The Best Casinos - Our Criteria
There's no shortage of choice for casino fans looking for a new online casino to play their favourite games and wager some of their hard earned money for fun. Gambling responsibly can be really enjoyable and rewarding but it's extra important to choose wisely when picking a casino to join and play. The amount of choice open to players is astounding and of course this can be a great thing. However, too much choice can make picking the best casinos for s even harder.
How We Rank the Best Online Casinos
When looking for the best casinos, our editorial team look at a number of key factors that we know are important to you as players. We make sure that every casino we list meets the highest standards, so you can be sure that our rankings are an accurate and honest reflection of the best online casinos available today. Our criteria for ranking casinos include:
- Licensing, Security, Fairness - Safety and peace of mind while gambling online is a must.
- Choice of Games - Enjoy your favourite titles and discover exciting new games ant the casinos with the biggest and best entertainment choices.
- Site Design & Navigation - Graphic appeal, playability and pop really matter!
- Quality Customer Support - Fast helpful customer service is essential
- Mobile Casino Functionality - Find the best smartphone ready, small screen gaming sites.
- Friendly Payments - We expect fast, convenient and secure deposits and withdrawals.
- Welcome Bonus + Existing Player Bonuses - Get rewarded with great casino bonuses whether you're a new player or a loyal casino member.
Online Casinos in Canada - Licensing and Legislation
Are Online Casinos Safe? Safety and fairness are paramount when discussing online gambling choices for players. All the casinos and sports betting sites we list are licensed by reputed online gambling jurisdictions such as Curacao, Malta Gaming Authority and Kahnawake gambling commission. This ensures that the casino is fair and trustworthy and that your money and personal data are cared for and protected at each online casino site. If you're wondering how to know if a casino is licensed- then check the foot of the home page. A reputable, above board online casino will display this important information in a clear and transparent way and if the licensing information is hard to find this should rightly trigger alarm bells.
All our listed real money casinos use the latest in encryption technology to ensure that your data and money are always safe. We only list casinos that employ industry standard security protocols including 128 bit SSL encryption. This is the same level of security that is used by online retailers such as Amazon and eBay.
In terms of fairness, every online casino in Canada that we list use Random Number Generators that are regularly audited by independent testing agencies. These agencies make sure that the games offered by the casino sites are fair and give players a fair chance to win.
MGA Licensed Casino Sites
Malta Gaming Authority Canada casinos are the most reliable online gambling sites you can find in Canada. MGA casinos in Canada are some safest and most regulated brands as the MGA is one of the most respected and trustworthy online gambling authorities in the world. MGA license holders come with a seal of approval from an internationally recognized regulating body that has some of the highest standards and stringent requirements in the online gaming world. As such, players can rest assured that the games offered by all MGA licensed casinos are fair, secure and trustworthy.
Popular Online Casino Games
The range and variety of games on offer is one of the most important factors we consider when assessing an online casino. After all, what's the point in signing up to a new casino if it doesn't have any of your favourite games? The best online casinos offer a huge range of slots and table games as well as some interesting specialty options such as bingo, scratch cards, keno and more. Live casino entertainment is also a huge growth area and s are increasingly enjoying live streamed, live dealer titles. The technology and innovation behind live casino games is constantly evolving and the player experience is getting better and more exciting with every passing year. For example, mobile live dealer games are improving and mobile phone technology is allowing gamblers to enjoy a truly immersive live casino experience on the go.
Slots
All our listed casinos offer a great selection of slot games from the world's best software providers. You'll find classics like Starburst and Gonzo's Quest as well as the latest releases from the likes of Microgaming, NetEnt and Play'n GO. There's an endless supply of online slots out there covering every genres imaginable and you're sure to find plenty of cutting edge video slots and nostalgia filled classic slots to suit your taste at any of our top casinos. Other Canada casino slot trends we've picked up on include the rise of Megaways titles and the flexibility of 'Bonus Buy' slots which allow players to buy their way into a bonus round.
Progressive Jackpot
Progressive jackpot games offer life-changing payouts and you can find a great selection of these at all our top casinos. Mega Moolah from Microgaming is one of the most popular Canada jackpot slots and it regularly pays out prizes in excess of $10 million! These acumalative jackpot slots work by pooling a portion of every wager and the total pot grows until one lucky player scoops it all.
Table Games
If you're a fan of table games, you'll be spoilt for choice with all the different variants of blackjack, roulette and poker on offer at the best casino brands. Popular options include European Roulette, Baccarat and Caribbean Stud Poker as well as some unique variants such as Three Card Poker, High Low and Pai Gow. Many of the best casinos also offer more niche table games such as Red Dog, Craps and Sic Bo plus a variety of dice games.
Live Casino Games
The top casinos also offer a great selection of real money live dealer games. If you're looking for the most realistic casino experience possible, then playing live dealer games is a must. You'll be able to interact with the dealers and other players while playing classic casino games like blackjack, baccarat, roulette and poker in real time.
Casino Design and Layout
The design and layout of an online casino can say a lot about the quality of the site. We want a new casino brand to look awesome and capture our imagination with exciting graphics and inventive animations - an online casino is a form of entertainment after all! We're fans of a casino with an original or quirky theme and there's plenty of options out there. From The Wild West, Anime or Egypt right through to outer space, you'll find a casino with a theme to suit your taste.
A well-designed site should be easy to navigate and give players all the information they need at a glance. The best casinos will have websites that are optimised for mobile devices so you can play your favourite games on the go.
