Canadian Sports Betting
Canada Sports Betting
| Status: | Gray Area |
|---|---|
| B&M Availability: | None |
| Online Availability: | Gray Area |
| Minimum Age: | 18+ |
| Restrictions: | None |
Canada’s sports betting industry is popular and widespread, focusing on global soccer, NHL hockey, and other North American sports like football, baseball, and basketball. Online sportsbooks which accept Canadians operate in an unregulated gaming market. The best sportsbooks support play for English and French speakers, while supporting Canada-focused deposit and withdrawal options. Because it’s an unregulated market, learning a bit about foreign licensing authorities is important.
In this guide to Canadian sports betting, we’ll delve into the legality of online gambling, as well as the safety of offshore operators. We’ll offer advice for picking the right online bookmaker, while offering a few recommendations on the best sites for Canadians. We’ll discuss the payment options available to Canadians, along with support for English and French language gambling. Finally, we’ll give a short history of Canadian sports betting and a list of resources you can use to learn more about Canadian sports gambling.
Canadian Sports Betting Legality
Canadian sports betting exists in a legal gray area. Canada’s federal, state, and territorial governments have not regulated the online sports gambling market, but neither have they banned online sportsbooks. Sports betting therefore is not taxed, so many online bookmakers operate in the country. Canadian real money sports betting is popular and widespread — and bettors should know the government has a hands-off policy.
Canada is home to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which is based on a First Nations reservation just south of Montreal, Quebec. Though the Kahnawake Gaming Commission license many online gambling sites which operate in Canada, most bookmaker sites which accept Canadians do not host their sites on Canadian servers. Instead, most have gaming licenses from offshore regulators like Antigua, Curacao, Gibraltar, or the Isle of Man.
Safety of Online Sports Betting in Canada
Since Canadian online sports betting is an unregulated sports betting market, the safety, security, and legitimacy of online sportsbooks is doubly important. Learning the background and reputation of online sports betting operators in Canada is important, because bettors have no legal recourse when gambling online. Finding trusted, legitimate online sportsbooks is the single-most important factor.
In the next couple of sections, I’ll discuss the site information you need to protect yourself when gambling on Canadian sports. Then I’ll make recommendations on safe Canadian online sportsbooks, based on legitimate business practices and longstanding reputation. Later, I’ll offer resources to help you conduct your own research.
Catering to Canadian Sports Bettors
When catering to Canadian sports bettors, the best online sportsbooks need to have the site translated into English and French versions, while offering customer support with representatives who are fluent in both languages. Canadian sports bettors need access to Visa and MasterCard payments, along with PayPal and PaySafeCard (Ukash) if at all possible. Bitcoin is a widespread deposit and withdrawal option in North America, so sites with this safe and instantaneous payment method receive bonus points. For Canadian real money bettors, we recommend only sportsbooks which cater to NHL hockey betting, but also have European hockey matches on the docket. Live in-play betting is a must.
Online Sports Betting in Canada
A breakdown of what it’s like to bet online sports in Canada
Top Canadian Sports to Bet On
Currencies
Languages
These options may not be available at all sportsbooks but represent typical experiences.
Best Online Betting Sites Canada
The best Canadian betting sites are Bodog Sports and 888 Sport. Bodog is one of the oldest gambling sites online, being founded in Canada in 1994. Bodog’s sportsbook made a name for itself catering to Canadian sports bettors and continues to provide the currencies, language options, payment methods, and betting types Canadian bettors want. 888 Sport is an international sportsbook which accepts Canadian gamblers. 888 is traded on the London Stock Exchange, so it represents a legitimate online sportsbook that Canadians can trust. Even better, 888 Sports has a global catalog of sports bets.
Top Ranked Canadian Betting Site – Sportsbetting.ag
- Accepts all major credit cards
- Accepts Litecoin, Bitcoin other cryptos
- Large assortment of sports betting markets
- Competitive odds for betting on many sports
- European football specific bonuses offered for the Cup
Why Is Sportsbook.ag The Best?
The SportsBetting.ag betting site offers most of the biggest sports, including Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Hockey (read review). They also have other international sports like soccer, rugby, and cricket. For the avid bettor, you can use their Live Betting to place bets in real-time. Pick from among dozens of different wagers you can place on a single match-up, along with great prop bets.
