Independent Online Casino Reviews for Canadians 2021
As Canadian players, you will want to know where to find the highest quality casino websites in Canada, and know what makes them stand out. Here at Maple, our staff of reviewers have years of experience playing at Canadian casino sites. It helps that we love playing all of these games. As such, our reviewers will give you a comprehensive, honest review of every gambling site we rate.
In-Depth Canadian Online Casino Reviews
Review Process for Casinos in Canada
Our evaluation of a casino is completed by looking at specific aspects of the site. While reviewing a casino, we consider criteria such as: game selection, bonuses, banking options, customer service, and player safety and security. Today, we pull back the curtain and reveal how we evaluate online casinos in Canada.
For an extensive list of the highest quality casinos for Canadian players, take a look above at the table and ranking scores Team Maple has put together. To understand how those rankings were determined, follow along to the next section.
The Most Popular Canadian Casino Games
An important feature we take into consideration during a casino review is game selection. The most reputable online casinos in Canada should offer a variety of online slots, table games, and specialty games; such as keno, craps, scratch cards, and video poker. We know the most popular games in the Canadian gaming industry, so our reviews point readers in the right direction.
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Casino Game |
Description |
| Online Slots | Online slots are the #1 casino game at any casino. Only the online casinos we recommend will have a large selection of slots, including 3-Reel, 5-Reel, Video Slots, and even skill-based slot games. Outstanding graphics, lucrative bonus features, and even progressive jackpots are all things players can expect. Maple Casino’s recommended online casinos have hundreds of online slots from top software developers like Microgaming and Real-Time Gaming. |
| Blackjack | Blackjack is the classic game of “21” that’s enjoyed around the world. Casinos in Canada offer a wide variety of blackjack variants. Games such as Vegas Strip Blackjack, Double Exposure Blackjack, Spanish 21, and Perfect Pairs Blackjack are all available. The top casino sites will have multiple blackjack variants available, including Live Dealer Blackjack. |
| Roulette | Roulette is another popular table game you’ll find at top online casino sites in Canada. European and American Roulette are your most common variants, but you will also find some offering French Roulette. Check out our roulette pages for tips on how to play and win more playing roulette. |
| Baccarat | Baccarat is popular at Canadian land-based casinos as well as top online casino sites. It’s a simple game where your only action is to bet. It’s a popular game among casino players who love the rush of a bet. |
| Poker | For poker lovers, Canadian casinos offer table games with poker elements. Popular poker table games include Three-Card Poker, Caribbean Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker, and Caribbean Stud. |
Live Dealer Gaming
All the games we mentioned above are fun, but they’re even more enjoyable when you get the chance to play them live. Any good casino will ensure a live gaming experience (and even sometimes a live casino bonus) of some kind to keep players on their toes. Whether you’re playing live roulette, or live blackjack, you can know everything is happening in real time. This also gives you the opportunity to interact with not only the dealer, but your fellow players too.
Technology and Software
The gaming options mean nothing if the technology and software providers aren’t up to par. For quite some time, casinos would run on the simplest of software, but with the rapid advancements in technology these days, they just can’t get away with it anymore. We look for casinos that not only offer games from the top software providers out there like Microgaming, NetEnt and Evolution Gaming, but also have exemplary software of their own. Great technology and software end up providing a better user experience overall.
Maple Casino’s reviewers also understand how important mobile gaming is in 2021 and beyond. So many bettors want casino games on the go, so each of our reviews discusses the mobile casino version of a site. If a casino has an Android or iPhone/iPad app, we let you know. We examine game selection and whether the Android and iOS games use Flash or HTML5, so you’ll know whether the gameplay and graphics work with your smartphone or tablet.
Casino Bonuses and Loyalty Offers
Casino bonuses are one of the primary criteria we consider when evaluating Canada’s online casinos. These offers are what catch the eye of players, and what drive the majority of traffic to a gambling site.
We start by evaluating a casino’s welcome bonus. The welcome bonus is usually the top offer and given when someone makes their first deposit. It typically consists of a match bonus where the casino matches your deposit. Sometimes, the casino will provide a match bonus for your first few deposits and even some free spins on the slots.
