New Online Casinos in Canada

Old, established casino brands can become stuffy and boring. What new sites bring to the table is fun, excitement and humour. In the last decade or more marketeers in the industry have figured that, just like in the world of online slots where interesting themes make the games more playable, so this is the case with website themes too. A super-slick interface and immersive design go a long way to attracting our attention and making us want to come back and play again. Casumo was one of the first brands to really take this on board with its immersive world and gamified loyalty program. Since they launched back in 2012 many other brands have followed in their wake and you will find some pretty intrepid brands on this page too. Check out sites like Casino Gods from Genesis Global, or Temple Nile by White Hat Gaming if you want to experience something a little bit different. Immersive it the watch word here and these sites deliver on that front. On top of that, when you sign up at a new casino you’ll also enjoy better functionality, slick menus and information screens, filter systems to choose your games, and one-click deposit systems to transact easily and get spinning!

Immersive Loyalty Programs

Canadian casino players like the VIP treatment and new casinos are prepared to offer this service via their loyalty programs. Once again, gamification and immersive branding are key. Look at sites like Wildz and Caxino for examples of rewards programs that are flexible and built around your choice of games. Most new sites now offer a tiered system where each new level can be unlocked by further wagering. At the top levels high rollers are rewarded with exclusive bonuses, non-cash gifts, birthday bonuses, personal account management and bespoke offers.

Live Table Action

Of all the innovations in online gambling in the last 30 years, live dealer stands out as one of the biggest. Thanks to advances in video technology and better broadband connections, live tables where croupiers deal real cards and spin real roulette wheels have moved from a niche concern to a key component of the casino experience. The best exponents of these new products are Evolution Gaming whose Live Lightning Roulette, Ultimate Blackjack and Dream Catcher formats are a huge success in Canada. The action looks exclusive but anyone can join at fairly low stakes and talk to the croupiers if they don’t understand the rules or need help placing bets. New casinos feature a wide range of these games and thanks to regular live casino bonuses offer the chance to play with lower risk levels.

The Latest Online Slots

Video slots have also come a long way in the last 30 years. Every online casino offers a massive range of slot games, usually 500 or more from 30 or more providers. In the last 5 years we have seen innovations from studios like Big Time Gaming steer reel-based action in new directions. In particular their Megaways™ format with expanding reels and 100,000s of paylines mixed with super-high volatility have taken the industry by storm. Other innovators in this sector have expanded the range of themes, introduced 3D graphics and video and added gamification features. When you browse our reviews take a moment to look at the slots suppliers providing games for each casino. Popular ones to look out for include Big Time Gaming, No Limit City, Push Gaming, NetEnt, Relax Gaming and Quickspin.

Licensed casinos in Canada like the ones we review all require you to register by providing some important personal information. You won’t be able to deposit and play until you have done so. Fortunately, it’s a quick process though it does require you to validate your account by providing some documentation. This is to prevent fraud and money laundering. These are the steps required to set up a new account:

• Enter your personal details – full name, email address, home address and phone number are ALWAYS required
• Confirm your age – you MUST be over 19
• Confirm that you have read and understood the terms and conditions
• Provide card details if required – sometimes you may have to provide credit card details even if you do not wish to deposit yet as a means of quick ID verification
• Provide ID to verify who you are if required – this may include a passport or ID card scan and a bill with your home address. Often you can upload these through your account.

Why Do I Need to Verify My Account at a Casino?

Under the terms of their licenses, online gambling sites are required to do all they can to prevent their operations from being used as a way to launder money. Ensuring that their customers are real people with real ID is one way to do this. It is also a way to prevent underage gambling. And from the operator’s point of view, it is a way to prevent bonus abuse from customers who sign up multiple accounts to claim a welcome bonus more than once.

The best way to make this process as quick and easy as possible is to have scans of the relevant documents – passports, utility bills, Photo ID, Driver’s License – on hand to upload when requested. Most operators will approve your account within minutes once you have provided the required information.

A blockbuster welcome offer is one of the main reasons for choosing a new casino over an established brand. These guys will work hard for your business and there are some great value offers on the table for Canadian players right now. Here are the most common types you will find.

Free Spins No Deposit

A free spins bonus on registration is less common than it used to be. However, you can still find them at a few sites listed on this page. Typically, you will still have to enter your credit card details when you register to claim – another step to prevent bonus abuse – but once done you may have as many as 20 free plays on a favourite slot. Just watch out for those terms and conditions that can be fairly restrictive on withdrawals of winnings. Typically, payouts will be in bonus funds with 20x or 30x wagering before withdrawal.

Deposit Match On First Deposit

These are the big headline grabbing deals that you will find at any new casino in Canada. They will usually match your first deposit on the site up to the value of $1,000 or more. Typically, this will be a 100% straight deal but sometimes it can be higher than that, up to 200%, but rarely less. You’ll need to check to see how much you need to deposit to qualify and also the wagering terms that must be met before any winnings can be withdrawn. The standard is 30x your bonus PLUS your deposit.

Tiered Welcome Bonuses

Another hook to get you to sign up is the tiered welcome bonus package which is a bundle of free spins and bonuses credited across more than one deposit. Normally you will be able to claim on your first, second and third transactions, but sometimes as many as five are eligible. This is a great opportunity to really get to know a site well with some good value spinning or card play. New sites are generous like this as they want you to keep coming back. Look out for the variable matches on each deposit here – sometimes the second, third and fourth wil be less than the first, as low as 25% for example. Bigger bonus offers like these also regularly come with higher wagering requirements. You can read more about these in the review page for each casino in our list.

