Top Online Gambling FAQs

Why Gambling Online is Better Than Doing It Live

Being able to lay a bet without driving dozens or hundreds of kilometers is both convenient and economical. Considering the time it would take to make such a drive, players are better off investing in research and finding the best wagers possible as opposed to fighting traffic. In addition to that, with the cost of gasoline per litre these days, players would probably blow their winnings just covering the gas costs. Also, placing bets with a bookie is not legal and could lead to all sorts of trouble. Playing online guarantees you a safe, convenient, and enjoyable experience.

Is it Legal to Gamble Online in Canada?

Canadian laws are murky in most provinces when it comes to online gaming. It is illegal for a company to just setup and operate a casino from Canada. However, offshore casino sites tend to legally host their servers in Quebec. Provincial governments in Quebec and British Columbia have also been given the legal status to operate casinos within their provinces. Ontario is set to follow suit, meaning three of the largest provinces in our country are pro-online gaming.

Is There Any Part of Canadian legislation that I Should be Aware of?

Most Canadian legislation relates to people operating online gambling sites, rather than the players, so from this point of view there is little to worry about. However depending on where you live within the country it can be worth keeping an eye out to see if your province or territory changes its laws.

Do I Have to Pay Taxes on My Winnings?

All players are encouraged to consult with their accountant or tax attorney for absolute clarification. According to the Income Tax Act, a person in Canada winning a lottery prize or winning at a game of chance is not subject to income tax on those winnings. In cases pertaining to sports betting, winnings were also not liable for taxation. However, there are cases where those that receive a "major source of their income" from sports betting could be taxed.

What Canadian Provinces are More Open to Gambling?

There is no one answer to this. Many provinces have introduced regulated in-state online gambling, such as British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario. Generally speaking, Canadian provinces are far more open to gambling than American states.

Can I still play if travelling outside Canada?

This depends on the site you use, as many of the individual provinces’ state-run sites prevent people from playing while outside its borders. However international sites may allow you to keep playing when you are travelling outside Canada, depending on where you're headed. It is important to check the individual gambling laws of the country to which you are travelling, as some sites may freeze your online casino account if you attempt to play for real money from a restricted territory.

Do I Have to Gamble for Real Money?

All online casinos offer a "play money" version of their software. Players are in fact encouraged to use the play-money option first as a means of familiarizing themselves with the software so that no inadvertent bets are made. In addition, using a play-money option is a great way to practice your bet making, systems, or try out new sports. When you are ready, casinos make it easy to convert over to the real-money version of their casino.

What is the best all-encompassing site?

Our reviewers are hugely experienced online gamblers, and on our review page they have laid out the pros and cons of all the online gambling sites available to Canadian players. However sites are always changing, adding new games and so on, so it is tough to make a judgment call at any one time on which site is the best, not to mention that what’s best for one player might not be as huge a positive for another.

Where can I play for free?

Almost every single online casino site open to Canadian players will allow you to play for free, and this provides you with a great opportunity to get a feel for the games before moving on to real money play.

What's better: Online casinos or sportsbetting?

This depends on your personal preference, though sportsbetting can have more of a skill element for those at the top of the game. Both online casinos and sportsbetting do all they can to replicate the offline experience, so it will likely come down to which you prefer in the offline world.

What gambling game offers the best chance of winning?

There are a lot of variables at play, such as what bet you place (e.g. if you play roulette and bet red or black, the odds of winning are higher than if you bet a single number straight up). Strategy can play a part too, in certain situations, so it may sometimes be best to try out a few different games (either for real money or for free) to see which suits you best.

What game has the best odds?

This varies from site to site, but online casinos are required to publish payout percentages on their games so you can see how likely you are to win in the long run. Of course, variance can play a part in the short term and you can end up winning more (or less) than average.

What are the odds of winning playing the lottery?

This will vary from one week to the next, but the odds of winning the standard 6/49 Lotto game is roughly one in 14 million, while for Lotto Max the odds are 1 in 28.6 million.

Can I Use My Mobile Phone or Tablet to Play?

Many of the online casinos operating in Canada allow the use of mobile phones and tablets. Some might offer native applications to iOS and Android systems, so be sure to see if you can find an application within either App Store. The native mobile platform application will represent the best way to play on your smartphone or tablet. An alternate method that some online casinos might employ is through the use of a mobile web browser. Some casinos have optimized their sites to allow them to be viewed and interacted with on these devices. Whether you use a native application or through a browser window, players can make wagers and check lines using their favourite mobile device.

