Online casinos that accept Canadian players, province by province

Is it legal to play at these casinos from Canada?

Under section 207 of the Criminal Code, gambling is lawful when a province conducts and manages it. Most provinces run their own online casino through a provincial lottery corporation, and Ontario and Alberta also license private operators. PlayNow, for example, is the provincial site in British Columbia and Manitoba. The casinos on this page are licensed outside that system, by regulators in Kahnawake, Curaçao or Anjouan. The Criminal Code provisions are aimed at those who run gambling, and enforcement against offshore operators has been limited. That is a description of how the law works, not legal advice; if it matters to you, check your province's rules.

Sources: Legal 500, Gaming law: Canada; Gowling WLG on section 207 and Manitoba.

What happens if you win $10,000 or more

For a recreational player, casino winnings are generally not taxable in Canada, including winnings from casinos abroad. They become taxable when gambling is run as a business, and interest earned on the winnings is taxable as usual. Sources: H&R Block Canada; TaxTips.ca, which points to CRA Income Tax Folio S3-F9-C1.

Reporting is a separate matter from tax. A casino authorized in Canada must file a Casino Disbursement Report with FINTRAC for a payout of $10,000 or more, or several payouts adding up to that within 24 hours. That rule is written for casinos operating in Canada. For a payout from a casino abroad, the rule that applies is the one for banks and payment companies: they report an electronic transfer of $10,000 or more into Canada. Sources: FINTRAC, casino disbursements; FINTRAC, transactions reported.

The casino's own limits come first. A $10,000 win may be paid in parts: SpinJo and LuckyVibe cap withdrawals at 3,000 CAD a day and 7,500 CAD a week, and PlayOJO pays at most €10,000 per 30 days. Each casino page lists its caps with the clause. This is general information, not tax advice.

How to tell whether an online casino is legit

Start with the licence, and check it where the regulator publishes it, not in the casino footer. For all 25 casinos in the table we looked the licence up in the regulator's own register. Stake and HypeBet appear there with the status "Assessment in progress", which is not the same as an expired licence.

1. Find the licence number and the company in the casino's terms or footer.
2. Search the regulator's register for that number. Kahnawake issues certificates, Curaçao publishes a list of licence holders, and Anjouan has an online register that also lists domains.
3. Read the country rules in the terms. If Canada or your province is on the restricted list, the casino can refuse to pay out.
4. Check the payout rules before you deposit: payout time, withdrawal limits, and when ID is required. Each casino page shows these with the clause.

A valid licence tells you who regulates the casino and where to complain. It does not tell you how fast the casino pays. That is why the score looks at both. Step-by-step instructions for each register are in our guide to checking a casino licence.

Questions