Canada has a long gambling history, and some of its earliest form was born in America’s Hat, so it’s not a
surprise that they were amongst the first countries to accept online gambling too.
The first legal form of gambling in Canada, started in 1969. The years after that, this country housed
some of the biggest casinos in the world, which became establishments where people came together to
have fun and pass time.
However, the discovery of the internet, changed the ways Canadians entertained themselves. These days,
most Canadians use online casinos, although the strong presence of various physical casinos can be still
felt.
The gambling industry has grown worldwide, and the Canadian market was not left behind. A lot of
changes happened, which either negatively or positively impacted the gambling market in Canada, and
also affected its growth. Understanding this growth will help you appreciate all the changes that have
happened in this industry.
Table Of Content:
- Top facts about betting in Canada
- Canadian criminal code
- The history of online casinos in Canada
- First Canadian online casinos
- Regulation of Canadian online casinos
- Physical / land-based casinos
- Access to a variety of online casinos
● Enhanced betting rates
● Less withdrawal time
● Variety of games
● Reduced restrictions - Fascinations of modern gaming
- What is the future of online gambling in Canada?
Top Facts About Betting In Canada
Before we jump into discussing how the betting scene evolved in Canada, let’s look at some top facts
about betting in Canada.
● 23% of Canadians believe that gambling, even betting is unacceptable. 55% said people can make
their choices.
● From age 18, people can bet on sports events in Canada.
● The gambling industry generates up to CAD18 million in revenue yearly.
● Over 60% of adult Canadians engage in one form of gambling.
Canadian Criminal Code
The Canadian Criminal Code was the first official document to ever mention gambling in Canada. It was
written in the 19th century to prohibit this activity that most people didn’t accept at the time. By 1969, all
types of gambling were made illegal.
The Change:
The Canadian government realized that gambling was something most citizens were passionate about. So
they made some adjustments to the first Criminal code in 1969.
The new law legalized gambling and lottery. This was the one thing missing from the gambling industry,
it needed to grow in Canada.
For some years, land-based casinos boomed without any tough competition to shake them. These venues
entertained the Canadian locale who enjoyed visiting them. Then, in the 90s things changed.
The fast growth of computer and internet technology, brought about the first online casino, signifying the
beginning of a new era.
The History Of Online Casinos In Canada
Online casinos have been present in Canada since the 1990s. The first one was founded in 1994.
Then, these casinos were not very good, for one, the graphics were bad and the internet speed was poor.
That time, gamblers had to be patient to actually use these casinos. Many of the bettors began to lose
interest in them, as they didn’t get the point.
However, as the years rolled by, the graphics improved, the internet got faster, technology advanced, and
the stakes became higher. People became more interested in online casinos, and things have stayed good
since then.
The online casinos in Canada have evolved over the years, and they’ve ushered in a whole lot of changes.
We’ll take apart, examine and talk about those changes, as you read on.
First Canadian Online Casinos
The first online casinos in Canada, like the ones in the rest of the world offered few games, mostly due to
the limited technological solutions. These games were only poker, roulette, baccarat, and blackjack.
Although they were considered to be revolutionary at that time.
Another major issue was the lack of equipment needed to power this type of gambling to reach its true
potential. Unlike today, most people didn’t have an online computer. Which meant that only few people
could access online casino games.
Finally, another big issue that riddled these casinos was the lack of regulation. Businesses conducted
online weren’t regulated since there were no laws that defined these sorts of operations. But, this problem
wasn’t only faced in Canada, other countries had the same challenges.
Since then, countries all over the world have put in place new laws that would better determine the legal
status of online gambling on their lands.
Regulation Of Canadian Online Casinos
Canadian authorities still struggle with regulating online casinos on its shores. Presently, citizens can
gamble with online operators, provided they are offshore licensed gambling websites.
While this works, it is not a perfect solution because some domestic operators shouldn’t be forced to move
their businesses outside Canadian borders. However, for a Canadian gambler, this means they can play
real money online casinos and enjoy top-notch casino games whenever they want.
Canadian gamblers have always benefitted from top-quality online gambling venues that offer thrilling
games like poker, slots, baccarat, blackjack, etc. So, residents who engage in online casino games aren’t
doing anything illegal.
Offshore gambling companies provide them with first-class experience to online casino dwellers,
including welcome offers, bonuses, loyalty perks, and a wide selection of various games, etc.
But, more people are waiting with bated breath for Canadian laws to allow these changes in future. And it
would be disheartening for a country with a long gambling history to not pass laws that’ll benefit both
players and Canadian operators
Physical / Land-Based Casinos
Most Canadians gamble freely because of the high number of casinos in their country. The government
legalized all casinos, save the online casinos in the country. In Spite of this regulation, most Canadians
still gamble online.
