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Ultimate new user guide to online casino gambling in Canada.

Gambling is an extremely popular pastime in Canada. In 2000, right around the time internet casinos were starting to blossom, an international study revealed that 70% of Canadians participate in some form of gambling each year. With the rise of online and mobile gaming options, that number is sure to have increased.

Those of you seeking to venture into that realm surely have a lot of questions. Is it legal? Can I access offshore websites? Are there convenient banking methods, and are they secure? Today’s ultimate new user guide to Canada online casino gaming will answer these questions, and more.

Is Online Casino Gambling in Canada Legal?

Yes, it is. Gambling is legal in every province and territory of Canada. There are no specific laws that discriminate between land-based and online gambling. Therefore online casinos are perfectly legal, too.

There are two basic types of online casinos for Canadian players. There’s the provincially regulated variety, and the offshore variety. Only the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec host provincial casino sites (plus online lottery in the Atlantic regions), and you must live within the respective province to access them. Offshore casinos accept players from various countries, with Canada typically included.

Are Offshore Online Casinos Legal?

Yes, they are. Despite the efforts of provinces to change that fact, there is no law preventing Canadians from accessing internationally regulated gambling websites. It is equally legal for an international gaming operator to accept Canadians, so long as they follow one express rule.

The Criminal Code determines what types of gambling can be legal. The only way an online casino would be illegal is if it has a physical presence in Canada, but does not acquire a provincial licence. By remaining offshore, and opening no offices on Canadian soil, no laws are being broken.

How Do Deposits and Withdrawals Work?

Most online casinos offer a wide range of deposit methods. Credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, online payment processors (EcoPayz, Neteller, Skrill, etc.), bank transfers, instant eChecks—these are all common options. The key is to pick the one that best suits your needs.

They are incredibly secure, as well. So long as you choose reputable gaming websites, and keep your own computer or mobile device secure, you have nothing to worry about.

Are Online Casino Winnings Taxed?

Typically no, Canadians do not pay taxes on any gambling winnings. The Canada Revenue Agency states, “an individual may be subject to tax on income derived from gambling itself, if the gambling activities constitute carrying on the business of gambling”.

Therefore, the only players who pay taxes are those that gamble ‘professionally’. If you gamble regularly, and make consistent profits from it, then you may be subject to taxation. But as a casual player, no.

You can learn more about the minutiae of Canada gambling taxes here.

Can I Play in CA$?

Yes, usually. If you play provincially regulated Canada online casino games, all wagers are in Canadian Dollars. If you choose to play at internationally regulated websites, some of them do offer CA$ deposits and withdrawals. Be sure to skim over the banking options and payment details to see if it’s available.

The major benefit to online casino gambling in Canada’s own currency is the avoidance of foreign exchange rates. Although relatively inexpensive, currency exchange fees do add up over time, taking away from cash that should be part of your bankroll.

written by Grameister777 \\ tags: Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, Canada, Canada Casinos, Casino Gambling, Gambling Laws, Gambling Tax Law, illegal gambling, Legality, Manitoba, Mobile Casinos, Mobile Gambling, Online Casinos, Online Gambling, Ontario, Ontario Casinos, Payment Methods, Quebec, Safe Online Casinos

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How long do online casino deposits takes?

If you’re wondering how long it takes to process online casino deposits, it’s safe to assume you’re new to the iGaming community. Don’t worry, we’ll answer all your depositing time frame questions, and maybe a few others along the way.

IMPORTANT: Before I go on, assuming you are new to real money online casino games, please heed this warning. Only register an account and deposit with reputable, well-established gambling sites that are licenced, regulated and in compliance with the highest security and player protection standards. Join a brand new or disreputable site that’s licenced in some lax jurisdiction like Costa Rica, and you’ll have no trouble depositing, but you may hit a brick wall when it comes time to cash out!

How Long do Online Casino Deposits Take?

