When it comes to legal online poker in Canada, the nation’s gambling laws have left the burden of regulation and licensing in the hands of each individual province. This means that the legalization or prohibition of poker is administered at the discretion of these territories. This being the case, your options will vary somewhat from province to province throughout the country. There are three forms of legally sanctioned poker gambling that Canadian players can participate in. Each one of them has their own inherent nuances that dictate their value to individual players.
Players looking for the excitement of face-to-face live games will prefer playing poker in a brick and mortar casino environment. Those players seeking convenient and instant access to real money games during a lunch break will prefer online poker. This guide will take a look at each venue and provide information that assists players in determining which type of poker gambling best suits their needs.
Is It Legal To Play Online Poker In Canada In 2024?
Poker is not one of the gambling forms that is prohibited in Canada’s criminal code. Therefor, it is legally offered at brick and mortar casinos across the country. Canadian based online poker sites are also legal, but only a few have been launched throughout the provinces. Canada gambling laws do not prohibit players from participating in legally licensed and regulated offshore poker sites, providing yet another option for Canucks. In all of its available forms, playing poker for real money in Canada is perfectly legal.
Most Trusted Online Poker Sites Open To Canadian Players In 2024 – Play In CAD
Each of the following poker rooms are legally licensed to accept Canadian players and offer some fantastic bonus offers. There are actually many other sites that accept players from Canada, but we are keen on only recommending the most reputable names in the industry. So we choose to list the biggest sites that we know have deep pockets and won’t jerk players around when it comes time to collect a payout.
The nice part about playing with one of the sites that we recommend is that they all have a lot more action than most other sites. Most players are smart enough to know the value in playing with the biggest names in the business, so they all flock to the biggest sites which means there are a lot more players at the tables.
| Site Name | Bonus | Rating | Software | Canadian | VIsit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 100% Up To $600 |  | In House |  | Visit Site |
 | 200% Up To $2,500 |  | In House | | Visit Site |
Faq’s About Playing Online Poker In Canada – Staying Within The Confines Of The Law
What Are My Options For Playing Online Poker Legally In Canada?
As mentioned above, there are three options for legally playing poker in Canada. Poker players come in all shapes and sizes, and with varying preferences regarding their gaming needs. Some players will enjoy all three options, while others will be wedded to one specific poker platform.
Legally Licensed Brick and Mortar Poker Options in Canada – Live poker games are available at many of the brick and mortar casinos located throughout the country. Depending on the size of the casino at which you are playing, the number of tables may be somewhat limited. Several casinos also offer poker tournaments from time to time.
Provincially Licensed Online Poker Sites in Canada – There are a handful of locally licensed online poker sites that Canadian players can access. These sites offer convenient online access to real money poker games. Geo-location software is used to verify player locations and security measures are in place to prevent underage gambling.
Licensed and Regulated Offshore Poker Sites Accepting Players From Canada – There are multiple online poker sites that are legally licensed and regulated offshore and that accept Canadian players. It is perfectly legal for Canadian residents to participate in online poker at these types of destinations as long as they are legitimately licensed and regulated through a respected governing jurisdiction.
All of the poker site we recommend in this guide fall into this category and are legally sanctioned to provide their services to players around the world, including those in Canada. Included in our recommended offshore poker brands are sites that are licensed and regulated by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission located in Canada. This gaming jurisdiction has produced some of the most successful legal Canadian online gambling sites in operation today.
What Kind Of Real Money Poker Games Are Available Online In CA?
In some cases, offshore poker sites have a wider selection of games than the provincially licensed Internet poker rooms do. The most popular games found at these poker rooms include multiple variations of Omaha, 5 and 7 Card Stud, 5 & 7 Card Draw and Texas Holdem. Game selection varies from site to site, but you may also find some exotic poker based games such as Pai Gow or Caribbean Poker.
Legal offshore poker sites are known for their active tournament schedules, and include a variety of games in these events, including Texas Holdem and Omaha, among others. Included in the tournament events, offshore poker sites very often hold qualifiers to prestigious live events such as the annual WSOP as well as other major poker events around the world. This means that you can play poker online to win a qualifying spot in a major live poker event. And if you doubt the validity of this option, just take a look at Chris Moneymaker who used an online poker qualifier to gain entrance in the WSOP, which he went on to win.
What Are The Benefits Of Playing Online?
One consistent form of legal online poker that is available to all Canadians across the board, regardless of which province you reside, is licensed offshore poker. Obviously convenience is a huge benefit when it comes to online poker. 24/7 access to real money poker games from your computer, tablet or smartphone is a level of convenience that brick and mortar poker rooms really cannot compete with.
For players who intend to make a living from playing poker, being able to play as many hands per hour as possible is actually quite important. Maintaining statistical data on your game play is also helpful. The legal online poker sites that we recommend in this guide utilize industry leading software that provides a user friendly interface and advanced gaming features such as multi hand and multi table options, various speed and game modes, player performance logs, notes functions and other features that capture and analyze data and statistics associated with player actions.
Probably one of the most sought after benefits to legal Canadian online poker sites is the bonus money. Each of the online poker sites listed in this guide offers new players a welcome bonus as an incentive for signing up to play. The bonuses are usually structured as a match deposit bonus, which means the poker site will match a specific percentage of your initial deposit up to a maximum amount.
The bonus may look something like this: A 100% match bonus up to $500. This means the poker room will match your deposit up to $500. Poker bonuses are distributed a little bit differently than casino bonuses are. In poker, your bonus is distributed to you in incremental portions as you play. The more you play, the more of your bonus is released to you. This is simply a different way of handling wagering requirements. In addition to new player welcome bonuses, most poker sites also offer reload bonuses and tournament promotions.
If you enjoy all types of gambling, you might consider checking out our list of legal online casinos in Canada. Many of these sites offer some massive bonuses for new players, and several even offer sports betting, casino and poker action under the same account.
How Safe Is It To Play Poker Online?
The answer to this question will depend on where you are playing poker online. We believe it is safe to say that all of the provincially licensed online poker sites will be extremely safe and secure. We are equally confident that the handful of legally licensed offshore poker sites we include in this guide deliver an online gambling environment that is extremely secure and protected. When considering a brand for inclusion in this guide, we have very stringent standards that are well above minimum licensing requirements.
We require that any gambling site we recommend to our visitors employs an advanced security profile that rivals that of the world’s largest financial institutions. They must utilize the most sophisticated data encryption technology, firewall protection, anti-fraud and anti-theft prevention systems.
In addition, they must have a trained technical team to monitor these systems around the clock. This type of high-end security is only provided by online gambling businesses that are committed to becoming an integral part of the industry long term, giving them significant credence among the online gambling community.
Do I Have To Pay Taxes On My Poker Winnings In Canada?
Many people play poker professionally and in such a case would be required to be pay taxes on their winnings. Since poker is a game of skill, it has unique tax requirements. We recommend that you consult with a tax attorney for the most applicable information.