Canadian Online Casino Reviews 2024 Updated

Canadian Online Casino Reviews 2024 Updated

If you’re looking for the top Canadian online casinos, we’ve got your back here at Casinomeister. On this page, you can see a list of all online casino sites that *accept Canadian players, along with links to detailed reviews.

Browse the Canadian casinos below, choose a site you like the look of and click the ‘visit’ button to be taken directly to the casino’s website!

‘*If you are playing from Ontario, you cannot play in all casinos on this page. Please see below the link to the Ontario Licensed Casinos Page.

 

Read Canadian Online Casino Reviews

Affiliate Disclosure Affiliate Disclosure Our content contains affiliate links and, yes, we may earn a commission if you sign up or deposit through them. At Casinomeister, we’ve been an advocate of fair play since 1998 so you can rest assured we don’t endorse just anyone. We only back operators who are licensed, regulated, and have passed our no-nonsense vetting process. Gamble responsibly, know the rules, and make sure you’re of legal age in your country.
Villento
7.6
Ours
7.2
Players
Payout speed empty starempty starempty starstarstar
Withdrawal limits empty starempty starstarstarstar
Customer service starstarstarstarstar
Read Review Terms Apply | 18+ | Gamble Responsibly
Dreams Casino
6.8
Ours
7
Players
Payout speed empty starstarstarstarstar
Withdrawal limits empty starstarstarstarstar
Customer service starstarstarstarstar
Bovada Casino
6
Ours
8
Players
Payout speed empty starempty starempty starstarstar
Withdrawal limits starstarstarstarstar
Customer service empty starempty starstarstarstar

Not located in Canada? Pick your country:

Why Trust Casinomeister?

Best Online Casinos at Casinomeister

Casinomeister has proven to be instrumental in bringing trust, credence, and a level playing ground for the online gaming community.

In an industry that remains relatively unregulated, Casinomeister has shown that information empowers the player community to make wise decisions when gambling online.

Since 1998 we’ve been helping players worldwide find the best real money casino sites, reclaim money from casinos implementing harsh terms and conditions – and our forum has proven instrumental in setting a high standard for the iGaming industry.

Our team of gambling experts have worked hard to review Canadian online casinos – offering fair, impartial and in-depth information to help you choose how to best play at casinos – and which sites to join.

How We Review Canadian Online Casinos

Here at Casinomeister, our rating system is the most detailed and accurate in the entire iGaming industry – hands down, and some of the metrics we look at includes:

  • Software providers
  • Casino games
  • Payout speed
  • Bonus spins promotions
  • Deposit methods
  • Withdrawal limits
  • Live casino games
  • Customer support
  • Reputation, licensing and history…

… and that’s just a fraction of what we look at when reviewing a casino.

Reputation

We carefully examine an online casinos history and reputation before adding it to our list of recommendations. This involves research on the casino’s parent business, the operators running the casino, and the brand’s reputation.

Often nefarious operators will move from one front to another. We help track this to protect you from dangerous new brands.

We also include our own Casinomeister experiences with the online casino. Have they prompted a lot of complaints, or have our members had great experiences with them? While no online casino can earn its way into our ‘Accredited’ area solely on the basis of its reputation, it is one of the first factors we consider when constructing a picture of how the site works. You can be certain that all of our online casino reviews take this into consideration.

Casino Games

Today, there are more game developers – the companies who actually make and develop the games – than ever before. Ready to see a preview of just some of them?

Currently, you’ll find popular games from these game developers – and more – when you head to an online casino: NetEnt, Play’ n Go, Big Time Gaming, Microgaming, Quickspin, Pragmatic Play, Blueprint Gaming, Novomatic, IGT, 1X2 Gaming, 2by2 Gaming, Adopit, Ainsworth, Amatic, Asylum Labs, Bally, Barcrest, Betdigital, BlaBlaBla Studios, Cayetano, Chance Interactive, Concept Gaming, Core Gaming, D-Tech, Electric Elephant, Elk Studios, Fantasma, Fortune Factory, Foxium, Fuga, GW Games, GamesLab, Gamevy, GiG, Gamomat, Genesis, High 5 Games, Iron Dog, Just For The Win, Kalamba Games, Leander, Lightning Box, Lives, MD, Merkur, MGU, Mutuel Play, NextGen Gaming, Northern Lights, Old Skool Studios, Pear Fiction, Playson, Probability Jones, Rabcat, Realistic, Reflex Gaming, Red7, Red Rake, Red Tiger, Sapphire, SG, Seven Deuce Gaming, Shuffle Master, Slingshot, Spieldev, Spike Games, Sigma Gaming, Skillzz Gaming, Storm, Sunfox, the Games Company, Thunderkick, Touchstone Games, Triple Edge Studios, Wazdan, Wild Streak Gaming, WMS, Yggdrasil, YoloPlay and more!

What’s crazy is that that’s just a fraction of the software providers you’ll find today.

Games Selection

We also look at the selection of games. For example, is there a large selection of casino table games? Live table games? Video slots? Video poker machines? Canadian players want to play the best online casino games, and the gaming experience is a key piece of our review.

