So you’re a Canadian looking to place bets online, are you?
We’re glad you found us. We’ve spent years playing at Canadian-friendly betting sites and reviewing them, and this page is the result of that research. We hope it saves you the time and energy needed to find these sites yourself.
Check out some of the sites listed in the table below. We’ll talk a little more in a bit about how we arrived at these rankings, but for now, let’s just say that these are the best Canadian betting sites on the web, and we’ve listed them according to our ranking criteria.
1  |
50% up to $1,000 | Visit Now |
2 |
50% up to $1,000 | Visit Now |
3 |
50% up to $250 | Visit Now |
4 |
100% up to $250 | Visit Now |
5 |
100% up to $1,000 | Visit Now |
What Canadian Bettors Need to Know
- Canadians enjoy an entirely different online betting landscape than US residents, although it’s often called a ‘legal grey area.’ The draconian UIGEA, which prohibits operators from accepting bets from US residents, does not apply to Canadians.
- In Canada, gambling laws fall under provincial jurisdiction. This has led some provinces to launch their own online gambling sites to try to win back some of the hundreds of millions of dollars flowing offshore each year.
- Canada has actually played a large role in the development of online gambling. Pioneer firms such as Cryptologic have their roots in Canada. Isai Scheinberg, who founded PokerStars, is also a Canadian.
- The Kahnawake First Nation controls a gambling commission with the power to issue licenses and host online gambling sites on its servers. They’ve been in the industry since 1996.
- Canadians can place bets on sports, play poker, enjoy casino games, and pretty much engage in any form of online betting and gambling you desire.
So, don’t worry about being arrested for betting online as a Canadian. It’s not going to happen. Leave the legal concerns to your Southern neighbors.
A Little Bit About the Kahnawake Gaming Commission
We mentioned above that the Kahnawake First Nation operates a gaming commission. We’d like to tell you a little more about that here.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was set up in 1996 and has been operational ever since. Its regulations are based on the Kahnawake Gaming Law.
The commission does what others like it do around the world do. That is, it issues gaming permits and licenses and governs the conduct of licensed operators. It has been known to come down hard on offenders, too, once ordering Ultimate Bet’s owners to return over $22,000,000 to players after it ruled that the site had cheated. It also issued a $1,500,000 fine in the same case.
Naturally, publicly punishing a large operator increased the Commission’s credibility and standing in the world of online gambling, as did the agreement with US authorities not to provide licenses to any operator offering services to US players. It oversees roughly 150 gaming sites in total.
You can learn more about the Kahnawake Gaming Commission here.
Why We Picked the Sites in the Table Above
We don’t expect you to take it on blind faith that the sites we have selected are the best. We like openness and transparency as much as anyone, so in the interest of both, here’s a quick rundown of why these sites made the cut, and many others did not.
They Accept Canadians Without Restrictions
You may think that this is stating the obvious, but think again. There are lots of Canadian betting sites that are happy to accept your money, but which will restrict you from participating in some events or claiming some bonuses.
The betting sites above are 100% Canadian-friendly. You’ll be treated like any other player from anywhere else if you choose to bet at them.
On another note, these sites are suitable for Canadian bettors. What exactly does that mean? It means that they offer betting on the sorts of sports Canadians are interested in, such as hockey and football.
They are Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy
You may think that those three words mean pretty much the same thing, but they don’t. Let us explain.
The sites above are safe because they are run by legitimate betting sites operators. We never recommended fly-by-night operations, and all sites we recommend hold legal gambling licenses.
Our picks are secure because they run on SSL-encrypted connections. For the non-tech among you, that means your data and personal details will be safe from the prying eyes of hackers.
These sites are trustworthy because they have honest terms and conditions and policies. Scam sites hurt everyone, including those who recommend them. We read the terms and conditions carefully and make sure everything is on the up-and-up before recommending a site.
They Offer Bonuses and Incentives
It’s always nice to get paid to do something, isn’t it?
Our recommended sites will reward you in some way for registering and making a deposit. If it’s a casino, they might give you free spins on slots. If it’s a sports betting site, you might get reduced juice or a risk-free bet.
Whatever the case, you’ll get something for becoming a new player at these sites. We’ve also taken the time to make sure the bonuses are actually worth taking, which is a whole other matter!
