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Can I play casino games online in Canadian dollars (CAD)?
Yes, there are many online casinos where you can make wagers and win money in Canadian dollars.
However, the number of online casinos where you can deposit CAD but have to play in another currency (typically USD, EUR or GBP) are much greater. Playing in such a casino does however expose you to currency risk since the exchange rate might change between the date of your deposit and the date of your withdrawal.
How can I deposit funds into a Canadian online casino?
That depends on the casino. If you are interested in a specific Canadian online casino, check their information about available deposit methods. Important: Also check their available withdrawal methods before you make any deposit because the list of available withdrawal methods is often significantly shorter than the one for deposits. It is not fun to make a deposit into a casino account and then realize that all the available withdrawal methods are cumbersome, expensive and slow.
Examples of common deposit methods:
- Major credit/debit cards, such as VISA and MasterCard
- E-wallets, such as Skrill and Neteller
- Prepaid cards, such as Paysafecard
- Wire transfer, although this option is often rather slow and expensive
To comply with anti-fraud, anti-terrorism funding and anti-money laundering laws, most Canadian online casinos will require you to jump through a few hoops to confirm your identity before you can make a withdrawal.
Examples of points that are good to find out before you sign-up with an online casino:
- Do they offer deposit and withdrawal methods that I want to use?
- What is the cost associated with deposits and withdrawals?
- What are the upper and lower limits for deposits and withdrawals? Some online casinos only accept big deposits and are thus unsuitable for small-scale punters.
- Which deposit methods offer instant deposit into my casino account?
- How long, on average, will it take for a withdrawal request to go through with the withdrawal method I plan to use?
Is online casino gambling popular among Canadians?
Yes, online casino gambling is popular among Canadians. There are many reasons for this, and one of them is, of course, the availability of great online casinos that cater specifically to the Canadian market. Also, computer literacy is high in Canada and many people have computers and/or smartphones connected to the internet.
It should also be noted that Canada is a vast country and many Canadians live far away from their nearest brick-and-mortar casino. And of course, the winter weather during parts of the year make many Canadians look for fun pastimes to enjoy in or near their home – hobbies that don’t force them to bundle up and waste time driving through adverse conditions. Even for people who live in the big cities, have a fun and cosy night in gambling in an online casino can feel much more appealing than getting out in the wind and snow to get to the nearest brick-and-mortar gambling hall.
What’s RTP?
RTP = Return To Player. Also known as payout percentage.
This number will tell you how much money, over time, that is paid out to the gamblers in the form of winning.
Example: This slot machine has an RTP of 96%. This means that over time, 96 cents of each dollar is paid back to the players. The machine keeps 4% (and that is how the casino makes a profit).
Please note that these numbers are true over time. If you put 100 CAD into a slot machine with a 96% payout percentage, there is absolutely no guarantee that you will leave with 96 CAD in your pocket. (If it was, few people would gamble.)
The best games to play varies depending on the exact rules that the casino use. The best RTP can be found in full pay video poker machines. But these are not available online. The best RTP found online is usually found when playing online blackjack and certain high RTP online slots. Most Slots have a rather low RTP but there are some slots that offer high RTP.
Casino games with the best RTP
- Blackjack: Blackjack typically offers the best RTP but the RTP can vary based on the specific rules of the game. The FTP can often be as high as 99.5%. This is only true when using perfect basic strategy.
- Video Poker: Some video poker games, especially variants like “Jacks or Better” or “Deuces Wild,” can offer RTPs over 99% when played with optimal strategy. Some even offer over 100%
- Baccarat: Baccarat is another game with a high RTP. The banker bet, in particular, has an RTP of about 98.94%.
- Craps: The ‘Don’t Pass/Don’t Come’ bets in craps come with a house edge of just 1.36%, making their RTP 98.64%.
- European Roulette: European Roulette, with a single zero, has a better RTP (97.3%) compared to American Roulette, which includes both a single and double zero.
- French Roulette: With its ‘La Partage’ and ‘En Prison’ rules, French Roulette can offer an RTP of 98.65% on even-money bets.
Do I have to download and install casino software to play with real money?
No, it is possible to play casino games directly in your web browser in many Canadian online casinos. Microgaming, NetEnt and Playtech is just some o the game developers who develop games you can play in the browser.
Back in the olden days, when internet connections were slow, it was very common for online casinos to offer a downloadable casino client. You downloaded the client and installed it on your computer. You still needed an internet connection to gamble, but it didn’t have to be fast, since almost everything you needed was stored inside your computer – graphics, animations, sound effects, music, etc. That way, only a small amount of information had to be sent back and forth between the computer and the online casino during a gambling session.
As internet connections grew faster, many online casinos began to offer gambling directly in the web browser instead. Today, this is the most common type of online casino gambling. When you play directly in your browser, you don’t have to download and install a casino client, but you do need a fairly quick internet connection.
Downloadable casino clients still exist, and some Canadian gamblers prefer them – especially gambler who are are on a slow internet connection or a connection with a limit amount of data per month.
A drawback with the downloadable casino clients is that they are made for a specific operative system – and most of them are for Windows only. That means that if you want to play in a downloaded casino client and your computer has another operating system than Microsoft Windows, you will have much fewer casinos to chose among. (Unless you create a Windows environment inside your computer.)
Can I try the casino without risking any real money?
Yes, there are many Canadian online casinos where you can play for free using play-money. Of course, you will only win (worthless) play-money, but it is a great way to check out the casino and the games without risking any real money. If you decide that you like how the casino works and the selection of games, you can start thinking about making a real-money deposit.
- In some online casinos, you must register with an email address to get access to an account with play-money. In others, you can simply start playing, no registration required.
- In some online casinos, you only get a limit amount of play-money. In others, the amount is endless.
- In some online casinos, registering with an email address will give you a small welcome bonus (typically 15 CAD or so). This is not worthless play-money; this is bonus money that can yield real-money wins.
Tip! If you have a gambling strategy that you are yerning to try out, test it with play-money first even if you have a real-money account. Many betting theories that sound perfect turns out to be not so perfect when they encounter reality. It is better to find out with play-money than with real-money.
What is a welcome casino bonus?
Many online casinos give out welcome bonuses to new members.
- No-deposit bonus: A no-deposit welcome bonus is a bonus that you will get without having to make any deposit first. This type of welcome bonus is usually small, e.g. 15 CAD. Some online casinos give out a bunch of free spins instead of bonus money.
- First deposit bonus: A first deposit bonus is a bonus given to you when you have made your first deposit into your casino account. This type of bonus is normally based on the size of your first deposit.Example: 100% first deposit bonus up to 200 CAD. This means that if you, for instance, make a 50 CAD first deposit, you get a 50 CAD bonus, and have 100 CAD to play with. The bonus ceiling is 200 CAD, so you can’t get more than 200 CAD bonus even if your first deposit is bigger than that.
- VIP Welcome Bonus: If you are interested in making a very big first deposit, always contact the support team in advance, because many online casinos will tailor-make welcome bonus offers to suit big gamblers. You may also be able to negotiate certain perks, e.g. immediate entry into the VIP Club if your first deposit is big enough.