A majority of betting platforms that cater to Canadian players are not located in Canada. They operate under international regulations and laws in countries such as Antigua, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, or the United Kingdom.
Anyone with an internet connection (from a smartphone or computer) can place a bet on sports using their money through the numerous international bookmakers that target customers in Canada and other countries where it’s not legal to accept wagers.
The responsibility to regulate online sports betting falls on local governments. Each province has various organizations that offer different types of lotteries, gambling, or other activities that provide the opportunity to place a bet. The Canadian Penal Code does not provide much information about online gambling.
For the millions of Canadians who contribute billions of dollars to the economy through online betting, the absence of regulation in this industry is a blessing. They can gamble online without fear of charges and receive their winnings in a matter of minutes in their bank accounts.
In Canada, betting on a single game is prohibited. At first glance, placing multiple bets comes with numerous advantages for beginners. However, an experienced bettor will always prefer to wager a large sum of money on a single match, where the odds of winning increase significantly.
Parlay bets offer substantial rewards. The more bets you include on a ticket, the lower your chances of winning. Many bettors, however, state that they prefer to win more occasionally with larger amounts rather than earn smaller amounts more frequently. Nonetheless, in the long run, you are better off playing tickets with more reasonable odds. The problem lies in the fact that the more matches the ticket includes, the more difficult it becomes to win since you need to have a certain number of consecutive winning bets. This is based on the law found in the criminal code that prohibits single bets.
The majority of Canadians have their preferred betting platforms where they deposit billions of dollars annually. According to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC), which is the official licensing and regulatory authority for gaming activity within and from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, the most popular gambling sites for Canadians were:
- For casino games – Royal Vegas, 888 Casino, Spin Palace, Cool Cat Casino, Virgin Games, and Titan Bet Casino
- For poker games – 888 Poker, Full Flush Poker, William Hill, Party Poker, Bet365
- For bingo games – 888Ladies, Foxy Bingo, Bingo Canada
- For sports events – Bet365, Bwin, Betfred, William Hill, SkyBet, Bovada
- For binary games – FinRally and CT option
- For forex games – XM, Plus500, LMFX, Etoro, NetoTrade
All of the aforementioned sites welcome Canadian gamblers and offer enticing bonuses and promotions for new players.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is located on the Indian reserve of Kahnawake. They grant licenses to betting platforms as long as they operate from within Kahnawake and meet certain criteria. There have been many inquiries regarding the legality of this association operating from within Canada. However, Kahnawake is considered a sovereign nation and is therefore not directly governed by Canadian laws.
