Best Online Casinos in Canada: Top Real Money Sites for December 2023

Best online casino and gambling games in Canada

Editor's note: Bonuses mentioned on this page are not for residents of Ontario.

Similar to US online casinos, Canadian gambling platforms feature almost all types of casino games, with some being more prevalent than others. Let’s review the most common and best ones you’ll encounter.   

Online Slots 

Slots are the default game category in any casino, and they typically make up the biggest part of the library. You’ll find various classic and video slots, including those with popular features like bonus buys, Megaways, cluster pays, free spins, and more. Furthermore, most sites have a significant number of jackpot slots and progressive jackpots for you to enjoy.  

Online Blackjack 

Blackjack is a classic table and card game, and one you’ll find in most Canadian online casinos. It’s typically the most numerous table game category, known for having the lowest house edge.  

Online Roulette 

Along with blackjack, roulette is another table game you’ll always find in online casinos. Canadian sites feature many roulette variations, including the three most popular ones — European, French, and American.  

Online Poker 

Poker is one of the only casino games that rewards skill, and it’s often reserved for pros. However, Canadian casinos also offer Random Number Generator (RNG) poker, simulated poker games where you play alone. If you prefer live action, you'll also find live dealer poker which simulates the experience of a brick-and-mortar casino.  

Online Baccarat 

Baccarat is found in most Canadian casinos, and together with roulette and blackjack, it’s among the most common table and card games you’ll get to play on gambling sites. It’s a simple game but comes in many variations with side bets and other exciting features.  

Online Craps 

Along with baccarat, craps are one of the few dice casino games you’ll get to play online, and it’s found in many Canadian casinos. Unfortunately, most sites offer only one or two variations of craps games, but we’re sure you’ll enjoy trying out other game types as well.  

Video Poker 

Video poker is a famous combination of slot and poker elements that comes in several variations , and can be played in numerous ways to get decent returns. It requires some skill and strategy to win, making it incredibly entertaining for any avid gambler. 

Live Dealer Games 

Most online casinos in Canada have a live casino section that includes live versions of poker, blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette, and other table and card casino games. The game is always played with an actual dealer through a live stream and often with other players. Live casinos typically feature game shows like Crazy Time, Monopoly, Mega Ball, Sweet Bonanza Candyland, and Dream Catcher.  

Sports Betting 

Once you’ve seen a couple of Canadian casinos, you’ll quickly realize that they also tend to offer online sportsbooks and betting apps. Many gambling sites cater to both of these incredibly popular gambling verticals and often have a host of sports betting bonuses for bettors. If you’re a big sports betting fan, you should choose the sites that cover both gambling verticals, or you can simply go for Canada's best sports betting sites.

Online casino payment methods in Canada

If you want to use Canada casino payment options, you’ll be glad to know that all online casinos we recommend here come with banking methods widely used in the country. Many online casinos operating in the Canadian market support popular banking options, and we’ll review all the most prevelant ones below. 

Interac  

Interac is synonymous with online payments in Canada. It’s a widely used method and one of the favourites of casino players in the country. You’ll find it in almost any casino offering its services in Canada. It comes with fast payments, enhanced bankroll management, and increased security.  

Visa 

One of the two biggest card processing networks, Visa, is very popular among Canadian gamblers. You can use it for both deposits and withdrawals. It’s convenient and secure, slower than e-wallets and faster than bank transfers.  

Mastercard 

If you want to use your own bank account in Canadian casinos, Mastercard is a good bet —, just like Visa. It offers the same benefits and the same downsides as its main competitor. You’ll find it in 99% of the top casinos in the country.  

American Express 

AMEX is often regarded as one of the most secure and overall best payment methods in Canada and beyond. It’s convenient to use but not always supported by Canadian online casinos, and certainly not as common as Visa and Mastercard.  

PayPal 

Since PayPal is the most popular e-wallet in the Western hemisphere, many Canadian casino fans want to see it in their favourite casinos. Unfortunately, PayPal is not overly interested in gambling, so it’s uncommon in Canadian-friendly offshore casinos.  

Skrill 

Skrill is one of the favourite e-wallets of Canadian gamblers. It’s been ubiquitous in the iGaming world, so no wonder it’s so prevalent in Canadian online casinos. It’s similar to PayPal and offers many benefits like high security, speedy transfers, and an easy-to-use system. 

InstaDebit 

This bank-to-bank payment option is widely available in Canada and supported by various casinos in the country. It’s simple, quick, and very reliable. That said, it’s not as widespread as iDebit, a similar banking method.  

