Canada online poker sites can be found in abundance. The North American nation is consistently regarded as one of the best locations for online players. While other countries fret about the evils of gambling and spend an inordinate amount of time debating the issue, Canada chooses to devote their energy to more important topics such as healthcare and worker’s rights. In short, they’re about as close as you can get to a virtual gamer’s paradise.
The only sticking point for you, as an individual, lies in the underage gambling rules. Make sure that you’re above the legal age for real-money gambling before playing Hold’em poker online or engaging in any other form of gambling for that matter. If you’re below the appropriate age, then you’d be breaking the law. It's possible to differentiate between different Canadian online casino sites, but you have to have the information, and you have to know how to interpret it. Can Canadian players play online casino games for real money? Not only do the top Canadian online casino sites let you play for real money - they make it as easy as possible! Dec 30, 2019 Most poker sites will also allow you to process cashouts in both Canadian dollars and US dollars. Are online poker winnings taxable in Canada? One of the main draws for Canadian online poker is that winnings from it (and other forms of gambling) are not considered to be income. Therefore, poker and gambling winnings are tax-free.
In the following article, we’ll look at the legality of online poker in Canada, as well as some of the leading card rooms available to residents. While the information below won’t turn you into the next Daniel Negreanu, it should at least provide you with a decent idea of the options available to Canadian poker enthusiasts.
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Is Online Poker Legal in Canada?
Canadian residents in most cities can gamble on online poker. Canada allows online card rooms which do not have servers inside Canada to accept Canadian poker players. Some Internet poker sites host their sites on servers in the Kahnawake Reservation south of Montreal, Quebec. The world famous Kahnawake Gaming Commission licenses those poker sites.
When you ask, “Is online poker legal in Canada?”, the answer might be different, according to your location. Some Canadian provinces, such as Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and Labrador, have stricter gaming laws than other provinces. The city of Markham (Ontario), which is home to over 1100 technology companies, bans online gambling.
Canada’s online poker law exists in a gray area because the Canadian national government allows provincial and territorial governments to decide gaming laws. Individual provinces sometimes try to enforce sports betting laws to help state-run monopolies, but Canadian provinces do not ban online poker. Players should research gaming laws in their towns and provinces, though no online poker player has ever been prosecuted for playing poker online in Canada.
For those reasons, Canada is a haven for international online poker players, including many American card players who want to grind at the poker tables for a living. Players usually relocated to big cities like Toronto or Vancouver, depending on whether they want to live in the east or the west of North American. Some US expatriates relocate to Windsor, Ontario, a city which sites on the south bank of the Detroit River, and therefore is actually south of Detroit.
Top 3 Canadian Poker Sites
Canadian online poker sites are easy to find, as residents have access to virtual card rooms catering to both American and European players. While the following list is far from complete, it’s meant to provide readers with a basic sampling of what’s available.
The 3 best Canadian poker sites in Canada are 888poker, PokerStars, and Full Tilt Poker. Each has its advantages, so I’ll discuss all three online poker rooms separately. Two of the sites, PokerStars and FullTilt Poker, are now owned by the same gaming group. Both offer different tournaments and promotions, so read through the profile of both before you decide which site to use. Read the Canada poker online guide below to see which card room is best for your playing needs.
PokerStars
PokerStars is the largest online poker site in the world, so its card room is full all times of the day. No other site is going to have as many poker options as PokerStars, while it has the biggest Sunday guaranteed events. PokerStars is famous for its Sunday Majors tournaments, along with its Sunday Warmup events. PokerStars also offers its retooled Stars Rewards, which provides Stars Coins and freeplay for casual players and grinders alike. Spin & Go Max event offer $10,000x your entry amount, with entry fees as low as $1 apiece.
When making your first deposit at PokerStars, input the bonus code “STARS600” to receive a 100% bonus up to $600 over 3 deposits in your first 60 days of activity. Alternately, you can use the PokerStars coupon code “THIRTY” to receive $30 of freeplay money. PokerStars has been the standard in online poker for over a decade now, so Canadian poker players wanting to try the world’s most famous poker site should consider signing up with PokerStars.
888Poker
888 Poker provides online poker with bet limits between 1¢ and $1000. 888poker offers cash games, sit & go’s, and big tournament events. SNAP events (fast-told poker) is available, for those who don’t want long waits on opponent decisions. Players can choose between Texas Hold’em, Omaha, or 7-Card Stud. Those who want the feel of a live poker event have access to webcam events. 888poker has a large community of card players, so tables at many bet levels are available 24/7.
New signups receive a welcome bonus up to $400. Those who want to test the real money games with no risk have access to a $88 no-deposit bonus. 888poker supports dozens of payment methods, including Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller. Canadian web wallets like iDebit and Citadel are available for 888 poker players. Poker 888 Canada is owned by 888 Holdings, one of the largest and most trusted online gambling groups in the world.
Full Tilt
The Sunday Million has a $1 million guarantee, while the Sunday Warm-Up and Sunday Majors (Kickoff, Storm, Supersonic) all have huge prize pools. The Saturday Line-Up is a series of major guaranteed tournaments which run every week. These include the Saturday Micro, Eliminator, Splash, Duel, Speedway, and Saturday KO (which has the biggest prize pool). Seven days a week, Full Tilt Poker has events like Omania (Omaha events), Bounty Builders, Daily Turbo Tournaments, and Spin & Go events. Also, players can join Big Stacks events, which are non-stop play money tournaments with huge starting stacks, allowing players the feel of a large WSOP-style tournament.
