The Great Canadian Debate For & Against Online Casino Promotions

Is the lack of online gambling promotions crippling Canada online casinos?

There are only a few notable differences between Canada’s online casinos; the home-grown variety and the internationally regulated ones. The most significant of all – one that’s contributing to a hauntingly wide gap in revenue generation – may be the lack of online casino promotions on Canadian gaming sites.

Online Gambling Promotions Crippling Canada Online Casinos

According to the Criminal Code of Canada, gambling promotions are, for the most part, illegal. No gambling operator, online or on land, is permitted to entice a player to continue wagering beyond their means. They must also uphold strict responsibility guidelines, making it difficult to judge which promotional material is appropriate, and which is not.

Handing out free betting credits to entice new players to sign up at an online casino is a pretty clear violation of Canada’s gambling laws. Thus you won’t find any ‘welcome bonus packages‘ at sites like Playnow (BC , Manitoba), PlayOLG (Ontario) or EspaceJeux (Quebec).

However, you will find these in abundance at offshore online casinos. They are extremely prominent, often promoting $1,000 or more in bonuses to new players. The value of these bonuses continue to increase over time, due to the exponentially competitive nature of the internet gambling industry. But not here in Canada.

Canada Can’t Win Without Online Casino Promotions

Without any form of promotions, it’s extremely difficult for Canada online casinos to compete with their offshore rivals. It’s not just welcome bonuses that are grabbing the attention of players, but continual promo offers. Make another deposit, get another bonus. It’s your birthday? Here’s another bonus. Climbing the VIP ladder? Here’s an even bigger bonus!

The promotional offerings from internationally regulated casinos that accept Canadians are incredibly enticing. If provincial regulators aren’t allowed to do something similar – even on a much smaller scale – convincing players in BC, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec to choose them over offshore sites will only become more difficult.

Who’s Really Losing Out? Revenue vs. Responsibility

When it comes to responsibility, Canadian gambling laws do make sense. The nation is on a narrow track in its efforts to reduce at-risk and problem gambling. As journalist Russel Wangersky of The Telegram points out, promotions of this nature would be terrible for a recovering gambling addict.

“It would be the equivalent of the liquor store sending a recovering alcoholic a coupon for a free flask of vodka,” he says.

In Wangersky’s case, the issue arose when he received a free $20 voucher in the mail from Atlantic Lotto to place bets at ALC.com. His story went a bit deeper though.

Back in late 2014, in order to fulfill due diligence in an investigative report, he joined ALC.com and dropped $20 in his account. He then wagered his way through it, playing various online lotto games, and went about writing his article. With his account tapped out, he let it go dormant.

Then all of a sudden, just last week – more than 3 years later – he received a plain white envelope in the mail. No return address or other information was visible on the envelope. Inside was letter that began, “We miss you!”. It was from Atlantic Lotto, who missed him so much they sent him a free $20 betting coupon.

“I’m glad I’m not a recovering gambling addict,” says Wangersky, who went on to analogize the situation with a recovering alcoholic enticed by free liquor.

It brings into focus two questions. First and foremost, is the ALC in violation of Canada’s gambling laws with that kind of material? And second, would a potential spike in problem gambling be worth the vast increase in revenue that legalizing Canada online casino promotions could create?