Online Casino Laws in Canada
Real money gaming and betting are extremely popular activities in Canada. Like most regions across the globe, casino laws in Canada are quite complicated and difficult to understand. There are several forms of offline gaming, which have been approved by the government, that are perfectly legal along with a handful of online gambling forms too.
However, the rules that surround gambling with offshore companies aren't crystal clear which create concerns among players. In this section, we will take a closer look at the gaming rules in Canada, the casino laws, and how these acts affect you as a player.
Gambling Laws in Canada
Canadian gambling acts were extremely strict back in the day where only a handful of gaming forms were allowed. However, drastic changes were made to the legislation during the 1970s which significantly relaxed things in the country. The Criminal Code was reformed, giving each individual province within the Canadian border the authority to regulate and license gambling within their own regions.
This allowed the construction of several land-based casinos in each province. This also led to the governments of each province to operate their own lotteries which are still in operation to this very day. You will also find multiple sports betting outlets that are approved by the government, primarily operated by the organization known as Sports Select. Each betting operation is known by different names, depending on the province, representing a legal way to place wagers on sports. However, they are quite restricted when it comes to the ways in which you can bet.
Online Casino Laws
Things get a bit more complicated in terms of gaming online. Some of the provinces come equipped with their very own online casinos, while most of the betting outlets that are approved by the government will allow you to place bets over the internet. Players are more than welcome to utilize these options and will also have the ability to buy lottery tickets over the internet.
However, it's considered illegal to offer gambling services or products of any kind to Canadian citizens without it being licensed and approved by the government. The rules surrounding this are crystal clear. The only grey area when it comes to casino acts is for the companies that are situated offshore, but still, allow players to use their sites. This might appear illegal under the acts, but due to the fact that the companies are based offshore where gambling online is perfectly legal, one could argue that the laws don't apply anymore.
How these Laws Affect You as a Player
If you are situated in the country and wish to gamble online, you won't concern yourself too much in terms of whether the site is government approved or not. You will be more concerned about whether using an offshore site is considered illegal. Due to the current legislation, it's nearly impossible to state whether it is or not.
There's no law in the country that makes online gaming legal or illegal. There's an outdated law that states it's illegal to be in a common betting house, but nothing about placing wagers over the internet. Therefore, you are welcome to play at any casino of your choosing. Just ensure it's licensed and regulated by a reputable regulatory body as there's no regulation in the country for gambling sites.