Bank Transfer 

One of the most straightforward payment methods, a simple bank wire transfer, is widely available in Canadian casinos. However, you should know that it's much slower than any other option and is often only available for withdrawals. Plus, it comes with higher fees and cashout minimums.  

Prepaid Cards 

Reloadable prepaid cards are commonly used by gamblers who want to keep their primary payment methods separate from their gambling ventures. You’ll often get options like Paysafecard and Play+, the former being widely available across the industry. 

Popular online casinos by type

You already know that there are plenty of online casinos on the Canadian market, but did you know there are also different types of platforms? The categories vary from casinos specialising in high payouts to platforms focused on fast withdrawals. Let’s look at the main types on the scene: 

Fast casino withdrawals 

Players looking for hassle-free and fast withdrawals will like these online casinos. Fast cashout means that the processing times take just one or two days for most modern payment methods. This typically excludes bank transfers and credit cards, as both tend to be slower.  

Mobile gambling casino apps 

These platforms are ideal if you prefer playing casino games on your phone. Most casinos have well-designed and highly optimized sites for all Android and iOS devices. This usually means all games are available on mobile devices, live dealers work without lags or bugs, and each game window is optimized to fit a smaller display. Some casinos even have dedicated apps, which enhance platform performance further and are specifically designed for gaming on the go.  

New online casinos 

The Canadian online casino market is growing rapidly, so this category is filled to the brim. Naturally, many of these newer casinos are not worth your time, but the best ones offer more enticing welcome bonuses, an improved library of games, new releases from top providers, and more.  

High payout casinos 

Every casino game has a specific RTP, and most reputable and transparent casinos display RTP percentages for all games in their library. This allows us to calculate the site average, and the casinos with the highest RTPs (usually above 97%) are the best-paying ones. Over time, you’ll win more on them than on other platforms.

Canadian online casinos legal developments

Canada allows every province to create its own laws and regulations on gambling. Except for Ontario, no regulations have been enacted in any province. At the same time, neither the provincial nor the federal governments object to people gambling online in offshore casinos.  

This is a major reason why online casinos are so popular in Canada today and why hundreds of platforms offer their services to Canadians.  

Gambling existed in the country even before it gained its independence. The practice was always permitted, but the government became more strict in the late 1800s. However, as gambling’s popularity continued rising, the laws relaxed.  

The federal government decided to leave the matter of gambling regulation to the individual provinces by the 1970s. Many provinces made retail casinos legal and regulated, which is why Canadians can now find them throughout the country. As for online casinos, Ontario was the only province that decided to regulate their industry in April 2022, while others allow citizens to use offshore casinos.

Canada online casinos quick facts

Canada casino notable developments

Since the government removed single-event sports betting from the Criminal Code in 2021, everyone has been wondering when it plans to explore the legalization of online gambling.  

Naturally, this is primarily up to each provincial government. All of them have already made sports betting legal in some form, either retail-only or both retail and online. However, only Ontario has regulated the online casino industry.  

Most provinces allow people to register in offshore online casinos, and there hasn’t been much talk about a province regulating the industry like Ontario did. However, Alberta is the front-runner here, as there is a lot of interest among the populace and the government. There have also been some rumours and interest in legal online gambling in Quebec and British Columbia.

Best land-based casinos by province

Canada is home to over 100 land-based or retail casinos. The only province that deems them illegal is Newfoundland and Labrador. Northwest Territories and Nunavut are too small and remote to have casinos. All other regions have at least one casino, while most have more. Let’s review each province’s best options. 

List of Canada online casino resources

Gambling responsibly is crucial. You can keep yourself safe by employing responsible gaming strategies like having a predetermined bankroll, not wagering more than you’re willing to lose, and employing the various limits available in most Canadian casinos.  

The goal is to never come to the point where you need help. However, it’s essential to know where you can get that support if you do need it. With that in mind, here are a few resources you should know about.: 

• Responsible Gambling Council
• Canada Safety Council

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Canadian online casinos to avoid

The Canadian online gambling market is filled with top class, and there are thousands of players looking for new platforms to join every day. 

Unfortunately, some online casinos that welcome Canadians are of poor quality, with others being downright scams. It’s crucial to avoid suspicious sites and those with poor online reputations.  

We maintain a list of gambling sites to avoid. Most of these are sportsbooks, but some also offer online casinos. If you find a site you want to try, make sure it’s not on our blacklist. Moreover, avoid online casinos that don’t meet our criteria, as we’ve designed these to ensure our readers are only joining reputable gambling sites worth their time and money.