What is the best platform to play on?

This is a matter of personal taste, and everyone is different. However you can try out a variety of different platforms for free to help you work out which one you like the best.

Can I Play on a Mac?

Most, if not all, gambling sites these days support Mac OS X systems by offering a native Mac software client. For those that do not have a native OS X application, players have the ability to log in via a website that offers a "no download" option which might be embedded within a web browser window or in a Java runtime environment. Either way, being able to log in and place bets can easily be done with your favourite Mac computer.

What Methods Can I Use to Make a Deposit?

Every online gambling operator provides a plethora of methods to make real-money deposits. For Canadian players, be sure to review which method will be best for you. Some deposit methods carry some juice (also referred to as a fee) while others have restrictions on amounts or even if it can be processed by a gambling site. Typically, all websites accept deposits through credit and debit cards. In addition to that, they also accept deposits from popular e-Wallet providers like Skrill, so players do not have to directly link their credit cards or bank accounts to an online casino operator.

What is the safest deposit method?

Most of the well-recognized deposit methods are safe, as the best Canadian online gambling sites use high-tech encryption technology to protect your personal details and ensure you stay protected.

Do I need a credit card to gamble online?

Not at all. Many Canadian online gambling sites accept a variety of deposit methods, including online wallets (e-wallets) like Skrill, or prepaid vouchers, in addition to a selection of credit cards.

How Long Does it Take to Get My Money Out?

The amount of time it will take for your withdrawal to be processed and appear in your bank account or through a check in the mail will vary on the online casino and the withdrawal method. Typically, the fastest method is to use an e-Wallet, since those transactions are conducted electronically. The casino will credit your e-Wallet account and once it appears in there, players can initiate a withdrawal via a check (which normally takes a week) or as a deposit into your bank account (a few days).

Are online payment platforms or debit and credit cards safer?

The main difference is that online payment platforms may allow you to keep some personal details protected when making a deposit, however both methods are safe.

Are all transactions processed in Canadian Dollars?

On Canadian sites, transactions will be processed in Canadian Dollars. However with international sites this is only sometimes the case, as a minority of sites might only use US Dollars, British Pounds or Euros.

What is PlayNow?

PlayNow is the state-run online gambling site from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), one of the largest online gambling sites for a Canadian province.

Are the Sites Safe to Play At?

All of the online casinos featured here at Designporn.ca are safe to play at. Our team of highly experienced writers has vetted all of the casinos we feature. Each of the sites featured on our site are put through a rigourous set of tests to ensure that they employ the best security and encryption standards. We also make sure they offer a solid welcome bonus to new players, have robust software, as well as a responsive and competent customer service staff. By choosing to play at one of our recommended casinos, Canadian players guarantee themselves the best online gaming experience possible.

How can I be sure I'm not being scammed?

Always play on a licensed online gambling site, and do your homework before depositing. We only recommend safe and reliable online gambling sites, and do everything in our power to direct our players to the most trustworthy places to play.

What is a Welcome Bonus?

A welcome bonus, in a nutshell, is free money. Yes, you read that correctly! Many of the online gambling sites offer a lucrative welcome bonus to new players as a means of incentivizing them to join. The bonuses between a casino, sportsbook, and poker room might vary, but all will offer players a juicy bonus based on the first few deposits players make. Some sites are even known to provide free wagers to players as a means to get started, after they have made their first real-money deposit. The welcome bonus is one of the most important factors to consider when evaluating which online gambling site to join.

How do I choose the best welcome bonus?

At Designporn.ca it is easy to compare different welcome bonuses for different sites, so you know what you are getting yourself into before you deposit. Different welcome bonuses may have different playthrough requirements, so it is worth comparing different offers to see which suits your own tendencies the best.

How do I know if I am eligible for the welcome bonus?

All the best Canadian online gambling sites will be very clear on their ‘promotions’ or ‘bonuses’ page to explain the terms and conditions of any bonus. This includes detailing who is eligible for welcome bonuses.

Are welcome bonuses as good as they sound?

In the sense that you can often receive free money, yes they are. However be aware that there are often playthrough requirements, which force you to make a certain number of bets, or wager a certain amount of money, before you can recoup the headline amount on the bonus offer.