTB offices and 15 racetracks, and you have more opportunities to gamble than anywhere else in Canada.
- Québec casinos: There are only 10 live casinos in Québec. What they lack in numbers, they make up for in quality, with the world-famous Casino Montreal at the top of the list. This casino hosts 3,000 slots, 115 table games, and a poker room. Poker fans have a choice of the big resorts or dedicated poker rooms (which also have small slot selections), such as the Playground Poker Club or Poker Palace. The Québec Alcohol, Racing and Gaming Commission oversees gambling in this province.
- Manitoba casinos: There are 10 casinos in Manitoba. You will find almost 3,000 slots between them, along with 53 table games. The biggest venue is in Winnipeg. This is the Club Regent Casino, which hosts a poker room and Bingo. Unusually, this venue is owned by the province via the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation. Many of the casinos in northern MB are smaller tribal venues, with 200 or fewer slots and limited opening hours.
- New Brunswick casinos: There are six casinos in this province. Only a single city (Fredericton) breaks into double figures. These casinos are small and have limited opening hours. There are also opportunities to bet via pari-mutuel pools at OTB offices. Poker fans will only find one room in NB, though, with only five tables in the entire province and cannot expect too much in the way of action. The single biggest casino is the Casino New Brunswick in Moncton. This venue has more than 600 slots and 20 table games.
- Nova Scotia casinos: Only two casinos in NS have slots or table games. The remaining eight venues offer bingo, OTB services, and entertainment only. This province has 774 slots and 40 table games in total. The largest casino is located in Halifax. This is the Casino Nova Scotia Halifax. It has 500+ slot machines, 32 casino table games, and a poker room with eight tables. The only other casino of any size is in Sydney; this Casino Nova Scotia location has 272 slots, eight tables and a small (four-table) poker room.
- Saskatchewan casinos: Gambling takes place at nine venues in SK. There are eight casinos, plus the horse racing track at Marquis Downs. There are almost 3,500 slots around this province, with just 76 casino table games. Poker fans will find small, dedicated rooms in six different casinos. The biggest casino venue in Saskatchewan is the Casino Regina, which hosts more than 1000 slots and 30 table games. Saskatchewan recently announced it will be launching BCLC’s PlayNow online platform in the province in November, too.
- PEI casinos: There are two casinos and three bingo halls on Prince Edward Island. With only four table games available, your best bet for gambling is to hit the slots. The biggest venue is the Red Shores Racetrack and Casino in Charlottetown. This has 200 slots, those four table games, and horse racing bets, both live and via simulcast.
The biggest and best online casino brands combine with a huge list of of live gambling opportunities in Canada. This gives Canadians more choices than almost any country — especially when you compare Canada to the US.
Online casinos are permitted as long as they are not based in Canada. In Ontario, however, only online casinos registered and regulated by AGCO and iGaming Ontario are legal for residents. That said, players have a massive choice due to the launch of the province’s open market in April. Even greater than some provinces’ grey market options. In either case, there are a huge collection of slots, table games (including live dealer options), and Keno online. Generously matched welcome bonuses can help get your bankroll off to a flying start.