The truth is, the time it takes to process a deposit depends on the payment method you use. Some can take a few minutes, others a few days. Fortunately, most are instant, appearing in your account within seconds of submitting the funds. We’ll briefly review the most common payment methods, and the time it takes to process online casino deposits.

Credit Card Deposits

Visa and MasterCard are accepted by almost every online casino on the market. Some also accept AmEx and Discover, though these sites are rare. The time it takes to complete a deposit depends entirely on the time it takes the credit card company to approve the purchase. Most often, it’s about a minute; up to 3 minutes at most.

Debit Card Deposits

Thanks to electric fund transfer (EFT) technology, debit card purchases are instant. As soon as you press the button, the payment info is sent to your bank, which immediately checks to see if the necessary funds are available, then responds with a yes or no. It’s all electronic, so we’re talking a matter of seconds here.

The funds won’t actually arrive in the casino’s bank for a few days. But the beauty of EFTs is, since the operator knows it’s coming, they grant player’s access to the money immediately.

Prepaid Gift Cards and Vouchers

Prepaid cards, gift cards and vouchers work the same as credit cards. It takes about 1-3 minutes at most to verify that the funds are available before the deposit is approved.

Instant eCheck / Instant Bank Transfer

Instant eChecks are an electronic version of paper checks. Instant Bank Transfers are essentially the same thing, but do not require the check number from a paper check. Both are sent via EFT, and require the player’s bank account number, along with the bank’s name and routing number. Being EFTs, they are both processed instantly.

Web Wallets

Web wallets (aka eWallets or online payment processors), include companies like ecoPayz, EntroPay, PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill. They create a link between the player and their personal bank account, allowing players to deposit funds to the eWallet, or transfer them to the casino direct from their bank. Web wallets are a very popular among online casino players. Not only are they an instant deposit option (using EFT technology), they are also eligible for withdraws. Most will even supply their members with an ATM card for instant access to their money following a cashout.

Bank Wire

Bank wires can be slow, and expensive. Unless you have no other option, this probably isn’t the best way to go. Wire transfers usually take 2-3 business days to arrive at the online casino’s bank. Some operators will go ahead and grant you access to the funds, so long as they are assured the money is on the way (similar to EFT). Check the details on the casino’s banking page before using this method.

Check by Mail

Virtually no one uses this method anymore; at least not for deposits. Withdraws yes, when time isn’t of the essence, but that’s about it. It is still an option at some gambling websites, though, so we’ll include it here. An international casino can take 2-3 weeks to receive this form of payment. So if your purpose of researching how long online casino deposits take is to find something quick, don’t choose this one!

written by Grameister777 \\ tags: Casino Gambling, InstaDebit, MasterCard, Mobile Casinos, Mobile Gambling, New Casinos, Online Casinos, Online Gambling, Payment Methods, PayPal, Prepaid Card, Safe Online Casinos, Virtual Visa, Visa

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Reliable and reputable casino banking options for the masses.

It’s been scientifically proven that, when given an abundance of options, we have a much harder time making a decision. If vanilla and chocolate are the only ice cream flavors on offer, we have no trouble picking one. But when there are 30+ flavors on the menu, our brains can’t seem to decide which we’d like best.

The same thing tends to occur these days when looking over the casino banking options at an online gambling website. In the old days, when credit/debit cards and bank transfers were the only choices provided, it was simple.

Now we have credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, e-vouchers, instant checks, bank wires and cash transfers. And what about all the online payment processors (aka e-wallets), like Skrill, Neteller, Eco, PayPal, etc?

So many options! It’s hard enough to pick one as it is. But all we really need to know is which casino banking options are reliable and reputable. So long as we know our money, and our identity, is safe, all it comes down to is choosing the most convenient method of deposit.

Reliable & Reputable Casino Banking Options

We’ll take a look at the most common casino banking methods, and what makes them a reliable and reputable means of moving cash in (and out) of online gambling sites.