Welcome Bonus and Promotions

One of the first things we look for when putting together a casino review is the bonuses and promotions available.

A welcome bonus is offered in an attempt to incentivize new players into signing up and joining their site over competitors. It allows you to begin playing your favorite casino games using welcome bonus funds instead of your own real money.

So, what is a welcome bonus? 

While each site offers a slightly different welcome bonus, the vast majority choose to offer what’s called a matched deposit bonus.

For example, a 100% matched deposit bonus works this way: when you deposit $100, the online casino will match your deposit, bringing your total account balance up to $200.

Some other online gaming sites may choose to offer free spins, live dealer welcome bonus offers and more.

When we review a casino site, we look at the welcome bonus, ensuring it’s not just generous but also fair. For example, the wagering requirements need to be fair and achievable.

Progressive jackpot slots are one of those opportunities to win big, but you want to only play them when at the most reputable entities to ensure you actually can win a payout.

We also look at the terms and conditions associated with the welcome bonus offer (i.e. whether there are restrictions on making deposits or withdrawals.)

See Related: The Deep Secrets About Bonuses Casino Owners Don’t Want You To Know!

Licensing, Safety and Security

Another important factor is the licensing and security of the online casino. Without a proper online gaming license, an online casino is not legally allowed to offer games to players.

If you find an online casino that operates without a valid license, you can be almost certain the site will cause you issues down the line.

Canadian Regulators

When it comes to regulating Canadian online casinos, there are a number of different regulatory bodies. Notable include the UK’s Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, and the Alderney Gambling Control Commission.

Any online casino licensed by a reputation regulatory like these is very likely to be a trustworthy place to play – but there are also some rogue, less-reputable regulators to be aware of.

When you read any of the reviews here at Casinomeister, you’ll notice we talk extensively about the licensing behind the site, so you know you’re in safe hands should you choose to play there – or not.

See Related:Read An Example Of A Scammy Casino “Jurisdiction”

Banking

Thankfully, all of the best sites offer different payment methods (from debit and credit cards to e-wallets).

For example, when we write an online casino review in Canada, we want to see the best online gambling sites offering payment methods in Canadian dollars, like Interac.

Along with the deposit and withdrawal methods on offer, we also look at the payout speed rates at the casino. You can rest assured that if an online casino has a particularly slow payout speed, it will have a negative impact on the site’s overall score.

Customer Support

In today’s rapidly evolving gambling market, having excellent customer support 24/7 is a requirement. We test their customer support response times via chat and email.

At a minimum, we want to see live chat customer support.

The main advantage of live chat is that it allows you to communicate with a member of the casino’s customer service team in real time, eliminating the need to wait and worry about response times for concerns reported via email.

It’s a benefit if a casino provides phone assistance – and it’s even better if they provide toll-free phone assistance.

When you read any top online casino reviews on Casinomeister, you’ll see that we have a whole section dedicated to discussing the available customer service options.

Mobile Casinos

We have a section dedicated to the user interface, site design, and mobile casino gaming options (on both smartphones and tablets) in all of our casino reviews here at Casinomeister.

If a site has download software (a downloadable mobile casino app), it gets extra points. While this is often reserved for larger online casinos, some smaller sites are developing their own applications. We download their apps to test the mobile casinos gaming experience.

Sign-up Process

The registration procedure should be as easy, clear, and painless as possible. All of the top Canadian online casino sites listed on this page have proven to provide a simple and hassle-free sign-up procedure. This allows you to start playing your favourite online casino games, live casino games, video poker machines, or top slot games right away!

Play Responsibly

Casinos are taking responsible gambling more seriously than ever before, and you’ll observe that all of our articles contain a section dedicated to the responsible gambling options accessible to players.

While almost every iGaming operation allows players to opt into a self-exclusion agreement, we believe this is the very least a site should provide. Instead, we want to see a casino that allows players to define deposit, loss, wager, and session limit constraints, as well as reality checks.

While many sites are obligated by law to provide these features to players, many do not. Thus we always check to see whether a casino site chooses to offer these features on its own merit or not. We also consider whether a site allows you to impose these parameters on your own or whether you’re required to do so manually by contacting a customer support team member.

Other Gambling Products

Many of the world’s top casino sites also offer a wide variety of other gambling products. For example, if you read a casino review for one of our top sites, you’ll often notice they offer sports betting facilities – something offered by many of the best online casinos.

During our casino review process, we look at the selection of games and welcome bonuses on offer and the sports betting facilities (if any) to give you a full over what you can expect. We also look at several other gambling products, which can include the likes of bingo and poker.

VIP & Loyalty Programs

When it comes to picking a new casino, a loyalty or VIP program is one of the most essential aspects for many gamblers, and it may be just as vital as or even more important than the initial welcome bonus.

When we write a review and assess the loyalty or VIP program on offer, we evaluate a number of criteria. First and foremost, we look at what you receive out of the program.

Do you get awarded for reaching new levels, for example? If that’s the case, what exactly do you get? Is it a set of free spins? Do you have any extra funds? Deposit bonuses that are matched, reload bonuses, or more? What wagering requirements are associated with these bonuses? Do your rewards grow as you play?