SportsBetting.ag offers new members plenty of bonuses, like their 50% up to $1,000 in Free Bets using the code “SB1000“. For those that use Bitcoin, can take advantage of their $20 up to $500 Bitcoin bonus using the promo code “BETCRYPTO“. Take advantage of their bonuses, live betting, and incredible sports betting odds with a sign-up bonus of 50% Up To $1,000. Check out Sportsbetting.ag to place bets and win!
Great for Betting on International Sports – 888sport
- One of the most trusted betting sites in history.
- Lots of promotions and bonuses throughout the year..
- Some of the best betting software online.
- Massive wagering limits.
Why bet at 888 Sports?
888sports supports 11 different languages (read review), including English and French. Until May 26, 2018, 888sport also offers an accumulator (ACCA) bonus called the Profit Boost Token. This boosts winnings up to 50% to a total of £5,000 with an initial bet as low as £5. The percentage depends on the number of legs you put in your accumulator bet.
888sports offers all new members $/€30 Free Bets that they can use to place bets on their favorite sports matches, teams, and players and an awesome bonus – Bet €10 To Get €30. This popular sportsbook also provides countless of other promotions you can take advantage of, so sign up at 888sports and start enjoying their bonuses and live betting odds. Check out 888 Sports to place bets and win!
Depositing and Withdrawing at Canadian Sportsbooks
Most of Canada’s deposit and withdrawal methods are similar to the United States payment option, though there are a few differences. Interac is an important payment method, because so many Canadians’ bank debit cards are tied to Interac. Bodog Sports accepts Interac payments, while 888 Sport does not. 888 accepts all the other key deposit and withdrawal methods, like Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoin, and PayPal. When accepting payments from 888sport, all payments post as Cassava Enterprises.
Canadian Deposit Options You Can Use
Canadian Withdrawal Options You Can Use
Canada Sports Betting History
When the Venetian explorer John Cabot discovered North America in 1497, he found the First Nations tribes gambling. Cabot investigated and claimed he found evidence of the game played as early as 6000 BC. Roulette and Faro were referenced in 1758 Canadian regulations, when Canada was still called New France. The French law prohibited “die, hoca, faro, and roulette.” The 1892 Canadian Criminal Code, based on English common law, legalized gambling in a limited form. A 1910 pari-mutuel amendment gave special license to bets on horse racing.
The 1970 Canadian Criminal Code Amendment gave provinces sweeping authority to legalize and regulate gambling, which resulted in the creation of a multi-billion-dollar Canadian gambling industry. The first commercial land-based casino opened in Winnipeg in 1989. Montreal saw the next land casino in 1993, while a number of provinces have opened casinos since: Ontario, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. Lottery gaming is widespread, while video lottery terminals (VLTs) are popular in Canada, as well. After a landmark 1996 case, First Nations tribes were given special sovereignty rights to host gambling in Canada. On July 8, 1999, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission enacted the “Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming”, setting down the regulations by which the KGC licenses and regulates online gambling websites, including online sportsbooks.
Canada Sports Betting Resources
The Canadian national parliament in Ottawa has little hand in overseeing commercial gambling. Instead, the 10 Canadian provinces and 3 territories license and regulate all forms of gambling in Canada. Online and mobile gambling operates in a legal gray area. No national laws ban Canadian online gambling, though online sports betting, casino gambling, and poker is not regulated, either. Individual provincial, territorial, and local governments can ban online gambling, but most have a hands-off approach. The City of Markham, a suburb of Toronto, has a ban on online gambling.
| Website | Information |
|---|---|
| Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission | The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commissioner oversees all gaming in the province of Alberta. |
| Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario | AGCO regulates gaming in Canada’s capital territory. |
| Atlantic Lottery | Atlantic Lottery operates lotteries in four Canadian provinces, while serving as a regulator in those jurisdictions. The ALC is jointly owned by the following four governments: New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland & Labrador. |
| British Columbia Gambling Policy/Enforcement Branch | The BC government’s gambling regulator has come under scrutiny in the past year, but it oversees gaming enforcement in British Columbia. |
| Quebec Gambling Commission | The QGC regulates most Quebecois forms of gambling. |
| Manitoba Gaming Control Commission | The Manitoba Gaming Control Commission controls licensing and regulatory oversight in the province of Manitoba. |
| Saskatchewan Liquor & Gaming Authority | The Saskatchewan Liquor & Gaming Authority regulates gambling in Canada’s central province. |