Credit Cards: Credit card companies have spent decades enhancing their security systems. They also have multi-million dollar insurance programs in place to ensure that if a user’s identity is stolen, all funds will be returned to the card holder (following a brief investigation, of course). The only negative here is that you can’t withdrawal beyond the limit you’ve deposited.

Debit Cards: Being linked straight to your bank account, debit cards won’t let you overspend. This is perhaps the most popular of all casino banking options. The banks that issue them have the exact same insurance policies to protect players from fraudulent activity. Some banks, however, won’t facilitate a payment associated with a gambling website, especially if it’s considered illegal in your jurisdiction.

Bank Transfers: Just like using a debit card, deposits come straight out of your bank account, and withdrawals go back into them. Cash outs take some extra time to process, but they are perfectly safe, secure, and insured.

Instant Checks: Also known as eChecks or ACH deposits, instant checks are exactly like writing a paper check. You input the account number and bank’s routing number from a paper check (the casino will guide you through this) and you’re all set. You can’t use this method to withdrawal, though.

Cash Transfers: Although they are a bit more expensive and time consuming, cash transfers are one of the safest casino banking options. Western Union and MoneyGram are the most common options. You’ll have to gather the recipient information from the casino, then visit an agent to set up the transfer, but by the time you get home the money should be in your account.

eWallets: Online payment processors enforce very strict security measures, and are great for streamlining both deposits and withdrawals. You won’t have to share your financial info with the casino, either. You link your credit/debit card or bank account to the eWallet. When making a payment, you’re redirected to the online payment processor for login and confirmation.

Reliable and Reputable Casino Operators

It’s not just the casino banking options you have to worry about. The operator you choose to deposit with has to be reliable and reputable, too. Go with one that’s been around for many years and has no recent customer complaints circulating.

When using any of the casino banking options, look up at the URL. Does it start with https://? If so, you know the payment is secured with sophisticated data encryption technology. If not, immediately close the page and find a different casino.

written by Grameister777 \\ tags: Payment Methods, Safe Online Casinos

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If you’re just now wondering if you can really play online casino games for real money, you may be surprised to know a few things. First of all, yes – you really can! And second, people have been doing it for more than two decades.

The first real money online casino games appeared in 1996, and the industry has only progressed—much for the better—since then. Now, you can play online casino games for real money on any desktop or laptop computer, as well as all smartphone and tablet devices. If you can get an internet connection, you can play.

There are three main steps to playing online casino games for real money. You need to be able to make a deposit, navigate the games menu, and request a withdrawal.

Funding Your Account

Before you can play real money online casino games, you must first fund your bankroll. Once you’ve registered an account, you’ll be asked if you want to make a deposit. Make your way to the Banking section and choose to Deposit.

You’ll have a number of payment methods to choose from. These will include basic options like credit and debit cards, prepaid cards, gift cards, etc. Online payment processors often include Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, and a few others. Bank transfers and instant eChecks are also common.

Select the method that suits you best, follow the instructions, and your account will be funded in no time. You’ll be offered a sign-up bonus as well, maybe 100% up to $100 or better. Be sure to read the terms of the bonus first so you can take full advantage.

Playing The Games

With cash (and a nice bonus) in your account, it’s time to play. From the lobby, look for the Games tab. They’re usually segregated by type, such as Slots, Table Games, Progressives, Video Poker, Casual Games, etc.

Because the slots menu is so vast, it will likely have sub-categories as well, like 3-reel slots, 5-reel slots, fruit machines, and progressive jackpot games.

Click on the game you wish to play, and it will load up in a few seconds. From there, you’ll be able to click on a Help/Info link for rules and pay table information. If you’re not entirely familiar with the game, be sure to read over this section.

Cashing Out Winnings

If you get lucky, you’ll have a nice balance to cash out. If you claimed a bonus and made some money off it, make sure you’ve completed the wagering requirements first, or the bonus + winnings will be forfeit.

When you’re ready to cash out, go back to the Banking section. This time, choose the Cashout or Withdrawal option. Select your preferred method of withdrawal. In some cases, you must use the same method you used to deposit. If that’s the case, you’ll be instructed to do so.

