Complete Guide to Gambling in Canada

In 1892, the Canadian Criminal Code was enacted and included statutes regarding gambling, which was tolerated under certain conditions but nonetheless permitted. That part of the Criminal Code was amended in 1910 to allow pari-mutuel betting for horse racing, and other games of chance were allowed for charitable and religious purposes. Those laws were loose, however, and as the 1900s moved on, gambling was more and more accepted among Canadian citizens.

In 1970, the Criminal Code was changed again, that time to give oversight of gambling to the provinces. The country's first casino was then built in 1989 in Winnipeg, and many others followed in Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia. Even before that, racetracks were built and continued to grow over the decades to become one of the most popular forms of betting in Canada. In addition to live casinos and horse tracks, many provinces approved the installation of video lottery terminals, which generate revenue for the governments. Lotteries have been instituted throughout Canada, and gaming is widely accepted as a revenue generator for charities and religious groups, as well as governments.

The government doesn't view illegal gambling as a real threat to Canadians, as it's widely regarded as a victimless crime. Gambling in most regards is accepted and left to citizens to use responsibly and for entertainment purposes. Most current provincial laws are only enacted to control the revenue and allow for government-sponsored online gambling to contribute to the overall gambling industry.

The Canadian Gaming Commission oversees the industry as a whole in Canada, offering information and responding to any serious issues that arise. The organization communicates with the public, government, and media to ensure that the industry is understood properly and kept in perspective. Laws pertaining to casinos, online gaming, sports betting, and other similar activities are enacted and enforced by individual provinces.

A study in the year 2000 showed that more than 70% of Canadians participated in some form of gambling each year. In 2002, another poll showed that 18.9 million Canadians gambled, mostly on the lottery or other games of chance played only occasionally. More recent surveys show that between 75% and 85% of people in Canada gamble in some form, whether it be charitable gambling or online poker, or any number of other options. Participation in some provinces, like nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, is higher than in other places.

Yes. There are no laws specifically prohibiting Canadian online gaming players from using international sites. Many of those offshore companies target Canada for its growing market because so many players compete in games like online poker, baccarat, slots, craps, video poker, roulette, blackjack, and other casino games. Canadians have many options for Internet casino play.

Yes. With the openness of most Canadian provincial governments to online gaming, the options for deposits and withdrawals to online casinos are many. In addition to many convenient online payment processors and third-party companies, most banks in Canada allow for direct transfers of funds.

The amount of taxes that Canadians must pay typically depends on whether or not players declare Canada as their primary residence and whether or not they play poker professionally or recreationally. Players should check with their local tax attorney or specialist because each province also has specific tax codes that must be applied. In general, winning gamblers must pay taxes on those winnings, but the amount varies.

There are many online casinos that offer deposit and withdrawal options in C$. That means players need not worry about exchange fees or rates when taking money from their bank or depositing their winnings. In addition, many of the larger international sites, and especially all of the sites run by provincial governments, offer site play in C$, which means there is no translation involved when looking at the cashier page.

Canadian online casino players should look at the sites on which they play for the licensing commission. That provides information about the legitimacy of the online casino. In addition, organizations like eCOGRA provide banners for the sites that they deem responsible and trustworthy. Through regular audits and other types of oversight, the companies must prove they have earned the approval of eCOGRA, which gives players peace of mind when gambling on those sites.

Yes. Online casinos that are properly licensed use various types of encryption software and random number generators to ensure customer safety. Play is fair on those sites, and players can be sure that their personal account information is safe from hackers and other types of theft. These protections must be in place in order for the sites to maintain their licenses.

Yes. In addition to contacting the Canadian Gaming Association and their local governments, players can contact eCOGRA or the licensing entity for any online gambling site at which they suspect unfair activity. There is recourse for players, and the sites must demonstrate that they are not engaging in any accused activity in order to keep their licenses and stay in good standing with the international industry.