Gambling, especially as an online industry, has been on the rise since the nineties. Among all the countries that it has spread to, Canada has not been left out as well. That is also because of its near proximity to North America. The first online casinos launched in this country were in 1994. However, as with most casinos in those days, there was not much that they could offer. Not only was legitimacy a question, but also, but audiovisuals on these sites also were not that great. This was also due to poor internet access.
Slowly, as internet access improved, so did the offerings at these sites. Initial sites that offered online gambling mostly focused on table games. Poker was the first game to catch on popularity, mainly among professional gamblers. Of course, poker and table games required skills and strategies that not everyone knew. That is when slots started to gain popularity. These were easy to play, were attractive, with unique themes and bonus rounds, all playing out simply by pressing the Spin option.
History of Casinos in Canada
If we trace the history of casinos in this country, Ontario was the first to allow a casino in their region. It was a joint venture with Caesars World as well as with Hilton Hotels and Circus Circus Enterprises. The casino was built and operated in Ontario, in 1993. It was called Casino Windsor and it opened its doors to the public in the year 1994.
As for online casinos, the first legal domain was PlayNow.com. This domain was launched by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation in 2004. It brought in online gambling in a legal way to residents of Manitoba and British Columbia. Among the first legal sites is also PlayOJO, a British site that made online gambling legal for Canadians. Even today it has a strong presence in the country. It has a large offering of bingo games as well as over 3000 titles in slots.
Top Online Casinos Today
In order to trace the development of the online casino in Canada for real money you simply need to look at the large number of online casinos that have a licensed presence in the country. Here we look at the top trending casinos and what they offer to the Canadian players:
- Spin Casino
If you love slots then this is the site you would want to register with. Its specialty is in a large variety of slots. You can find slots with high RTP, jackpots and varied themes. The site also offers many banking options, making it convenient for Canadians to register with a bank account or an eWallet of their choice. They can easily make deposits with their local currency and enjoy gaming, on their mobile or on the desktop. The site also has table games in good variety as well as craps, keno and other sections, including eSports.
- Magic Red
This is another casino that is popular among Canadians who like to gamble with real money. The onus of this site is the reward system. Every member who registers here can wager and win loyalty points. There is an extensive lobby of games here which range from slots, jackpots, table games to live dealers. The site is licensed by MGA as well as UKGC. With a responsive customer support team and loyalty benefits, customers tend to continue to play here for long. Also, the site has prompt payouts. Hence, whenever one reaches the minimum limit for withdrawals, they can easily seek payout and get their money in their account in no time.
- PlayOJO
Being one of the first legitimate sites to build a presence in the country, many Canadians rate this site highly. It also offers some unique advantages such as no wagering requirements in its welcome bonuses. Its terms are also the most reasonable, making it the favourite of many online gamblers. The site makes gambling an enjoyable experience with prizes, rewards and tournaments. There are over 3000 games to try as well as progressive jackpot titles.
- Royal Panda
This is another site that is reputed and liked in many countries, including Canada. Here too they have a legitimate presence and offer several advantages. For instance, they offer instant play games, a large variety in table games as well as in slots. Also, the site has a user-friendly interface. There are leading encryptions technologies that make the site secure for gamblers. Also, the site offers a plethora of bonuses. The multi-tier welcome bonus, for instance, makes it attractive for new customers. Also, existing members can enjoy cash backs, loyalty points and other offers at the site.
- Jackpot City
This is another site that Canadians identify with. This popular site is known for its large collection of jackpot slots. If you are looking to try your hand at the best progressive jackpots that are around, this site is sure to have them all. At the same time, there is a popular live dealer section as well. The cool theme of the site along with its simple user interface makes it easy to use.
- Genesis
This is one of the large casino brands in the online world and it too has a presence in Canada. The games library is large and extensive here. It also has a weekly promotion as well as VIP offers for high roller customers.
- Casinonic
This is one of the newer casinos that have made its presence felt with an impressive welcome bonus offer. This totals to a staggering amount of C$1200. This large, generous bonus can be availed across six consecutive deposits. As a result, customers can keep playing and getting more money on their deposit to wager on the games. There are high-quality games, new releases that customers can enjoy here. Though the wagering terms are slightly steep, one can enjoy convenient banking options here.
The list of online casinos in Canada is a large and growing one. The above-mentioned domains are some well-established names in this industry. Of course, there are also others such as Casino Tropez, Mansion and others that are newly established and creating their presence in this country’s online gambling world.