Once the method is chosen, simply enter the amount to be withdrawn, follow any other directives, and submit the request. The time it takes to receive your cash will vary depending on the method of choice, but you can expect to wait 2 days minimum. Almost every online casino requires a 48 hour waiting before processing.

written by Grameister777 \\ tags: Casino Games, Online Casinos, Online Gambling, Payment Methods

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eChecks are a great way to get money into gambling accounts. They only require you to have a bank account or even a web wallet, and they are as safe as can be. As a result, eChecks have become one of the most popular methods to gamble online in Canada. And when it comes to Canadian sportsbooks that accept them, Sports Interaction stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Sports Interaction is actually licensed here in Canada and is devoted to the Canadian market. It offers markets on sports that Canadians love, but sports that aren’t always covered by other sites. What’s more, because it is licensed here, you know that you are gambling legally, safely and within the confines of Canadian law. With so much ambiguity around surrounding these laws at the moment, that’s a good thing to know.

What is Sports Interaction?

Sports Interaction was launched way back in 1997. It classes itself as an all-in-one gambling destination, which is to say that it offers all forms of gambling under one virtual roof. Sports Interaction is a leading Canadian sportsbook and casino and is regulated both within this country and Jersey, which allows it to offer its services to players across Europe and further afield.

Sports Interaction was once open to US players as well. However, they stopped allowing them to join in 2013, with only those who had accounts prior to that date still allowed to play on the casino and use the sportsbook.

eCheck Bonuses

Sports Interaction have often been criticized for not offering bonuses as big as some of their rivals in Asia and Europe. And to some extent this is true. However, they have upped their game a lot in the last few years and the bonuses on Sports Interaction now far exceed what you can get on sites like SkyBet and BetFair, two of the biggest betting sites in Europe.

Sports Interaction announced a $100 Betting Bonus in 2017 that all new players were welcome to. There were terms and conditions attached to this bonus, of course, but there was nothing you wouldn’t expect.

This bonus is also available whether you use a credit card, a debit card or an eCheck to deposit. One of the many issues gamblers have with sportsbooks and casinos is that they try to funnel players toward a certain payment method by limiting the deposit bonus to those methods. That’s not the case with Sports Interaction. You choose whatever method you like and they give you the welcome bonus—simple as that.

eChecks to Withdraw

eChecks are not best suited to withdraw with. In fact, many gambling sites won’t let you use them. They are a great deposit method, but when it comes time to collect your winnings you’re much better off using an alternative method. Luckily, on sites like Sports Interaction you have many of these to choose from.

You can use any of the following methods to get your winnings:

• Virtual Visa
• Credit Cards
• Debit Cards
• uKash (UK only)
• Check
• Skrill
• EcoCard

written by Grameister777 \\ tags: Sports Betting, Sports Interaction, Sportsbooks

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I’ve long considered Skrill to be one of the best Canadian casino deposit options on the market. But with the parent company, Paysafe Group (which also owns Neteller) changing the rules for its immensely popular Prepaid MasterCard, that may no longer be the case.

This prepaid card, commonly referred to as the Skrill Card, is a physical, plastic card that all Skrill members could apply for. They’d have the card within days, and could use it to directly access the funds in their Skrill account, using it online or at any land-based retailer that accepts MasterCard. They could even withdrawal the funds at most ATM machines.

This was a Godsend, because, even though most Canadian casino deposit options are instant, withdrawals rarely are. The Prepaid MasterCard gave internet gamblers one of the only instant withdrawal options on the market. As soon as their online casino processed a cashout request to Skrill, the funds would become instantly available through this prepaid card.

It was enough to overlook the relatively high fees charged by Skrill to use its service. These include a $10 annual fee for the Skrill Card, 1.9% fee on all credit/debit card deposits to Skrill, 1.9% fee to send money, plus a $7.98 fee to withdrawal funds to a bank account (eliminated by the use of the Skrill Card).

