Numbers are in, online gambling is gaining popularity at a staggering rate in Canada and the rest of the world. The Canadian government has relaxed its stance on online gambling and you can now play online games from casinos located in Canada or internationally.
Below we’ll offer some insights on why online gambling is fast gaining popularity in Canada.
An Overview of the Gambling Industry in Canada
Canada is one of the top five countries in online gambling worldwide mostly because of the governments’ relaxed law regarding online gambling unlike say the US where online gambling is still frowned upon.
Researchers estimate the Canadian online gambling sector rakes in over $30 billion annually with the figure expected to rise dramatically in the coming years. The rise in revenues is attributed to the widespread adoption of mobile devices and internet technology.
Here’s an interesting fact about online gamblers in Canada; females using mobile devices for gaming outnumber males. Although men still represent the largest segment of online gamblers, with 80% being men and only 20% being women.
The largest demographic of online casino players are college students and young career men and women.
Is it Safe to Play Online Casinos in Canada?
Generally, it’s safe to play online casino games in Canada. But when you’re gambling online, it’s your responsibility to protect yourself so you have to ensure that you only play at casinos that are regulated by the proper authorities and have the right gaming licenses.
The foremost online casino regulator in Canada is the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) so if an online casino has this license, you can assume it’s safe to play there.
Some online casinos, like Justspin casino, also have multiple international gaming licenses.
The KGC has a host of responsibilities in protecting online gamblers which include:
- protocols to restrict underage and vulnerable people from gambling online,
- ensuring that players enjoy a variety of games from licensed casinos,
- auditing casino games to make sure operators don’t tamper with the algorithm,
- preventing illegal mergers between casinos that could lead to exploitation of players,
- ensuring that casinos use proper encryption technology to protect customers data,
- enforcing timely payouts of winnings to players.
If it happens that a casino or player fails to follow any of the regulations, the KGC has dispute resolution officials who investigate and solve those issues amicably.
Relaxed payment methods
Canada is slowly but surely turning into a hub for online gaming partly because of the vast array of payment options available to players for deposits and withdrawals.
Canadians can deposit or withdraw money from online casinos with e-wallets like Paypal, Neteller, etc. traditional payments processors like MasterCard and VISA as well as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin.
These options make online gambling easily accessible to a large number of Canadians.
Is Online Casino Gambling Legal in Canada?
The Canadian government hasn’t made any concrete regulations regarding online gambling so it remains a grey area in the country. While players won’t get in trouble for playing online casino games, it’s illegal to host an online casino in Canada so many online Canadian casinos are hosted offshore.
Despite these restrictions, a number of online casinos are still hosted locally in Canada because the government allows each region to determine the rules regarding online gambling within its borders.
You can check the best online casinos in Canada to find licensed and regulated casino websites that play by the rules.
Final Thoughts
Online Casinos are growing in popularity among Canadians primarily because of advancements in internet technology and the widespread usage of mobile devices.
Also, gambling online is a fun activity that you can partake in without leaving the comfort of your home making it even easier for more Canadians to sign up.