These are all criteria we consider, and they’re all metrics we use in the “bonuses and promotions” section of our assessments to give you an idea of how valuable a loyalty program or VIP program is.

See Related: VIP Casino Review – A Solid Canada-Focused Casino with a Great Reputation

KYC and Identity Checks

Know Your Customer (KYC) checks have become increasingly common at many casino sites in the last few years. Unfortunately, these checks can often be tiresome, stressful and time-consuming, and that’s one of the reasons why we decided to start looking at how an online casino site deals with them.

KYC checks are usually carried out when you request your first withdrawal. This means that you’ll need to supply the casino with certain documentation; this typically includes a copy of your Driver’s Licensing or Passport, along with Proof of Address.

While most sites state that they aim to process all KYC documents within 24-48 hours, in practice, we’ve found some take much longer than this – and this can be a major inconvenience for many.

That’s why, when constructing our reviews, we try to look at what players have experienced themselves; does the casino carry out KYC in a timely manner? Are they upfront and transparent about how they handle your sensitive information?

You can learn more about the KYC procedures of each casino in the reviews linked at the top of this page.

Our Casino Rankings

When we write reviews, the result of these reviews helps us to rank our casinos into, usually, one of four different sections. Below, we’re going to walk you through what these different sections are, so you know what you can expect when browsing and reading our site for yourself.

Accredited Casinos

These casinos have not only met our rigid standards, but they have also been vetted by our members – a test period called Baptism by Fire – and are reviewed and monitored continuously. 

Out of literally thousands of casinos, only a handful meet our standards. All the casinos in our Casinomeister® Accredited section are probably the safest that you could join.

Our members have vetted accredited casinos, some of whom have over a decade of experience playing. This process is called Baptism By Fire.

The casinos must also meet our rigid standards, marketing and operating procedures. They also must have a representative in our forum who can chew gum and walk simultaneously. If a casino fails to meet the requirements of an accredited casino, it will come under review and possibly be removed.

Visit the accredited casinos’ section for more info >>>

Grey Zone Casinos

The Grey Zone is where we list casinos that have been removed from the accredited section or casinos that have never been accredited. In our opinion, we have sites that are pending a Baptism By Fire and casinos that are no longer rogue.

If you see casino reviews for a casino that’s classified as being in the Grey Zone, it doesn’t necessarily mean the site is untrustworthy – or not worth playing at. It simply means that we’re not (yet) satisfied enough to recommend the site to our readers – and we require more information and testing before we’re able to recommend it to our readers.

Visit the grey zone casinos section for more info >>>

Rogue Casinos

Our Rogue Casino section includes both rogue and not recommended online casinos. These are, generally speaking, casinos you’ll want to avoid at all costs.

Rogue casinos, in most cases, are downright dodgy – they use cheating software, or they are dubious at not paying players or affiliates, or they claim to be licensed when they are not, or many other nefarious reasons.

Not Recommended casinos are less evil than “rogue” but are simply not recommendable because of weak licensing (or no licensing) or other reasons that are just shady but not necessarily villainous. We are unconvinced that they are safe to play at, though; they may be hazardous for the player experience.

See An Example Of Our Rogue Casinos List >>

Baptism by Fire Casinos

If you see an online casino in the ‘Baptism by Fire’ category, it means that they’re currently undergoing their process to try and become an Accredited site here at Casinomeister.

These casinos are currently being tested our – trialled – by our members and expert online gambling reviewers, and we’re looking to see whether or not these sites are worthy of being added to our Accredited list.

In order to become an Accredited Casino at Casinomeister, every site must undergo a stringent Baptism by Fire testing process. While new online casinos from already trusted and respected brands can sometimes shorten their ‘testing’ time, there are no exceptions to this rule. We do a comprehensive review of all Baptism by Fire sites to ensure they’re worthy of becoming Accredited.

See The Hot New Casinos >>

How To Choose The Best Online Casino For You

While you could scour the web and try to figure out which to join, we’d strongly recommend against doing so.

Not only is this process time-consuming, inefficient and prone to error, but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you run the risk of getting fooled by a legitimate-looking website that’s not.

Thankfully, here at Casinomeister, we’ve done all of the hard work for you, and perhaps most importantly, any site we recommend has proven itself to be safe, easy to use, and easy to access for all Canadian players. All of our reviews are unbiased, in-depth, and not sponsored reviews.

If you’d like to find a solid new casino online to try out for yourself, simply head to the top of this page. You’ll then be able to view a breakdown of all of our reviews, where you can quickly and easily view the welcome bonus on offer and a link to the full review.

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Canadian Online Casino Reviews FAQs

Why should I trust your online casino review?

In short, because we know what we’re doing – and what we’re looking for. All of the casinos online that we review undergo a number of in-depth and strict checks to ensure they meet our rigorous standards here at Casinomeister.
Before we even think about endorsing any casino – and certainly before a casino enters its Baptism by Fire – we carry out a number of checks, including everything from looking at the casino games, the welcome bonus, the online gambling license, the customer support facilities – pretty much everything.
With more than two decades of experience here at Casinomeister, we also know a thing or two about what to look out for. Also, we’re not funded by industry lobbyists, so you can rest assured that our information is impartial, factual – and unbiased.