But alas, Paysafe Group announced just last week that, as of today, November 25, 2016, Prepaid MasterCard services would no longer be available in over 100 countries. Only a few specific countries were named in the announcement, including Australia, Brazil, Columbia and New Zealand. Whether Canada would be effected was unknown at the time.

But now, the truth is out. The Skrill Card FAQ page has been updated with a cute little asterisk mark that notes:

“*Skrill card is only available to residents of authorized Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) countries.”

As the full title implies, SEPA Countries are, obviously, all located in Europe. There are 34 of them in all, consisting of 28 European Union (EU) member states, 3 members of the European Economic Area (EEA), and 3 states that have agreements (but not full membership) with the EU.

Complete List of SEPA Countries in 2016

Austria	Hungary	Poland
Belgium	Iceland	Portugal
Bulgaria	Ireland	Romania
Croatia	Italy	San Marino
Cyprus	Latvia	Slovakia
Czech Republic	Liechtenstein	Slovakia
Denmark	Lithuania	Slovenia
Estonia	Luxembourg	Spain
Finalnd	Malta	Sweden
France	Monaco	Switzerland
Germany	Netherlands	United Kingdom
Greece	Norway

 

Clearly, the Skrill Card is no longer available to Canadians.

Neteller Net+ Prepaid MasterCard Out Too?

It’s widely assumed that Neteller’s Net+ Prepaid MasterCard will suffer the same fate, sooner or later. The email from Paysafe Group that went out to countless customers recently only indicated that Skrill Prepaid MasterCard would no longer be available in many countries. But being the parent of both companies, and with both cards being issued through MasterCard, why alter one and not the other?

Mystery Behind MasterCard Elimination

The company gave absolutely no indication as to why it pulled Prepaid MasterCard from all but SEPA countries, but I have a theory.

The SEPA was established to create a cheap – most often free – means for European states to make quick payments for customers and merchants alike. SEPA actually eliminates the traditionally high fees associated with bank wire transfers. And, as of November 2017, SEPA payments will all become instant. So essentially, it’s an area where payments are fast and cheap, and could save Paysafe Group a lot of money in the long term.

Now let’s look at MasterCard’s role in Canada. For years, MasterCard deposits were free. Then today, out of nowhere, a Canadian forum member posted that he’d been trying to use a prepaid MasterCard to make a $200 deposit at an online casino, but it kept getting declined.

He called up MasterCard to ask why, and was told the company is now charging a minuscule fee for deposits. In his case, it was only $0.37, but that was $0.37 more than his prepaid card had on it.

I think there’s a connection here. If MasterCard started charing customers more as of today, it would make sense they are charging card issuers like Skrill more, too.

Today, November 25, Skrill Prepaid MasterCard is shut down in Canada, and today, Prepaid MasterCard deposits require a fee? It would certainly seem Paysafe Group new about the upcoming changes to the credit card company’s fee schedules, and revoked use of the card in non-SEPA countries to avoid paying whatever new fees they were surely about to be assessed.

Best Canadian Casino Deposit Options

Since Skrill’s biggest attraction was its instantaneous withdrawals, Canadians who don’t want to pay the relatively higher fees may want to try one of these alternative methods.

Neteller eWallet

Again, we have to assume the Net+ Prepaid MasterCard will eventually be stripped from Canada as well. But for now, it’s still available, making Neteller a great option, similar to what Skrill was 24 hours ago.

If my theory above is correct, perhaps Paysafe Group is keeping the Net+ Prepaid Card on Neteller to see how the new fees effect their bottom line. If it doesn’t cause too much of a dent, the withdrawal option may stick around after all.

eCheck, ACH, InstantCheck

eChecks have always been one of the top Canadian casino deposit options. They are the electronic equivalent to writing a paper check, but without the elongated wait time. They are instant, just like eWallets, and all it takes to use one is to enter the bank’s routing number and the user’s bank account number (the same info that appears on a paper check).

