Modern times have led to the legalization of gambling in some parts of the world. Technology has further made it easily accessible to the global casino business by helping gambling go online. Now more punters from all over the world can participate in this huge and varied industry of fun entertainment and the luxury of earning money in style. 

  • Online gamblers no longer have to worry about the legality of gambling, 

  • Regulations make sure that fraudulent activities such as stealing money or hacking personal information is almost impossible. 

  • Laws and regulations on online gambling differ from one country to another. 

The Canadian casinos online are also bound by laws and regulations from the government, like in the Netherlands. Canada follows most of the laws made by America. It makes sure that the players are safeguarded from illegal online casinos. 

If you are an online gambler or gambling operator in Canada, here stated below are the country's online gambling laws and documents to help you avoid making mistakes in this industry.

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Gambling laws of Canada

A bettor can visit any gambling site online as long as their money is accepted and will not be accused of illegal participation if the casino is not licensed properly. Only gambling providers are responsible for following the rules and regulations set for their business. 

Therefore you should make sure that you only choose online gambling sites that are fully licensed and regulated and that you can trust.

The gambling regulation in Canada differs from state to state, which makes laws and regulations fall under a "legal gray area." You can consult gambling experts such as Michelle H. Thomas for legal guidance on casino law. In the early days of gambling in Canada, one was only allowed to bet on horse races and lotteries at fairs, and all other forms were illegal. 

In 1969 the federal government decided to allow 10 provinces in Canada and the federal government to conduct lotteries, and in 1985 made all gambling options legal through the Criminal Code. However, they still controlled what gamblers could bet on and what they couldn't.

So what is the Criminal Code for the casino laws in Canada?

  • Section 201

It is illegal to operate a house for betting or to visit an establishment. However, the laws on online gambling sites are not clear about their legality and whether or not they fall under the same code.

  • Section 203

Here it states that a person will not be able to place a bet in the name of another person.

  • Section 205

Anyone participating in lotteries or a game of chance is guilty of a criminal offense.

  • Section 207

This allows provincial governments to undertake lotteries either independently or with other provincial governments for religious or charitable organizations only if the lieutenant governor in council licenses them.

  • Players can legally only bet within their provincial jurisdiction or a few inter-provincial jurisdictions

  • Players from outside are prohibited from participating in those provincial sites

The loophole in Canada's gambling laws is that although most online gambling offices are located abroad, most servers for some of the world's best casinos are based in the country itself. A native group of Canada known as the Kahnawake Mohawk Nation, which claims to be an independent nation, licenses gambling to be operated legally and accepts any private online casino business from within Canadian borders to function. 

However, the Criminal Code of Canada prohibits private businesses like horse racing from operating online, making them fall behind in this industry within the country.

black and red arcade machine

What is illegal gambling?

The gambling laws and regulations in Canada are unclear. All legal Canadian online gambling offices are located outside the country, but also hosting some of the top online casino servers of the world are based in the country. 

StarNet Communications, a company from Vancouver in Canada, was set up to develop, license, and provide internet gambling technology for casinos to operate online in 1995. They were raided and shut down in 1999 because their email servers were within the border of Canada, even while their gaming offices were located abroad. 

Even though people still try to run their online casinos in a similar fashion, they are likely to be taken out of business if prosecuted by the government. You should research the sites you use to gamble to ensure it’s properly licensed and regulated to prevent legal issues.

Conclusion

With such confusion over provincial laws, it is unlikely that these laws will change anytime soon. You can, however, hope for gambling laws to become more liberal with time in Canada. While it's difficult to operate an online gambling business in Canada, there are plenty of options for online casinos that run internationally and are legal. So, you can play from the country itself. 

Author's Bio: 

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