The regulation of gambling in Canada
Gambling is legal throughout Canada, and all major cities have bricks-and-mortar casinos. There are table games and slot machines – a wide choice for the experienced player and the beginner, alike. You can also bet on sporting events.
Gambling in Canada is administered on a provincial basis. So, the government of Ontario is responsible for regulating gambling in Ontario, the government of British Columbia is responsible for gambling in BC, and so on.
The provincial government usually has a corporation set up to handle the provincial lottery and all gambling activity. As a result, there is no national body that oversees all gambling, and the situation gets interesting when it comes to the best Canadian online casinos that operate outside of the province.
The good news is that no Canadian province has a law against gambling online, and so there’s no legal issue with placing a bet at any of the best online casinos in Canada.
Online casinos are usually regulated by the laws of whatever country they are based in – often a tax haven like Malta, Antigua and some other island nations. Many, though, are regulated by the laws of larger countries such as the United Kingdom.
For the best Canadian online casinos mentioned in our reviews, all are licensed by national authorities. For instance, Platinum Play is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority. These are some of the most trusted gambling regulators globally, and they oversee the operations of many of the top Canadian online casinos.
Yukon Gold is licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, an entity based in Quebec’s independent Mohawk nation. As unseeded First Nations territory, this area is not subject to Canada’s laws and is free to set up its own legislation regarding gambling. As a result, it’s a popular regulator for some of the top Canadian online casinos.
