iGaming Traffic in Canada
iGaming Traffic Canada – Online gambling is a widely accepted form of entertainment among Canadian citizens, unlike in some other countries that have a rather restrictive approach towards it.
Since the middle of the 20th century, we have witnessed nice progress towards a more liberal gambling market in Canada. Over the past decade, provincial gambling regulators became more open to accepting online gambling to keep up the pace with the modern age.
However, the online gambling market in Canada is still not at the level of other developed countries. Even though there are some success stories, in larger part, online gambling is still a bit problematic in the country.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Canada?
On average, six in ten people in Canada are known to participate in some form of gambling, so we can safely assume that it is one of the most popular activities.
However, gambling has had a long and problematic history in the country, with up until recently, only land-based casinos being active in the country.
This seemed to change in 2009 when online gambling became legal in Canada, but the government did not hand out any licenses for private online operators. Instead, state-run online casinos in separate provinces obtained licenses, with no legal offshore online casino based in the country.
For this reason, players in were not happy with the online casino traffic Canada and they became bored with the handful of sites available.
They proceeded to access offshore websites that were happy to accept punters from Canada. It is important to note that there are no cases in history when people from Canada were charged or prosecuted for gambling at offshore online casinos.
All this changed on April 4 2022, when the province of Ontario legalized online gambling. Nowadays, every gambling operator can feel free to apply for a license in Ontario and offer its services to Ontario punters.
On a federal level, the gambling industry is regulated by the Criminal Code of Canada. It states that online gambling is illegal, with the Canadian Gambling Commission being in charge of overseeing the gambling industry.
However, this regulatory body does not have the mandate to interfere with local laws for both online and offline gambling.
As mentioned above, Ontario is the only province in Canada that allows online gambling. The Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario is in charge of the licensing process.
The AGCO is in charge of registering companies and authorizing them to provide online gambling services for Ontario players.
Even though only players in Ontario can access licensed local online casinos, it doesn’t mean that the rest of Canada is cut out. There are numerous international online casinos that are happy to accept players from Canada, and the government does not seem interested in chasing individuals who gamble at such sites.
Popular Payment Methods in Canada
Safe transactions are at the heart of any online casino’s success in Canada. It is crucial for online gambling sites to integrate a payment system that will work flawlessly and will protect players’ sensitive information.
Legitimate casinos in Canada have all the security measures implemented, so you have nothing to worry about when it comes to the safety of your transactions.
In that line, for Canadians, Interac is the most popular payment method for all their online casino transactions. All relevant gambling sites know how popular this payment method is, so they make sure to offer it in their long list of payment options.
Interac is a Canadian banking system that is powered by around 80 companies. It can be used for safe transactions at your favourite online casinos without providing plenty of personal information or experiencing delays.
Transfers with Interac do not require much – sometimes, your email address and name will be enough. Simplicity is often the key to success, and Interac offers exactly that.
Moreover, unlike plenty of traditional payment methods, Interac provides instant transactions. There are no technical hindrances or any catch here – it is as good as it sounds.
Apart from Interac, Canadian punters will be able to enjoy other reliable payment methods in their favourite online casinos, such as:
- E-Wallets – PayPay, Skrill, Paysafecard and EcoPayz are options here. They have the huge advantage of offering instant deposits and withdrawals without spending time to provide credit card details
- Cryptocurrencies – the rise of cryptocurrencies is stunning, to say the least. There are numerous online casinos in Canada that offer them as means of transactions. They are anonymous and fast when it comes to transactions, so it is easy to see why they are regarded so highly.
Mobile Gaming in Canada
Mobile casinos are another aspect to keep a close eye on in Canada. The internet and smartphone penetration in the country is among the best in the world.
Nowadays, the vast majority of Canadian punters spend all their daily activities on their mobile devices. This trend has also been present in online gambling. There are numerous sites that accept Canadian punters and they all offer mobile-friendly websites.
This means that anyone in Canada can win money on the go, as all they would need is an account at an online casino, a smartphone and a stable internet connection.
What Does the Future Hold for Online Gambling in Canada?
Canada is one of the emerging iGaming markets in the world. the iGaming traffic in Canada is stunningly high, but so far, only Ontario has implemented progressive legislation that allows online gambling.
We fully expect other provinces to follow Ontario’s positive example and legalize online gambling. As can be seen from other developed gambling markets – the benefits are there for everyone to enjoy.