How to Know if an Online Casino is Legit in Canada

Looking for a genuine online casino in Canada? You’re not alone. Google searches related to online gambling have skyrocketed in the past couple of years. The demand for casino sites peaked in mid-2020 when most Canadians were under mandatory lockdown due to mitigate spread of COVID-19.

If it’s your first-time gambling online, here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a reputable non Gamstop casino.

Do Online Casinos in Canada Operate Legally?

Put simply, online casinos in Canada operate in line with the country’s laws. You see, there are two types of casino sites in the country. There are gambling operators controlled by individual provinces like Manitoba, B.C. and Quebec, or online like Bluechip.

Then there are offshore casinos. Overseas gambling sites operate in Canada because the country has grey gambling laws. Canada does not license casinos at a federal level. However, it doesn’t prohibit its citizens from using offshore casinos.

That being said, not every offshore operator can be trusted. Check out www.scams.info for a list of safe online casinos in Canada. 

How to Know If a Casino Site Is Legit

To identify a legit online casino in Canada, check for these features: 

A Genuine License

No one wants to get scammed online. So, take a couple of minutes to verify you’re dealing with a licensed operator. In Canada, most casinos acquire their licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority.

Others have licenses from the UK or Latin countries like Curacao, Panama and Costa Rica. The bottom line: join a licensed casino. It’s an important sign for differentiating genuine from scam operators.

Look for Security Features

Scam casinos don’t invest much in the security of their apps and websites. In fact, they purposefully omit security features to trap you with malware. They lack SSL encryption, data protection policies and firewalls.

In light of that information, look for common security measures while finding a casino site. The first check should be a padlock sign on the address bar. It represents HTTPS security, a protocol used to encrypt your data while gambling online.

Needless to say, a secure casino allows you to add password protection to your account. The best sites also offer two-factor authentication, which protects you against the loss of a password.

Other security measures include a firewall, antiviruses, data protection compliance and game fairness.

Secure and Trustworthy Payment Providers

When you think about it, scammers accept unsafe payment options for an obvious reason. Their goal is to steal your money. By comparison, legit casinos link you with safe and trustworthy payment providers. 

To expound more, the standard online casino in Canada provides a wide range of banking options. Let’s start with cards. Visa and MasterCard are the most common options.

When it to digital wallets, it depends on the casino you join. Some feature PayPal, Google Pay, Skrill, and EcoPayz. Others also include iDebit, Neteller, Apple Pay, Due and Trustly. Then there’s wire transfer, crypto and eChecks. 

While you have numerous ways to deposit and withdraw money, keep in mind every casino has rules about banking. Join a site with a small minimum deposit. This way, you can test the waters with $10 before you add more.

Look at the fees and payout speeds too. Usually, casinos differ drastically in the time they take to process payments. Find a site with 1–2-day payouts for both e-wallets and cards.

A Full Range of Games

If you’re like many people, you prefer a casino with plenty of games. It provides variety and also exposes you to high-quality developers. Now, casinos have far more games than you can handle.

But here’s how to identify a genuine casino from its games. First, check its software providers. The best operators lease games from licensed, top-tier developers like NetEnt, Microgaming, Betsoft and BTG.

If you visit a casino and can’t identify its software providers, you should be cautious. The developers might be genuine, but their games could be of low quality. Or maybe they’re mean in payouts.

That being said, join a casino with slots, blackjack, poker, baccarat, roulette and all of your favorite games. Look out for top-rated slots like Starburst, Mega Moolah and Thunderstruck II.

 Fair Bonuses

One of the best things about online casinos is bonuses. You can receive free spins to play your favorite slots. Or you can get a 100% match on your deposit to double your deposit amount.

Now, any casino can give out a bonus. In fact, many scam operators have welcome promotions. They promise you up to $10,000 in rewards. But there’s always a catch. And the worst part is that they might not reveal it until you deposit money.

Owing to that backdrop, you can use bonuses to identify a legit casino. Promotions from safe casinos don’t always come in big amounts. It could be a first deposit offer worth a maximum of $100. 

However, the offer comes with fair terms. You can cashout up to $5000. You have three months to fulfill wager terms. And speaking of which, the wager requirements don’t exceed 40x your bonus amount.

Reliable Customer Service

Here’s something many Canadians forget to check while looking for a genuine casino: customer service. Yet, it’s one of the best ways to know an operator is genuine.

You see, scam casinos have no time for customer service. They use fake contact information. As such, you can’t get a reply if you try to communicate to them. If there’s a response, it’s never helpful. 

By comparison, genuine casinos provide professional customer service. There’s a variety of ways to ask for help. You can use email support. You can also use phone contacts or social media.

More importantly, you can ask for assistance through live chatting. This is the most preferred option because you can get immediate feedback. All the same, consider testing a casino’s contact channels to gauge its response speed.