They Pay Out Quickly and Offer a Variety of Methods
There’s nothing that will cause an online gambler to pull his or her hair out quicker than having to fight to get what’s been fairly won.
Too many Canadian betting sites drag their feet when it comes time to pay up. Our approved sites pay quickly (3-5 business days on average) and offer a variety of ways to get paid.
If you bet with e-wallets, you will usually get your money a lot faster. Consider doing so if you don’t normally.
Some of these sites are also cryptocurrency-friendly. We’ll leave it to you to decide if you want to go that route.
The Customer Service Is on Point
Too many businesses are all smiles when they are taking your money, and no good when a problem arises, right?
We hate that as much as you, and we don’t recommend betting sites that take that approach. We look for fast, helpful customer service, or we don’t include the site on our shortlist.
Our sites will offer live chat and e-mail at a minimum. Some have telephone hotlines, which wins them extra points in our rankings.
The Different Types of Canadian Betting Site
Betting sites, like bettors themselves, come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re new to betting online in Canada, it can be helpful to know what the different types of sites are before making a decision.
The most common types of betting sites include:
If you want to have a punt of football, hockey, or soccer, you’ll want to find an online sportsbook accepting Canadian players. The best ones should offer live (in-play) betting and should be fully mobile compatible. A free bonus bet is always a nice welcome, too.
If watching in anticipation as those colorful reels spin during a slots game or feeling your heart pound as you go all-in during a game of live Texas Hold ‘Em is your thing, then there are plenty of Canadian online casinos waiting to serve you. Top sites should offer all types of games, plenty of payment methods, great customer service, and a welcome offer such as free spins.
There are plenty of sites dedicated exclusively to what is arguably the most exciting card game of them all – poker. These are different in that you won’t necessarily be betting against a dealer as you would in a casino poker game. Instead, you’ll be facing off against players from all over the world. The best of these will offer free tournament tickets and mobile apps to let you play on the go.
These take the above-mentioned sites and roll them into one gambling extravaganza. These betting super-sites can end up being the only site you play on for years if you find a great one. Some of the sites listed in the table above would be a great place to start if you like the idea of an all-in-one-site.
Some Questions Canadian Gamblers Frequently Ask
We understand that not everyone is an online gambling whiz, so we decided to dedicate a section to answering some of the most common questions we receive regarding online betting in Canada.
Q. So, betting online is 100% legal in Canada?
A. The Canadian government has never taken an official position on this. All that can be said for now is that nobody has ever gone to jail for gambling online in Canada.
Naturally, since the government has never officially addressed the issue, there is no national gambling commission like you might find in the UK or Malta.
There are plenty of sites offering services to Canadian sports bettors and casino players, and nobody has ever been known to get in any legal trouble for using them.
Q. What are the best Canadian betting sites online?
A. You might have noticed the table at the top of this page. That’s our list of top Canadian betting sites. We constantly update our rankings based on a number of factors our expert reviewers have decided on. Whichever is at the top is the one we currently think most of.
Q. How can I know if I can trust a Canadian betting site or not?
A. If you refer back to the section above about how we picked these sites, you will get some insight into how we decide on sites to recommend. Basically, if a site is negative in one or more of those areas, we generally would advise you to give it a miss.
In short, if it holds a valid gaming license, offers services from respected software firms, and has fair terms and conditions, you can trust it.
Q. Are there any mobile betting sites for Canadians?
A. Every site listed in the table above is mobile compatible. That’s one of our key factors for whether or not a site makes the cut. If you don’t want to download a Canadian betting app, you don’t have to. Some of these sites accept bets directly from your browser on phones and tablets.
Q. Will I need any bonus codes to get the free bets offers and other betting bonuses?
A. Most of the time, the answer to that is no. Usually, all you need to do is click through and register. If a bonus code is required, it will be made clear during the registration process.
As you can see, Canadian online betting is alive and well. Take your pick from sports betting sites, online casinos, poker clients, or virtual bingo halls. If you can bet on it, you’ll be welcome to do so as a Canadian.
We highly recommend clicking through to some of the sites listed in our table and checking them out for yourself. We can’t tell what exactly you want as an individual, so take a little while and have a look and see what you think.
Whatever you decide on, good luck, and we hope you bring down the house!