The government prohibits Canadian casinos from opening online sites, but it doesn’t bar citizens from
gambling with offshore operators. With many areas shut down, land-based casinos have suffered, because
residents can gamble from their homes.
Conversations have begun from online casinos to be legalized in Canada, the reason is because most
players prefer online sites and physical casinos are noticing a decline in their profits. If the bill passed for
online casinos to operate in the country, land-based casinos will also benefit from it.
Canadians have a long gambling history which is evident in the number of land-based casinos being
established. All of these casinos are licensed, except online casinos established by citizens, and residents
can enjoy the occasional online offshore gambling.
The regulation led some residents to think that online casinos are not legal in Canada, its not. Every
provincial territory in Canada has an official online gambling platform for residents to wager on.
However, physical casinos are still more than online gambling platforms in the country.
But this should change in the future, as the governments of places like Ontario launched its first new open
market for gambling which allows offshore gambling platforms to operate within its shores.
Access To A Variety Of Online Casinos
With the Canucks being able to gamble unrestrictedly, they can access varieties of online casinos.
There are many casinos competing for audience’s approval in the market, so the competition in the
gambling industry is fierce.
Respected online gambling industries rise to the top by providing gamblers with the best offers and
incentives in the gambling world. We’ve explored some of these things below:
Enhanced Betting Rates
In an industry as fierce as gambling, the competition is fierce and since organizations are always looking
to outdo each other to win the patronage of clients, many strategies have been implemented in the market.
Offering better and enhanced betting rates than other online gambling sites is one of the strategies
companies use to attract more clients to their platform.
In almost all the online casinos, welcome-back bonuses are given to returning clients and lower betting
rates for other players. Although these features seem small, they go a long way to guarantee that
customers stay loyal to the site.
But, welcome-back bonuses aren’t the only incentives on offer; welcome, no deposit, and match deposit
bonus, loyalties, promotions, etc are also on provided.
Less Withdrawal Time
Previously, it took days for transactions to be completed in online casinos. So a lesser withdrawal time is
one of the changes that swept through Canadian online casinos.
These days, players can easily withdraw money from their casino account and get it in their bank account
within minutes.
This improvement in withdrawal rate, is sure to pacify clients and is a bragging rights for online casinos,
because most bettors prefer a platform where they’ll get their earnings immediately they withdraw it.
Variety Of Games
Early online casinos that existed in the 90s had so many limitations, including in the games they offered.
Then, the only games available were blackjack games.
As the years progressed, so did this industry, and new online games started showing up in online casinos.
Now there are many games. Although they’re not much, online casinos are spread across the globe in their
thousands, with hundreds of games being played to keep gamblers engaged.
Live casino games are popping up in every corner of the world, and they’re slowly gaining popularity by
the years.
Reduced Restrictions
In the past, online gambling websites could only be accessed by gamblers from its country of origin. But
that’s no longer the case, if it was, Canadians will no longer access these online casinos.
Now, Canucks can play in online games from operators in the USA, UK, or everywhere in the world.
Canadians are among the most popular online gamblers.
Fascinations Of Modern Gaming
Thanks to the 21st century, there is a continuous influx of new gadgets, games and gaming platforms. By
2015, 50 years after the law changed in 1970, gambling spread as a leisure activity. In 2020, millions of
Canadians were already gambling on all the best online casinos.
Smartphones and other mobile devices, easily became the choice platforms for many gamblers. Single-
sports betting, which was the last form of gambling with restrictions, was legalized in 2021. That same
year, revenue for this industry got to $12.5 billion.
These changes all happened in the blink of an eye. Technology’s rapid advancement allowed casino
establishments to continue the innovation and development of new types of games that met the demands
of online gamers.
These days, when customers play casino table games online, they’ll find all types of modern additions like
live dealers, state-of-the-art graphics, and real-time interaction with other gamblers.
BlackJack can now be played in virtual reality in an online casino, and now that gambling is no longer
limited by past laws which were uncompromised, the future should have a healthy balance of legislative
control and creative freedom.
What Is The Future Of Online Gambling In Canada?
While there are still rules imposed on online casinos in Canada, there is a chance that those rules will be
removed or at least relaxed. This reason for this is that physical casinos used to rake in lots of money, but
that is no longer the case.
Many bettors are spending time online and spending their money on this platform. When online gambling
is legalized in the country, the government can monitor the way it is run. They can collect all revenue that
comes in and use it for whatever they see fit.
Legalizing online casinos means that the government can monitor how citizens use them.
With more players joining the online gambling space in Canada, there is a risk of physical casinos being
removed completely. Although this might take some time, it’s certainly something that’ll happen.
Most of the land based casinos have reported a massive drop in the number of gamblers patronizing them,
and this will continue. Founders of each of these casinos might have to think of alternative ways to make
money and online is the way to do this.