Free Spins

Standard free spins are what we all know and love and are regularly bundled in with your first deposit bonus. Often you will be eligible for as many as 100 but they are not credited in one hit. Instead you will receive 20 or 10 per day for 5 or 10 days. Free Spins will normally be restricted to specific games like Starburst or Aloha! Cluster Pays. These are popular, low variance titles with low win potential which reduces the risk level for the operator. You will rarely get free plays on high variance slots like Book of Dead. As always, check the terms of any offer to see what the limitations of the bonus are.

Cashback Offers

Aside from the standard free spins and deposit bonuses there are other offers that new casinos regularly provide. Cashbacks are one of these. Cashback is calculated as a percentage of your losses over a set time period. Losses are defined as wagers minus wins. The typical rate for a cashback is 10% but it can be as high as 20%. Normally the value will be capped at $100. They are not as fun because if you win, you get no added bonus, but they can be a useful way of reducing your risk and providing a small level of insurance against your losses.

Further Bonuses at New Casinos

Once you are a regular player at any new casino you will be treated to further rewards, usually as part of an advertised loyalty program. This is the same kind of deal you get with established casino brands – the more you play, the more you get! As well as bonuses new casinos are keen to tie their rewards in with events like slots tournaments and leaderboards, prize draws and competitions and new game releases which are an excellent chance to invite players in to test their luck on a game they haven’t tried before whilst earning extra loyalty points or competing for prizes. New casinos with good tournaments include Casumo and Wildz.

No Wagering Bonuses at New Casinos

For those who get frustrated by the restrictive terms laid out for free spins and match bonus offers, a new kind of deal has presented itself at one or two of Canada’s newest casinos. The no wagering bonus is a free spins offer where you keep what you win, no questions asked! Effectively your winnings are paid out in real cash rather than bonus money so they can be withdrawn instantly. The best place to pick up these bonuses is Play OJO which has built its brand around the concept of a ‘no bullshit’ promotions policy. There you can collect 50 free spins with no wagering requirements for a deposit of $50. Generally the value of your free spins will be lower in this kind of offer but that is to reduce the risk level experienced by the operator. Overall these are some of the best value deals you can find anywhere and they are as close to free gambling as you will get!

We have already talked a little bit about immersive and gamified brands like Casumo on this page. Here we’d like to give a bit more detail because this phenomenon is big and will form part of the landscape of Canadian online gambling in the coming years. Gamification is a term that became popular in the social gaming sphere but can be used in any industry where a business adds motivational tools to its products that offer the same experience as that found in games to enhance customer loyalty. In the case of casinos, that means rewarding you for activity like deposits, wagering, logging in, winning at Blackjack or unlocking bonus rounds in slots by crediting points to your account. When you have enough points you are rewarded with extra bonuses or a new level of membership with enhanced features like early access to new game releases. At Casumo this is all tied up together with ‘missions’ that must be completed to unlock weekly or daily bonuses and players who progress right to the top can unlock the VIP levels of membership with high roller benefits.

The best new casinos have figured out ways to role the gamification model into their site design and marketing programs through an immersive model. Casumo is the best example but there are now many more like Casino Gods and Rizk, and you can expect to see the number like this to grow in the future.

Whilst talking about payment options isn’t as exciting as talking about new games, the revolution in online finances has had a huge impact on the gambling industry and is another reason to take your custom to the new casinos where all these deposit options are readily available. Remember, you don’t have to use your debit or credit card any more, there are many super-convenient, safe and secure options for the online gambler which allow you to deposit and start betting is seconds. Here are the top choices:

Credit and Debit Cards – Visa, Mastercard and Maestro are still the most popular options in Canada.

Interac– In Canada Interac is a commonly used payment service in the gambling industry. Most online casinos accept it and it comes with the advantage that you don’t need to share your bank details as Interac serves as the middle man in the transaction. Its simple and quick for withdrawals too.

eWallets – The popular alternatives to credit and debit cards are eWallest. Paypal, Skrill and Neteller are all available at online casinos. Once you have set up an account with one of these services you can deposit and withdraw with just your eWallet log in details. There is no requirement to share your bank details with the casino and withdrawals are processed into your eWallet instantly.

BOKU – This is the most popular of all the pay by mobile options available. There is no need to set up an account with BOKU, you just choose it from the cashier menu. Players are required to enter their phone number and confirm the deposit with a code provided via SMS – There is a $30 daily deposit limit but this is a great option for most mobile slots players.

Pre-Paid Cards – In Canada there is a limited selection of prepaid cards that can also be used at gambling sites. The most popular of these is Paysafecard. They are easy to use and don’t require the player to have a bank account as you can use cash to buy credit.

If you have gambled before at online casinos in Canada then you may know that the laws are changing. In 2021 a bill was passed that made single event sports betting legal in the country. Initially this has allowed state run lottery websites to offer sports betting, but from 2022 the market will be opened up for private betting companies to join the party. This means for the first time private gambling firms like MGM and 888 will be able to obtain a license in Canada and start taking bets on both sports and casino games. Before now, gamblers looking outside those lottery websites for betting opportunities could only gamble at offshore casinos and sportsbooks.

This is a big change. And it will happen Province by Province as each government will set its own regulations and issues its own licenses. The first to do this is Ontario whose new gambling market opens its doors from April 2022. Others, including British Colombia, will follow soon after. The likely outcome is that there will be a great choice of new online casinos in Canada offering betting opportunities to Canadian residents. So keep watching this space for more great deals and great brands as they become available.