Because Full Tilt Poker is owned by the Stars Group, the owner of PokerStars, it has the same welcome bonus and rewards program as PokerStars. That means you receive a $600, 100% welcome bonus when you use the STARS600 code. It also means you receive a $30 no-deposit bonus when you use the bonus code “THIRTY”. Loyal FTP players receive Stars Coins for every event entered, which can be used for tournament entries, freerolls, and other rewards. For instance, Full Tilt Poker players can use StarsCoins to play “The Deal”, which is a progressive jackpot which starts at $25,000 and has an entry fee of only 7 StarsCoins.
Different Playing Styles
Players in the United States tend to play the ‘classic’ version of poker, which means that a great deal of the hand is resolved prior to the flop. This style is frequently employed by professionals, and you’re likely to see it on display in most major tournaments.
The European style is quite different, with players preferring to see the flop before battling it out with their opponents. While not the most conventional form of play, it can result in a great amount of excitement for spectators, as well as huge pots for the participants.
Which playing style are you more likely to find at Canadian poker site?
Actually, the answer lies somewhere between the two options. Since Canada and the United States are neighbors, the American style of play is highly influential. Meanwhile, Canadian players are readily accepted at European poker rooms, and many adapt their style to match the competition found at these sites.
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
On April 15th, 2011, the U.S. government started cracking down on the Internet gaming industry. In addition to issuing indictments against a number of executives from leading sites, they also made it difficult to deposit or withdraw money for the purpose of offshore gambling.
Relocation of U.S. Players
This led to an interesting phenomenon involving American poker players, and it revolved around a website called Poker Refugees. For a fee of $1,200, the site’s owner would help professional online card players from the United States relocate to Canada to continue their trade.
Most of the participating grinders moved to Windsor, while high rollers often resettled in Montreal, Whistler, Toronto, or Vancouver. Now that states such as Las Vegas and New Jersey have decided to offer licensed online gambling, there’s a good chance that some of these expatriates may return to their country of birth.
Still, it’s interesting to note that Canada was willing to fill the void following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
Final Verdict
Canadian residents have no idea how fortunate they are. While other nations heap gaming restrictions on their citizens, Canada online poker sites are available to anyone with a computer and an Internet connection.
Thanks to the diversity of options, customers can access virtual card rooms that appeal to both the European and North American markets. This allows them to choose from among the best bonus and rake-back options, as well as compete with players who utilize a wide range of strategies.
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Can Canadian players play at online casinos?
Online gambling is a complicated issue in most countries and nowhere is that truer than in Canada. With confusing legislation at both the national level and the provincial level, we can only look at the facts. First of all, some of the provinces are already providing online gambling to their players via regulated gambling sites. These online casinos are relatively new, but the fact that they are completely legal says a lot about how online gambling is viewed by the political community. Second, none of the powers that be are going after Canadian online casino players - whether they are playing with government regulated sites or not.
Can I play on my Mac computer?
Most major online casinos currently have no-download software that can be used by all players. Just open your browser, go to their site, and play without downloading. This is also a great Canadian casino online option for players using particularly old versions of Windows, or other less common operating systems like Linux, that aren't supported by downloadable casino software.
Do all online casinos accept Canadians?
Basically all online casinos are willing to accept Canadian players, but that doesn't mean that they all offer the same things. The simple truth is that some Canadian online casino sites pull all the stops to ensure that you have the best experience possible. That means letting you play with Canadian dollars and giving you around the clock support in both English and French. If the casino itself is based in North America, that's just an added bonus. The sites that we recommend here do more than just accept players from Canada and, to really see the difference, you should go to their sites and give them a chance to impress you.
Is it safe to play with Canadian casinos online?
Canadian online casino gambling is as safe as you make it. What we mean by that, is that there are a few ways to play online and there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself. Even if we ignore the question of secure banking options, ask yourself how much you really know about your online casino. What is its parent company? Does it undergo third party auditing? What's the tested payout percentage? It's possible to differentiate between different Canadian online casino sites, but you have to have the information, and you have to know how to interpret it.
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Can Canadian players play online casino games for real money?
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Not only do the top Canadian online casino sites let you play for real money - they make it as easy as possible! As a Canadian citizen, you have access to a ton of safe deposit options, secure connections for transactions, and (if you stick with the trustworthy operators) withdrawals can be processed in no time at all! Once you decide to take your Canadian online gambling to the next level, there is nothing to stop you.
Which land-based casino properties do you recommend?
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Two of our favourites are Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario (5705 Falls Avenue Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T3, Canada, +1 905-374-3598) and Casino de Montreal in Montreal, Quebec (1 Avenue du Casino Montreal, QC H3C 4W7, Canada, +1 514-392-2746). Fallsview is a resort style casino, complete with a 200,000 square foot gaming floor, a theatre, a spa, 20 restaurants, dozens of shops, a AAA four-diamond hotel, and so much more. While Casino de Montreal doesn’t have a hotel on the property, it’s still just as impressive as Canada’s largest casino, complete with over 3,200 slot machines, 115 table games, a keno room, and so much more.