Should online casinos have a license?

Yes; in fact, if an online casino operates without a valid online gambling license, not only will they struggle to host any casino games from reputable developers – they’ll also (likely) be acting illegally.
When writing our reviews here at Casinomeister, we pay very close attention to the casino’s licenses. If a site operates under a dodgy license – or without one at all – you can rest assured we’ll place them into our rogue casino section and give you clear warnings to stay away!

What games can I play at the best online casinos?

When you first head to an online casino – especially if you’re a newcomer – you may find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of choice facing you. There are more games than ever before, and if you’re wondering about the types of online gambling products you can enjoy, keep reading to learn more!
Of course, you’ll find yourself able to enjoy a wide variety of conventional casino table games; this includes casino games like Roulette and Blackjack, along with poker-inspired titles like 3-Card Poker and Casino Hold ’em.
Video slots are, arguably, the most popular type of game you’ll find at online casinos, and there are more than 10,000 different slot games out there to be played today.
Video poker is also incredibly popular, as are instant win games, scratch cards and more. Thankfully, virtually all online casinos allow you to easily and quickly sort through all of the games available, so you don’t have to manually trawl through the selection on hand.

Does payout speed matter?

Yes! Absolutely. When you play at an online casino, the last thing you want to worry about is the length of time it takes for your withdrawals to actually reach your bank/e-wallet account.
That’s one of the reasons why, when writing our reviews, we look at the payout speed offered by the various sites. Generally speaking, the faster the payout speed, the better – and it’s not uncommon for casinos to get docked points if their payout speed is slow.
When looking at the payout speed of a particular casino, we also look at whether a casino asks for KYC documentation only when you make a withdrawal. Often, a rogue/less-ethical online casino pays slower, hoping that you go ahead and reverse your withdrawal. You can bet it’s something we look out for when putting our casino reviews together.

Who are the best game developers?

Answering the question of ‘who the best game developers are’ is actually a subjective question. Each player has their own preferences, and, as such, it’s almost impossible for us to say that one specific software provider is better than others.
However, there are a few industry leaders who tend to stand out. Some of the main game developers include Quickspin, NetEnt, Playtech, Big Time Gaming, Thunderkick and Elk Studios. Thankfully, most of the online casinos you’ll see recommended on this page offer a wide variety of game developers, so you shouldn’t have any issues finding your preferred games.

What are live dealer games?

Live dealer games have become incredibly popular in the past few years, and if you read any of the reviews listed on this page, there’s a good chance you’ll notice us talking about them.
Essentially, they’re conventional casino table games, although instead of playing virtual games, a live video feed is streamed directly from a land-based casino or specialized gaming lab.
This allows you to enjoy the best games, like Roulette and Blackjack, from the comfort of your home while feeling as though you’re located in a physical casino!

Why does security matter at online casinos?

Whenever you play at an online casino, new or old, online security should be at the forefront of your mind, especially when it comes to depositing and playing with real money. All of the top online casinos you’ll see reviewed on this page use the latest state-of-the-art encryption technology to ensure your sensitive information and payment details are safe.
All of the casinos we review in a positive light also work with an accredited body like eCOGRA. This ensures that all of the games are fair and that the financial systems used are safe and secure.
If you’re ever in doubt about the legitimacy of a casino – or feel as though a site isn’t 100% safe – then we’d recommend taking a pass.

What happens if I have problems at an online casino?

If you do run into problems playing at a casino, you can follow the simple steps below to get help:
To submit claims via Casinomeister’s “Players’ Arbitration” (PAB), one must be a member of Casinomeister’s forum. Signing up is easy. You can do this here.
Check if the casino is a member of our forum: I-Gaming Contacts. If they are, please let them know that you are having difficulties at one of their casino properties.
If the casino is a member of the coveted Rogue Section – you are probably out of luck. Please search this section (using the search option) for the casino in question. In most cases, complaining about a casino in the rogue section is a futile endeavour.
If you choose to publicize your complaint in the public fora, we reserve the right to disregard the PAB. Making complaints, a public issue will usually derail most arbitrations. If you have already posted a public complaint before submitting a PAB, no worries. We are mostly concerned about this while the PAB is ongoing.
Most importantly, if you choose to submit a PAB, please read our terms for this FREE service. This is required reading, and you agree to these terms when submitting your PAB.

How can I make sure my gambling doesn’t get out of control?

A useful gambling tool to control your gambling is the deposit limit function. A deposit limit allows you to put a ‘cap’ on the amount of money you can deposit into your account on a pre-set daily, weekly or monthly basis. For example, if you were to set a $50 per day deposit limit, once you’d deposited $50 – regardless of whether you win or lose – you would be unable to make any further deposits until 24 hours have passed.
In addition to deposit limits, all respectable casinos allow for a self-exclusion agreement. Self-exclusion allows you to completely block access to your account for between 6 months and 5 years.

