The iGaming market in Canada is becoming increasingly mature and well-regulated, particularly following the launch of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and its new role in licensing operators in the space.
With Ontario now home to online casinos and remote betting brands, Canadians are thought to wager some $16 billion online each year, while this number rises exponentially as new regional markets are approved and regulated going forward.
If you’re new to the market, however, it can be hard to get started online and identify one casino platform from another. So, here’s our comprehensive guide to get you started!
#1. Find a Safe (and Reputable) Casino
This should be your first port of call when wagering online, as it’s crucial that you spend your money at a casino that’s safe, regulated and fully licensed by the relevant bodies.
In Ontario, for example, all applications and reputable brands must have applied through the AGCO, with any subsequent licence issues and inspected by the iGaming Ontario (iGO) body.
What’s more, casinos that have received this accreditation must present this online and through their website, including key data sets such as their relevant licensing numbers and official headquarters. Brands should also be licensed in every jurisdiction in which they operate, although your main concern as a Canadian should be that they’re eligible to trade in Ontario or any other relevant state.
Once you’ve confirmed this, the next step is to review the site’s core security credentials. As a general rule, online casinos should boast minimum SSL encryption of 128-bit, which provides genuine security against data theft and guarantees transaction safety when depositing and withdrawing funds.
Also, we’d recommend checking official review sites to see first hand accounts of players’ experiences.
This may tap into recurring issues pertaining to security or withheld withdrawals, which should encourage you to avoid specific casino brands.
#2. Consider Payment Methods
Another key element of security and safety revolves around the payment methods in play, as it’s important to identify encrypted sites that offer legal and secure options that suit your own tastes and preferences.
Perhaps the most secure payment method is bank transfer, of course, although this isn’t offered by a particularly large range of casinos. You can find a comprehensive list of the relevant bank transfer online casino sites in Ontario here, but there are also other options you can consider.
For example, PayPal offers a flexible and convenient method, and one that processes quick transactions (including withdrawals) while having the capacity to be linked directly with your bank account or credit card.
This affords you seamless access to multiple payment methods through a single interface, affording you even greater flexibility when wagering online.
The key here is to check the full range of payment options in play and the estimated payout times, as this allows you to make an informed decision while gauging the average internal processing times at each site.
#3. Consider Welcome Offers Carefully
Welcome offers often draw you in as a new player, particularly seemingly generous deposit matches or those that offer a large number of free spins.
However, there’s no such thing as a free lunch in the online casino marketplace, and it’s important to delve beyond the headline numbers and offer before you commit to a bonus.
Two of the most important bonus terms and conditions are wagering requirements and game weighting, which are interlinked and combine to dictate the precise terms for withdrawing your winnings.
Wagering requirements are usually expressed as a multiplier of the total bonus value (usually minus the deposit). So, if you buy into a bonus with wagering requirements of 35x at the minimum level of $10, you’ll receive $10 in bonus funds and have to play through $350 before making a withdrawal of funds.
This can vary from one offer to another, while you’ll usually have a limited period of time (between seven and 30 days) to fulfil these requirements in full.
In terms of game weighting, this refers to the precise contribution that specific games and iGaming verticals make to fulfilling your wagering requirements.
For example, slots often contribute 100% to this objective, so every penny wagered goes towards unlocking your winnings. However, some blackjack iterations contribute as little as 10%, meaning that it will take considerably more time and money to access your winnings.
This can really undermine the value and viability of welcome offers, and it’s important to consider these T&Cs in detail before you commit to a particular bonus or operator, no matter how good their marketing seems to be.