Sports betting in Canada has been popular for several years and today is becoming more popular than ever. Canada of course has a unique sports and sports betting market relative to their neighbors to the south (the United States). Canadians enjoy betting on hockey, including the NHL, and curling. But they do also like American sports, especially fans of the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) and fans of the Toronto Raptors (NBA).
All that to say, sports betting in Canada is growing particularly due to the recent passing of Bill C-218, which made single-game sports betting legal in the country. Because Bill C-218 was just passed in August 2021, Canadians are still waiting on new sportsbook operators to be officially approved and licensed. In addition to more sports betting options, Canadians in certain provinces will also have more access to online casino games starting in 2022.
Before you browse these new gambling apps and choose the one you think is right for you, read our guide on how to safely trust new Canadian online casinos.
How To Safely Trust New Canada Online Casinos
1. Canada Online Gambling Apps By Province
As per Bill C-218, the federal government in Canada will not be regulating single-game sports betting. But rather, they will leave it up to each province to regulate single-game wagering and online casino apps.
As such, it’s important to understand that regulated, trustworthy online casinos and sportsbooks will need to be licensed by individual Canadian provinces to operate. Legal casinos such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM Casino Ontario will undoubtedly be licensed by individual provinces. However, some offshore casinos and sportsbooks may still market to Canadians — but understand that the Canadian government has no jurisdiction over those sportsbook operators.
2. Look for Partnerships Announcements
Another key sign that an online casino and sportsbook is trustworthy is if they formally announced a partnership with a reputable sports franchise or brand. For instance in Canada sportsbook operator PointsBet announced that they are the official sportsbook partner for Canadian Curling.
Partnerships such as this one indicate the partner has done its due diligence on the sportsbook and expects the operator to likely be approved by at least one province in the country and more importantly, trust their brand, leadership team, and product enough to promote it to their own following. While a partnership doesn’t guarantee a license to operate in Canada, it definitely helps an operator’s case and is a major positive in terms of trustworthiness.
3. Clearly Defined Terms & Conditions
One other thing to look for when determining if a Canadian online casino is trustworthy or not is if they are clearly communicating their terms and conditions. This pertains to overall terms and conditions such as deposit and withdrawal terms, as well as terms and conditions related to bonuses, special offerings, and more.
All reputable online sportsbooks ensure they provide new and existing users with the necessary information related to a promotion or general operations. If you notice that terms and conditions pages are nowhere to be found or difficult to understand, you may want to consider not signing up for the sportsbook and taking your business elsewhere.
4. Customer Support
Officially regulated sportsbooks and casinos in Canada will have support options available — including but not limited to live chat support, phone support, and email support. It’s always a good sign if you can easily find out how and where you can contact a casino’s customer support team, should you ever need to do so.
In summary, there are several key indications that an online casino is trustworthy. They include official licensing from individual Canadian Provinces, formal partnerships with reputable brands and sports franchises in Canada, well-defined terms and conditions, and accessible support.
If you are ever in doubt, you can always do a quick search to learn more about your sportsbook of choice to see if your local province officially approved them to operate in your area.