If you’re looking for the top Canadian online casinos, we’ve got your back here at Casinomeister. On this page, you can see a list of all online casino sites that *accept Canadian players, along with links to detailed reviews.

Browse the Canadian casinos below, choose a site you like the look of and click the ‘visit’ button to be taken directly to the casino’s website!

‘*If you are playing from Ontario, you cannot play in all casinos on this page. Please see below the link to the Ontario Licensed Casinos Page.

 

Read Canadian Online Casino Reviews

Affiliate Disclosure Affiliate Disclosure Our content contains affiliate links and, yes, we may earn a commission if you sign up or deposit through them. At Casinomeister, we’ve been an advocate of fair play since 1998 so you can rest assured we don’t endorse just anyone. We only back operators who are licensed, regulated, and have passed our no-nonsense vetting process. Gamble responsibly, know the rules, and make sure you’re of legal age in your country.
Villento
7.6
Ours
7.2
Players
Payout speed empty starempty starempty starstarstar
Withdrawal limits empty starempty starstarstarstar
Customer service starstarstarstarstar
Read Review Terms Apply | 18+ | Gamble Responsibly
Dreams Casino
6.8
Ours
7
Players
Payout speed empty starstarstarstarstar
Withdrawal limits empty starstarstarstarstar
Customer service starstarstarstarstar
Bovada Casino
6
Ours
8
Players
Payout speed empty starempty starempty starstarstar
Withdrawal limits starstarstarstarstar
Customer service empty starempty starstarstarstar

Not located in Canada? Pick your country:

Why Trust Casinomeister?

Best Online Casinos at Casinomeister

Casinomeister has proven to be instrumental in bringing trust, credence, and a level playing ground for the online gaming community.

In an industry that remains relatively unregulated, Casinomeister has shown that information empowers the player community to make wise decisions when gambling online.

Since 1998 we’ve been helping players worldwide find the best real money casino sites, reclaim money from casinos implementing harsh terms and conditions – and our forum has proven instrumental in setting a high standard for the iGaming industry.

Our team of gambling experts have worked hard to review Canadian online casinos – offering fair, impartial and in-depth information to help you choose how to best play at casinos – and which sites to join.

How We Review Canadian Online Casinos

Here at Casinomeister, our rating system is the most detailed and accurate in the entire iGaming industry – hands down, and some of the metrics we look at includes:

  • Software providers
  • Casino games
  • Payout speed
  • Bonus spins promotions
  • Deposit methods
  • Withdrawal limits
  • Live casino games
  • Customer support
  • Reputation, licensing and history…

… and that’s just a fraction of what we look at when reviewing a casino.

Reputation

We carefully examine an online casinos history and reputation before adding it to our list of recommendations. This involves research on the casino’s parent business, the operators running the casino, and the brand’s reputation.

Often nefarious operators will move from one front to another. We help track this to protect you from dangerous new brands.

We also include our own Casinomeister experiences with the online casino. Have they prompted a lot of complaints, or have our members had great experiences with them? While no online casino can earn its way into our ‘Accredited’ area solely on the basis of its reputation, it is one of the first factors we consider when constructing a picture of how the site works. You can be certain that all of our online casino reviews take this into consideration.

Casino Games

Today, there are more game developers – the companies who actually make and develop the games – than ever before. Ready to see a preview of just some of them?

Currently, you’ll find popular games from these game developers – and more – when you head to an online casino: NetEnt, Play’ n Go, Big Time Gaming, Microgaming, Quickspin, Pragmatic Play, Blueprint Gaming, Novomatic, IGT, 1X2 Gaming, 2by2 Gaming, Adopit, Ainsworth, Amatic, Asylum Labs, Bally, Barcrest, Betdigital, BlaBlaBla Studios, Cayetano, Chance Interactive, Concept Gaming, Core Gaming, D-Tech, Electric Elephant, Elk Studios, Fantasma, Fortune Factory, Foxium, Fuga, GW Games, GamesLab, Gamevy, GiG, Gamomat, Genesis, High 5 Games, Iron Dog, Just For The Win, Kalamba Games, Leander, Lightning Box, Lives, MD, Merkur, MGU, Mutuel Play, NextGen Gaming, Northern Lights, Old Skool Studios, Pear Fiction, Playson, Probability Jones, Rabcat, Realistic, Reflex Gaming, Red7, Red Rake, Red Tiger, Sapphire, SG, Seven Deuce Gaming, Shuffle Master, Slingshot, Spieldev, Spike Games, Sigma Gaming, Skillzz Gaming, Storm, Sunfox, the Games Company, Thunderkick, Touchstone Games, Triple Edge Studios, Wazdan, Wild Streak Gaming, WMS, Yggdrasil, YoloPlay and more!

What’s crazy is that that’s just a fraction of the software providers you’ll find today.

Games Selection

We also look at the selection of games. For example, is there a large selection of casino table games? Live table games? Video slots? Video poker machines? Canadian players want to play the best online casino games, and the gaming experience is a key piece of our review.