After evaluating a casino’s welcome bonus, we investigate their other bonus offerings, such as their loyalty program. Loyalty programs are a way for an online casino to reward a player for frequent use of their site. These rewards range from free spins to cashback offers and more. The more you play, the more you earn in rewards.
The Most Popular Casino Bonuses
While the welcome bonus is the most popular bonus at online casinos, it is not the only offer available. Canadian casinos offer regular and ongoing promotions to earn player loyalty at the casino.
Maple Casino’s reviewers focus on more than just welcome bonuses. Recurring promotions like free spins, no-deposit, reload and cashback bonuses are just as important, because they are redeemable many times over. Players often overlook free spin bonuses, but we analyze these offers to help you make the call on which Canadian casino promotions are the most beneficial for you.
Free Spins Bonus
As we mentioned above, most online casinos offer some variation of a free spins bonus, yet this type of offering is typically overlooked by players despite the value they have. Free spins are most commonly offered as part of a welcome bonus, and are a great way for online casinos to enhance other bonus offers or to showcase a new online slot game.
You’ll often receive between 10 and 50 free spins on select online slot machines.
These free spins generally have limited payouts, but on occasion you will come across a casino that offers No Max payouts on their free spins bonus.
No Deposit Bonus
A no deposit bonus means you don’t have to deposit money to get a bonus. This is generally a sign-up bonus, paid when you register an account at the site. Free spins on select slots are the most common form of no deposit bonus. 888 Casino has long had a bonus like this for anyone that signs up for a new account at the casino.
Reload Bonus
Reload bonus offers are deposit bonuses given to existing players. Depending on the casino, these offers may be available on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Reload bonuses are generally match bonus offers, but may also include free spins or free play chips for casino games. Sometimes these will be daily, weekly or monthly promotions.
Cashback Bonus
One popular Canadian bonus is casino cashback. With cashback, the online casino gives you back a percentage of your losses at casino games. Generally this is done as a bonus from the casino. Some casinos offer this as part of their loyalty program. Other casinos may make you apply for cashback bonus offers through customer support.
When we evaluate all of these types of bonuses, we always take into account wagering requirements. Every casino bonus will come with some form of playthrough requirement. Basically, these are stipulations that require a certain amount of bets to be made before the casino will payout your winnings.
Fast and Secure Banking Options
Canadian players want simple banking options. If it’s difficult to make a deposit or get a payout from a casino, players will avoid that site altogether. So, we dig into that.
A good online casino in Canada should give you multiple options for deposits and withdrawals. Below are some banking options we look for when evaluating whether you should make a deposit at the casino.
The majority of online casino sites accept credit cards for deposits. You can do so using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club International. Other cards such as Discover may be accepted as well.
Some casino sites will allow you to request a payout using credit cards, but there may be fees involved. Cards such as American Express and Diner’s Club are generally deposit only.
Debit credit cards are a popular online casino deposit option. This is because they don’t have as many restrictions as standard credit cards. Visa Electron and MasterCard Maestro are the most commonly used debit cards. For Canadian players, Interac debit cards are also available.
Some alternative deposit options include prepaid cards, cheques, and gift cards. Prepaid cards such as the Paysafecard can be funded online or in-person and then used for deposits. You can also make an online casino deposit using gift cards from major retailers. However, neither option can be used for payouts.
Occasionally, some casino sites will take electronic cheques for deposits. However, most casinos will allow you to cash out using a cheque by mail. You may not have a choice if you deposit using an e-Wallet or other option that doesn’t support withdrawals. In this case, a cheque may be your only option for a payout.
Electronic wallets or e-Wallets are popular banking options at most of our recommended online casinos. InstaDebit, Neteller, Skrill, PayPal, and EcoPayz are among the most popular. These e-Wallets connect to either a credit card or bank account, allowing you to use the funds for deposits.
In some cases, you can use e-Wallets for payout requests. This varies depending on the casino.
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have become a popular option for deposits and withdrawals at online casinos. These methods are not regulated by banks and have few restrictions. This makes them the perfect choice for transactions at the casino of your choice.
Besides bitcoin, the most commonly accepted altcoins are Litecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Bitcoin Cash. To use bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals, you must have a wallet for your coin. You must then purchase your preferred currency and use the wallet to send that currency to your casino.