Customer Support
Quality customer support is essential for any online casino. If you have a problem with your account or need help with a particular game, then you should be able to get in touch with the casino's customer support team easily. The best casinos will offer 24/7 customer support via live chat, email or telephone. When you read our Canada casino reviews you can assess how each online casino scores in terms of their customer service and support. Our pro review team only lists casinos that offer a high level of customer service and they put each casino to the test to make sure they back up their player support promises.
Canada Mobile Casinos
All our listed casinos offer a great selection of mobile-optimised games that you can play on the go. You can access your account, make deposits and withdrawals, claim bonuses and play your favourite games all from your mobile phone or tablet.
The best mobile casinos will also sometimes offer exclusive bonuses for players using their mobile devices. The number of gamers accessing online casino entertainment on a mobile device is growing fast and playing slots on a phone is now the most common way of enjoying online gambling products. The technological advances in the mobile gaming field are coming in thick and fast and it's no surprise that the mobile gaming industry is growing.
Canada Casino Payments
The best online casinos will offer a wide range of banking methods to suit all players. All our listed casinos accept CAD and offer fast, reliable withdrawals. You should be able to deposit using credit/debit cards like Visa and Mastercard as well as popular e-wallets such as PayPal, Neteller, Skrill and ecoPayz.
When it comes to withdrawals, you should be able to request a cash-out using the same method that you deposited with. The best casinos will process your withdrawal request within 24 hours and there's no need to worry about any hidden fees or charges
Gambling with Bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency is growing in popularity. The best Bitcoin casinos offer all the same games as traditional online casinos but they also give you the added benefit of being able to deposit and withdraw using Bitcoin. If you're looking for an anonymous and safe way to gamble online, then Bitcoin casinos are definitely worth checking out.
Online Casino Bonuses
Welcome bonuses, existing player promotions, VIP programs…the list of casino bonuses and promotions on offer at our top casinos goes on and on. You'll find all the latest offers listed in our casino reviews along with information on wagering requirements, max bet limits and other terms and conditions.
Great casinos are of course, happy to reward players with healthy bonus opportunities. Firstly we look at the sign up bonus, no deposit bonuses and welcome bonus on offer to a new player when they register and deposit for the first time at a new Casino. A healthy bonus offer will represent a genuine chance to win real money playing great games, either in the form of free spins or bonus money or both!
Secondly we check out the existing player promotions. These can come in the form of reload bonuses, cashback offers, free spins, tournaments and more. Existing players should also be able to take advantage of VIP programs and loyalty rewards which offer even more great perks.
When you read our reviews of the best online casinos you'll soon discover that bonus offers and promotions are a big part of what makes them so popular.
What is a casino bonus?
Lets start by defining what an online casino bonus is, especially for a new player that might be beginning their online casino gaming journey. A bonus is usually a perk that you receive when you sign up, deposit and/or play at an online casino. Online casinos offer different sorts of bonuses to try and entice new players to join their site or reward existing players for their loyalty.
casino bonuses are extremely popular with players and casinos battle amongst themselves to offer the best casino promotion that will draw business to their platform.
For players, this competition among casino brands is great because they can pick and choose the best bonuses to their liking. One of our primary goals here at Qwacko.com is to connect players with the best online casino bonus in Canada that will suit them and help them have a great time gambling responsibly.
The type of bonus available varies greatly and can include a sign-up bonus, deposit bonus, new casino bonus, bonus funds, welcome offer, bonus money, bonus spins, match bonus, reload bonus, first deposit bonus and more. We go into more detail below explaining the various bonus types and the bonus terms and conditions that go along with them.
How do casino bonus offers work?
Most of the bonuses you find at online casinos in Canada are deposit bonuses and free spins, in other words they are incentives to spend your CA$ by depositing into your online casino account.
The most frequently seen deal is the first deposit bonus and the casino places great value in converting a player from merely registering a new player account to making their first time deposit or FTD. However, not every casino bonus is awarded when you place a real money deposit, some promotions are free to claim and give you the chance to win real money.
Casinos often also award bonus promotions to players for signing up with them in the first place and these offers are called sign up bonuses or registration bonuses and sometimes these offers have no deposit required. Bonus opportunities are also often awarded for a players loyalty and these are usually referred to as Loyalty Bonuses or VIP Bonuses.
In terms of the practical steps required to claim a casino bonus, it's in the casinos best interest to make the process clear, simple and easy to follow.
Usually the casino will have a 'Claim button' or an Opt-In link which you need to click on to receive a bonus and this is typically followed by depositing your funds into the account.
Once your deposit is made and accepted, depending on the type of bonus you've chosen, you should have fast access to bonus play. If you're ever in any doubt always reach out to the casino customer service team who will be more than happy to help you with any queries or questions.
Be sure to read the Bonus Terms & Conditions for each casino bonus, as it's important to understand how much your bonus is worth and what action is required before being able to withdraw any winnings.
At Qwacko.com we review all of our casino bonuses and carefully explain how the bonus works but each individual player needs to be aware of the terms and conditions of any casino bonus which any good casino will clearly display.
What is a casino Welcome Bonus?
The clue is in the name - join a new online casino and get welcomed with a bonus! A Welcome Bonus is a bonus to celebrate your arrival and getting started at a new casino.
Most casinos will offer this type of bonus for new players, and it will often be in the form of match deposits or free spins bonuses (or both). The promotion is also regularly referred to as a 'Welcome Package' because the bonus may be broken up over a series of first deposits and may also include free spins or a sequence of free spin bonuses too.
Here's an example of a casino Welcome Bonus package...
- 1st Deposit Bonus -100% Match Bonus up to CA$200 + 100 free spins
- 2nd Deposit Bonus – 50% Match Bonus up to CA$500