Welcome Bonus and Promotions

One of the first things we look for when putting together a casino review is the bonuses and promotions available.

A welcome bonus is offered in an attempt to incentivize new players into signing up and joining their site over competitors. It allows you to begin playing your favorite casino games using welcome bonus funds instead of your own real money.

So, what is a welcome bonus? 

While each site offers a slightly different welcome bonus, the vast majority choose to offer what’s called a matched deposit bonus.

For example, a 100% matched deposit bonus works this way: when you deposit $100, the online casino will match your deposit, bringing your total account balance up to $200.

Some other online gaming sites may choose to offer free spins, live dealer welcome bonus offers and more.

When we review a casino site, we look at the welcome bonus, ensuring it’s not just generous but also fair. For example, the wagering requirements need to be fair and achievable.

Progressive jackpot slots are one of those opportunities to win big, but you want to only play them when at the most reputable entities to ensure you actually can win a payout.

We also look at the terms and conditions associated with the welcome bonus offer (i.e. whether there are restrictions on making deposits or withdrawals.)

See Related: The Deep Secrets About Bonuses Casino Owners Don’t Want You To Know!

Licensing, Safety and Security

Another important factor is the licensing and security of the online casino. Without a proper online gaming license, an online casino is not legally allowed to offer games to players.

If you find an online casino that operates without a valid license, you can be almost certain the site will cause you issues down the line.

Canadian Regulators

When it comes to regulating Canadian online casinos, there are a number of different regulatory bodies. Notable include the UK’s Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, and the Alderney Gambling Control Commission.

Any online casino licensed by a reputation regulatory like these is very likely to be a trustworthy place to play – but there are also some rogue, less-reputable regulators to be aware of.

When you read any of the reviews here at Casinomeister, you’ll notice we talk extensively about the licensing behind the site, so you know you’re in safe hands should you choose to play there – or not.

See Related:Read An Example Of A Scammy Casino “Jurisdiction”

Banking

Thankfully, all of the best sites offer different payment methods (from debit and credit cards to e-wallets).

For example, when we write an online casino review in Canada, we want to see the best online gambling sites offering payment methods in Canadian dollars, like Interac.

Along with the deposit and withdrawal methods on offer, we also look at the payout speed rates at the casino. You can rest assured that if an online casino has a particularly slow payout speed, it will have a negative impact on the site’s overall score.

Customer Support

In today’s rapidly evolving gambling market, having excellent customer support 24/7 is a requirement. We test their customer support response times via chat and email.

At a minimum, we want to see live chat customer support.

The main advantage of live chat is that it allows you to communicate with a member of the casino’s customer service team in real time, eliminating the need to wait and worry about response times for concerns reported via email.

It’s a benefit if a casino provides phone assistance – and it’s even better if they provide toll-free phone assistance.

When you read any top online casino reviews on Casinomeister, you’ll see that we have a whole section dedicated to discussing the available customer service options.

Mobile Casinos

We have a section dedicated to the user interface, site design, and mobile casino gaming options (on both smartphones and tablets) in all of our casino reviews here at Casinomeister.

If a site has download software (a downloadable mobile casino app), it gets extra points. While this is often reserved for larger online casinos, some smaller sites are developing their own applications. We download their apps to test the mobile casinos gaming experience.

Sign-up Process

The registration procedure should be as easy, clear, and painless as possible. All of the top Canadian online casino sites listed on this page have proven to provide a simple and hassle-free sign-up procedure. This allows you to start playing your favourite online casino games, live casino games, video poker machines, or top slot games right away!

Play Responsibly

Casinos are taking responsible gambling more seriously than ever before, and you’ll observe that all of our articles contain a section dedicated to the responsible gambling options accessible to players.

While almost every iGaming operation allows players to opt into a self-exclusion agreement, we believe this is the very least a site should provide. Instead, we want to see a casino that allows players to define deposit, loss, wager, and session limit constraints, as well as reality checks.

While many sites are obligated by law to provide these features to players, many do not. Thus we always check to see whether a casino site chooses to offer these features on its own merit or not. We also consider whether a site allows you to impose these parameters on your own or whether you’re required to do so manually by contacting a customer support team member.

Other Gambling Products

Many of the world’s top casino sites also offer a wide variety of other gambling products. For example, if you read a casino review for one of our top sites, you’ll often notice they offer sports betting facilities – something offered by many of the best online casinos.

During our casino review process, we look at the selection of games and welcome bonuses on offer and the sports betting facilities (if any) to give you a full over what you can expect. We also look at several other gambling products, which can include the likes of bingo and poker.

VIP & Loyalty Programs

When it comes to picking a new casino, a loyalty or VIP program is one of the most essential aspects for many gamblers, and it may be just as vital as or even more important than the initial welcome bonus.

When we write a review and assess the loyalty or VIP program on offer, we evaluate a number of criteria. First and foremost, we look at what you receive out of the program.

Do you get awarded for reaching new levels, for example? If that’s the case, what exactly do you get? Is it a set of free spins? Do you have any extra funds? Deposit bonuses that are matched, reload bonuses, or more? What wagering requirements are associated with these bonuses? Do your rewards grow as you play?

