What Do Canadians Look for in an Online Casino?

By Bjorn Thorson

March 28th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

Online gambling is growing fast in Canada, especially after the federal government legalized single sport betting. Now, provinces are in a race to commercialize online casinos throughout the country.

Still, to be clear, most Canadians prefer to gamble through offshore casino sites. In fact, the government has admitted in the past that Canadians spend nearly $1 billion per year at overseas gambling sites.

Why do Canadians like offshore casino sites? What do they look for in great Canada casinos?

1—Safety and Trustworthiness

You want to be playing on a site that is solidly protected.

The first question many Canadians ask before choosing an online casino is whether it’s safe and trustworthy. A safe gambling site is one you can trust with your personal information, including banking data.

How do you know a casino is safe? Look for data encryption signs like a padlock sign on its address bar. Ensure it has a data protection policy, complies with GDPR if it’s based in Europe and supports 2-FA.

To determine a casino’s trustworthiness, look for a valid license. European casinos have licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, Gibraltar or Alderney.

In addition to a genuine license, check if a site has a mark of trust from an independent audit like eCOGRA, GLI or iTechLab. Auditors verify casino games for fairness.

2—A Full Range of Games

Canadians are as diverse as they come. Some people love video slots. Others prefer to play progressive jackpots in the hope of becoming casino millionaires. Then there are poker players, inspired by Daniel Negreanu and blackjack fans who adore the likes of Don Johnson.

In light of that information, a good casino needs to provide a variety of games. Take a look at its slot machines and developers. Can you play Starburst from NetEnt? Does it feature Play’n GO’s slots like Book of Dead?

If it offers a good range of slot machines, including jackpot games, look at its table game catalogue. Not only do great casinos provide popular games like blackjack, poker and roulette, but they also offer live dealer versions of these games.

Live dealer games are basically table games designed to work in a live setting. It’s an entire setup made up of videos, branded casino rooms, human dealers and special software from providers like Evolution.

On-line gambling can now be done from anywhere. Just know your limits and discipline yourself.

3—A Mobile Optimized Website

More and more Canadians choose to gamble at mobile sites over native apps. As a result, casinos no longer create native apps for android and iOS platforms. In all fairness, both Google and Apple also tend to restrict gambling apps on their platforms.

With that in mind, there are many reasons Canadians choose mobile websites over native apps. For starters, you don’t need to add space to your smartphone by installing apps.

Secondly, mobile websites are fast. You can also access your account across multiple devices and play the same game you would play in a PC-based gambling website.

That said, mobile casino sites aren’t created equal. If you want a wonderful experience, take time to review a site’s website. Ensure it opens web pages and loads games instantly. Also, choose a beautiful, well-organized casino.

4—Smooth Banking

Banking is one of the most important aspects of an online casino. It’s compulsory to make a deposit to play real money slots and table games. However, no one likes to get scammed online.

As such, it’s important to look for a casino with safe banking options:

• Visa/MasterCard
• Bank Transfer
• PayPal/Skrill/Google Pay
• iDebit
• Crypto

After you confirm a casino offers your preferred payment options, read its banking policies. Learn the minimum and maximum you can deposit. Discover the fees involved and how long it takes to deposit or withdraw money.

Note: some casinos take too long to process withdrawals. Due to that, choose a fast payment provider, say an e-wallet like PayPal or a cryptocurrency. Then pick a casino with a reputation for processing payouts quickly.

5—Bonuses and Promotions

There are some attractive bonuses offered: read the details carefully.

Let’s face it. A lot of new casino players in Canada try out gambling because of bonuses. Picture this. You’ve heard people win millions of dollars by playing slots online.

You know slots are games of chance and you don’t want to risk your money. However, you have a $20 offer if you create an account at a newly opened casino. You can use the money to play slots and withdraw your profits with no wager requirements.

Wouldn’t you claim the bonus? Casino freebies are a big reason why people join online gambling. That’s alright. Bonuses have plenty of benefits to both the operators and players.

On the one hand, casinos attract new players and gain loyalty when they give out these freebies:

• Welcome Bonuses
• Reload Bonuses
• Loyalty Programs
• Cash backs
• VIP Competitions

Now, many people choose a bonus based on the amount. Maybe a site is offering 200% for every dollar you deposit. It’s an enticing offer but don’t claim it until you read the fine print.

You see, nearly every casino bonus has terms you must follow. There are games you must avoid when using a bonus. There are wager requirements—cash to spend at the casino before you withdraw bonus profits. And there’s a withdrawal cap. Claim a bonus only if you agree with its terms.

6—Contacts and Reputation

Do some research and find on-line sites you are comfortable with and feel secure on.

One of the signs of a scam website is the lack of contacts. Some sites provide an email address but it rarely works. Needless to say, you want to choose a casino with functional contacts.

Many Canadians like casinos with live chatting support services. Live chatting helps you communicate with a real human being instead of a bot. More importantly, you can get feedback immediately.

Although live chatting is great, it’s also important to learn about a casino’s reputation. Does it actually respond to complaints quickly? What about payments? Does the casino process withdrawals quickly?

It’s important to choose a reputable casino if you want to enjoy your online gambling experience. Otherwise, you might risk losing your money to a casino that doesn’t pay out. Or you could have frustrations due to poor customer service or a lack of technical support.