Luckily, many of the online casinos we recommend are actually bitcoin casinos and allow for players use it as a reliable deposit and withdrawal method. The payout rate for Bitcoin is much faster than other payout options, generally taking 24 hours or less.
Reliability is the key factor. Many online casinos have a short life span because they don’t pay winnings, they slow-pay winners, or they haggle with customers over terms of use. If you win big at a casino site, and they don’t pay, then you never won in the first place.
Maple Casino’s team of experts review the customer experience and reputation of each banking method, while also learning what kind of documentation you must submit to verify your identity. Our reviews take into account all these aspects of casino payments.
Great Customer Support
Solid customer support is another key factor in Maple Casino reviews. Players are going to run into problems from time, especially with deposits and payouts. As such, you want a casino with excellent customer support.
Great online casinos have friendly and knowledgeable staff available 24-7. Most online casinos offer Live Chat customer support, while others provide telephone and email support. In every review that we do, this is taken into account.
Player Safety and Security
Safety and security are last on the list, but just as important. Online casinos need to protect your transactions, while also giving you fair games and trustworthy service. A site’s reputation is essential to its future, and we take pride in recommending the trusted, honest casino operators.
Things we look out for are the symbol of eCOGRA, the eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance and any sign of digital encryption software. eCOGRA is an industry watchdog group known for third-party audits to ensure fairness of the games, while encryption software – specifically 128-bit- is what keeps your personal, financial and account information secure.
Regulation and Licensing
Before playing casino games at any online casino, verify that they are licensed and regulated. This ensures that gaming is secure, and your deposits are safe. Online regulators include the Malta Gaming Authority, the Gambling Supervision Commission (Isle of Man), and the Curacao Internet Gambling Association.
They monitor mobile casino sites to ensure legitimate gaming and ensure that adequate player protections are in place. Do not play casino games at a casino that does not display licensing information on the main site.
Terms and Conditions
As hard as we try to iron out all the details of each casino we recommend, there is no replacement for the terms and conditions of a site. That is why we will always recommend that players take a look through the terms and conditions of any casino they are considering signing up for. These terms can usually be found at the bottom of the site, and will give you all the information you need when it comes to sign up, bonuses, wagering requirements, banking options, the use of your information, and more.
Problem Gambling in Canada
Problem gambling is something that we take very seriously here at Maple Casino. It really is all fun and games, until it’s not. That is why all the casinos we recommend not only provide resources for problem gambling, but also promote self-exclusion periods for when you feel like you need to take a break.
In Canada, we’re also lucky to have access to some of the most helpful problem gambling resources in the world. Below are some great organizations you can visit right now if you think you, or someone you know may have a problem:
Why You Can Trust Us
We have been a trusted resource in the industry since 2004. As a brand that used to be a casino itself, we have a great idea of the dos and don’ts of the industry that we want to share with Canadian players like you. We thrive on being honest experts who players can rely on for their online casino needs. Find out more about us, and our trust badge by visiting our About Us page.
Casino Review Process FAQ
Yes! — If you’re looking play for real money at a casino, rest assured that any of our best online casinos are safe and secure to play at. In the case of a casino that isn’t, we go out of our way to identify that in our reviews and will blacklist that casino.
The best online casino bonuses are going to be unique to each player. Traditionally, welcome bonuses have been the best, as they include the most. Some will include free spins on slots, some will match upwards of 100% of your deposit. Check out the promotions page on the casino you are considering.
Bitcoin — At any casino that accepts this cryptocurrency the transactions are quick and usually available for both deposit and withdrawal. Furthermore, it’s quite secure, often times requiring Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
Yes! In the world of online casinos, there are hundreds of trusted operators that provide safe and secure gambling for players of all skill level. Any legitimate casino will have an issued license and will be regulated by a third party organization.
Most of them, yes! Any legitimate casino is in the business of providing a fair and honest gaming experience for players. They are businesses after all, and businesses must maintain a certain level of conduct in order to be successful.
To properly compare casinos, players should look at the criteria that matters most to them. This could include games selection, bonus and promotional offers, or payment options. Use that criteria and see which top casinos provide the best service in that respective area.
The majority of online casinos that exist in the market place are legitimate. However, for a more comprehensive list of what casinos are the most reliable, check out Maple Casino’s list of the top online casinos in Canada.