These are all criteria we consider, and they’re all metrics we use in the “bonuses and promotions” section of our assessments to give you an idea of how valuable a loyalty program or VIP program is.

See Related: VIP Casino Review – A Solid Canada-Focused Casino with a Great Reputation

KYC and Identity Checks

Know Your Customer (KYC) checks have become increasingly common at many casino sites in the last few years. Unfortunately, these checks can often be tiresome, stressful and time-consuming, and that’s one of the reasons why we decided to start looking at how an online casino site deals with them.

KYC checks are usually carried out when you request your first withdrawal. This means that you’ll need to supply the casino with certain documentation; this typically includes a copy of your Driver’s Licensing or Passport, along with Proof of Address.

While most sites state that they aim to process all KYC documents within 24-48 hours, in practice, we’ve found some take much longer than this – and this can be a major inconvenience for many.

That’s why, when constructing our reviews, we try to look at what players have experienced themselves; does the casino carry out KYC in a timely manner? Are they upfront and transparent about how they handle your sensitive information?

You can learn more about the KYC procedures of each casino in the reviews linked at the top of this page.

Our Casino Rankings

When we write reviews, the result of these reviews helps us to rank our casinos into, usually, one of four different sections. Below, we’re going to walk you through what these different sections are, so you know what you can expect when browsing and reading our site for yourself.

Accredited Casinos

These casinos have not only met our rigid standards, but they have also been vetted by our members – a test period called Baptism by Fire – and are reviewed and monitored continuously. 

Out of literally thousands of casinos, only a handful meet our standards. All the casinos in our Casinomeister® Accredited section are probably the safest that you could join.

Our members have vetted accredited casinos, some of whom have over a decade of experience playing. This process is called Baptism By Fire.

The casinos must also meet our rigid standards, marketing and operating procedures. They also must have a representative in our forum who can chew gum and walk simultaneously. If a casino fails to meet the requirements of an accredited casino, it will come under review and possibly be removed.

Visit the accredited casinos’ section for more info >>>

Grey Zone Casinos

The Grey Zone is where we list casinos that have been removed from the accredited section or casinos that have never been accredited. In our opinion, we have sites that are pending a Baptism By Fire and casinos that are no longer rogue.

If you see casino reviews for a casino that’s classified as being in the Grey Zone, it doesn’t necessarily mean the site is untrustworthy – or not worth playing at. It simply means that we’re not (yet) satisfied enough to recommend the site to our readers – and we require more information and testing before we’re able to recommend it to our readers.

Visit the grey zone casinos section for more info >>>

Rogue Casinos

Our Rogue Casino section includes both rogue and not recommended online casinos. These are, generally speaking, casinos you’ll want to avoid at all costs.

Rogue casinos, in most cases, are downright dodgy – they use cheating software, or they are dubious at not paying players or affiliates, or they claim to be licensed when they are not, or many other nefarious reasons.

Not Recommended casinos are less evil than “rogue” but are simply not recommendable because of weak licensing (or no licensing) or other reasons that are just shady but not necessarily villainous. We are unconvinced that they are safe to play at, though; they may be hazardous for the player experience.

See An Example Of Our Rogue Casinos List >>

Baptism by Fire Casinos

If you see an online casino in the ‘Baptism by Fire’ category, it means that they’re currently undergoing their process to try and become an Accredited site here at Casinomeister.

These casinos are currently being tested our – trialled – by our members and expert online gambling reviewers, and we’re looking to see whether or not these sites are worthy of being added to our Accredited list.

In order to become an Accredited Casino at Casinomeister, every site must undergo a stringent Baptism by Fire testing process. While new online casinos from already trusted and respected brands can sometimes shorten their ‘testing’ time, there are no exceptions to this rule. We do a comprehensive review of all Baptism by Fire sites to ensure they’re worthy of becoming Accredited.

See The Hot New Casinos >>

How To Choose The Best Online Casino For You

While you could scour the web and try to figure out which to join, we’d strongly recommend against doing so.

Not only is this process time-consuming, inefficient and prone to error, but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you run the risk of getting fooled by a legitimate-looking website that’s not.

Thankfully, here at Casinomeister, we’ve done all of the hard work for you, and perhaps most importantly, any site we recommend has proven itself to be safe, easy to use, and easy to access for all Canadian players. All of our reviews are unbiased, in-depth, and not sponsored reviews.

If you’d like to find a solid new casino online to try out for yourself, simply head to the top of this page. You’ll then be able to view a breakdown of all of our reviews, where you can quickly and easily view the welcome bonus on offer and a link to the full review.

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Canadian Online Casino Reviews FAQs

Why should I trust your online casino review?

In short, because we know what we’re doing – and what we’re looking for. All of the casinos online that we review undergo a number of in-depth and strict checks to ensure they meet our rigorous standards here at Casinomeister.
Before we even think about endorsing any casino – and certainly before a casino enters its Baptism by Fire – we carry out a number of checks, including everything from looking at the casino games, the welcome bonus, the online gambling license, the customer support facilities – pretty much everything.
With more than two decades of experience here at Casinomeister, we also know a thing or two about what to look out for. Also, we’re not funded by industry lobbyists, so you can rest assured that our information is impartial, factual – and unbiased.