In many cases, you can use this method for withdrawals. However, it can take a few extra days for the bank to process the funds. In reality, it takes a few days for the online casino to receive the funds, as well, but because eChecks are instantly verified (to make sure the money is available in your bank), the operator will go ahead and give players access to those funds, despite the fact that they haven’t received them yet.

written by Grameister777 \\ tags: Canada, Payment Methods

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These days there are many ways you can pay your way online. From debit and credit cards which have been around as long as the internet has, to web wallets like Skrill and Neteller. There are also bank transfers and more, not to forget PayPal, which many prefer over anything else.

In this article we’ll look at one of the methods that PayPal uses, known as eChecks.

What is an eCheck?

Simply put, an eCheck is just like a normal check, only electronic. As with a standard check, the eCheck is sent from your bank account, and also like a standard check, it will take several days to clear, typically between 3 and 5. It does have it’s advantages though, and that’s why the payment method is popular with many Canadians, particularly those involved in online gambling.

An eCheck can be sent through PayPal and other payment providers, all of which are linked to your bank account. The benefits of eChecks are generally considered to be more geared to the buyer than the seller, so it’s ideal when you find online casinos that accept them, and it’s worth taking advantage of them.

So, which are the best casinos for Canadian players that also accept eChecks?

Best Canadian eCheck Casinos

The best casino for us is Royal Vegas Casino. It doesn’t just tick all of our boxes when it comes to banking options, but it excels in many other areas as well. Royal Vegas Casino uses the Microgaming software, which was the first casino software to be developed and has since gone on to be the most popular and widely used, finding its way onto sites such as Bet 365 (the biggest online book makers in Europe), 32 Red Casino (one of the fastest growing names in gambling at the moment), Bet Victor (a name that has been around for decades) and Unibet, which is popular with players all over the world. Microgaming is a slot haven, with hundreds of games to choose from and new ones being released all of the time, but there is so much more to it than that and you can also choose from an array of table games, virtual scratch cards and much more.

One of the things that we like most about Royal Vegas Casino is the promotions it runs. As we write, Royal Vegas Casino currently has a promotion that offers a free $1,200 to all new members, spread over the course of their first two deposits, with a 100% matched bonus on their first deposit, and a 50% matched bonus on their second deposit. This might change, and it has done in the past, but they ensure that they always stay ahead of their competitors when it comes to new member bonuses, and the money offered might even increase. They also have a great loyalty scheme and VIP scheme, offering money to consistent players and high rollers alike, and away from this they even give an extra 10% to all players that deposit using one of 6 predetermined web wallets. Unfortunately, this bonus does not apply to eChecks, PayPal or any other payment method, but this is money for nothing if you happen to use one of these methods, so we can’t complain.

Royal Vegas Casino doesn’t just accept eChecks. It covers every possible payment service and web wallet, from Postepay and Ukash, to EcoCard, Skrill, Entro Pay, Click and Buy and more. Many of these services are available to select countries, with some of them created exclusively for one or two countries. In the case of eChecks, they are available only for Canadian and United States dollar transfers, and the process couldn’t be easier. Simply click on the “Banking” option on your Royal Vegas Casino account; click on “deposit”, which you can find on the main menu; find the option for eCheck; and then follow the instructions on screen. It really couldn’t be any simpler, and that’s why many people prefer it when it comes to online gambling.

When it comes to withdrawing any winnings, if you’re lucky enough, there aren’t as many options as there are with depositing, but there are still plenty to choose from, including web wallets, bank transfers and even standard checks.

If Royal Vegas Casino is not your thing, or if you have already used up your free deposit bonus through them, then you should consider joining up with one of their sister sites, Platinum Play and Euro Palace. There are no rules against doing so, even though all of the sites are owned by the same company. The other sites use the same banking options and they all use Microgaming as well, with the only differences being the layout of the site and the promotions. Royal Vegas Casino is the best regarding promotions, but the others are not so bad as well.

written by Grameister777