Should online casinos have a license?

Yes; in fact, if an online casino operates without a valid online gambling license, not only will they struggle to host any casino games from reputable developers – they’ll also (likely) be acting illegally.
When writing our reviews here at Casinomeister, we pay very close attention to the casino’s licenses. If a site operates under a dodgy license – or without one at all – you can rest assured we’ll place them into our rogue casino section and give you clear warnings to stay away!

What games can I play at the best online casinos?

When you first head to an online casino – especially if you’re a newcomer – you may find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of choice facing you. There are more games than ever before, and if you’re wondering about the types of online gambling products you can enjoy, keep reading to learn more!
Of course, you’ll find yourself able to enjoy a wide variety of conventional casino table games; this includes casino games like Roulette and Blackjack, along with poker-inspired titles like 3-Card Poker and Casino Hold ’em.
Video slots are, arguably, the most popular type of game you’ll find at online casinos, and there are more than 10,000 different slot games out there to be played today.
Video poker is also incredibly popular, as are instant win games, scratch cards and more. Thankfully, virtually all online casinos allow you to easily and quickly sort through all of the games available, so you don’t have to manually trawl through the selection on hand.

Does payout speed matter?

Yes! Absolutely. When you play at an online casino, the last thing you want to worry about is the length of time it takes for your withdrawals to actually reach your bank/e-wallet account.
That’s one of the reasons why, when writing our reviews, we look at the payout speed offered by the various sites. Generally speaking, the faster the payout speed, the better – and it’s not uncommon for casinos to get docked points if their payout speed is slow.
When looking at the payout speed of a particular casino, we also look at whether a casino asks for KYC documentation only when you make a withdrawal. Often, a rogue/less-ethical online casino pays slower, hoping that you go ahead and reverse your withdrawal. You can bet it’s something we look out for when putting our casino reviews together.

Who are the best game developers?

Answering the question of ‘who the best game developers are’ is actually a subjective question. Each player has their own preferences, and, as such, it’s almost impossible for us to say that one specific software provider is better than others.
However, there are a few industry leaders who tend to stand out. Some of the main game developers include Quickspin, NetEnt, Playtech, Big Time Gaming, Thunderkick and Elk Studios. Thankfully, most of the online casinos you’ll see recommended on this page offer a wide variety of game developers, so you shouldn’t have any issues finding your preferred games.

What are live dealer games?

Live dealer games have become incredibly popular in the past few years, and if you read any of the reviews listed on this page, there’s a good chance you’ll notice us talking about them.
Essentially, they’re conventional casino table games, although instead of playing virtual games, a live video feed is streamed directly from a land-based casino or specialized gaming lab.
This allows you to enjoy the best games, like Roulette and Blackjack, from the comfort of your home while feeling as though you’re located in a physical casino!

Why does security matter at online casinos?

Whenever you play at an online casino, new or old, online security should be at the forefront of your mind, especially when it comes to depositing and playing with real money. All of the top online casinos you’ll see reviewed on this page use the latest state-of-the-art encryption technology to ensure your sensitive information and payment details are safe.
All of the casinos we review in a positive light also work with an accredited body like eCOGRA. This ensures that all of the games are fair and that the financial systems used are safe and secure.
If you’re ever in doubt about the legitimacy of a casino – or feel as though a site isn’t 100% safe – then we’d recommend taking a pass.

What happens if I have problems at an online casino?

If you do run into problems playing at a casino, you can follow the simple steps below to get help:
To submit claims via Casinomeister’s “Players’ Arbitration” (PAB), one must be a member of Casinomeister’s forum. Signing up is easy. You can do this here.
Check if the casino is a member of our forum: I-Gaming Contacts. If they are, please let them know that you are having difficulties at one of their casino properties.
If the casino is a member of the coveted Rogue Section – you are probably out of luck. Please search this section (using the search option) for the casino in question. In most cases, complaining about a casino in the rogue section is a futile endeavour.
If you choose to publicize your complaint in the public fora, we reserve the right to disregard the PAB. Making complaints, a public issue will usually derail most arbitrations. If you have already posted a public complaint before submitting a PAB, no worries. We are mostly concerned about this while the PAB is ongoing.
Most importantly, if you choose to submit a PAB, please read our terms for this FREE service. This is required reading, and you agree to these terms when submitting your PAB.

How can I make sure my gambling doesn’t get out of control?

A useful gambling tool to control your gambling is the deposit limit function. A deposit limit allows you to put a ‘cap’ on the amount of money you can deposit into your account on a pre-set daily, weekly or monthly basis. For example, if you were to set a $50 per day deposit limit, once you’d deposited $50 – regardless of whether you win or lose – you would be unable to make any further deposits until 24 hours have passed.
In addition to deposit limits, all respectable casinos allow for a self-exclusion agreement. Self-exclusion allows you to completely block access to your account for between 6 months and 5 years.