Is Canada becoming an online casino leader?
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There are some places that have long been associated with casino gaming, having been portrayed in films and on TV shows as places to go and have some fun. Las Vegas is one of the best known and Atlantic City has also become synonymous with gaming, but there are plenty of other places that have amazing casinos and gaming opportunities, and many of them can be found in Canada.
Casino gaming has been a popular Canadian pastime for decades and, unlike the United States, there have been minimal restrictions on the legality of gambling in Canada. This has led to a thriving casino industry which provided a strong foundation for the adoption of online gaming on sites such as 888 casino Canada when it became such a massive global phenomenon.
Native Canadians used sticks for betting games centuries ago, according to historical evidence, and playing cards were popularised in the early 16 century when games such as poker and blackjack were played in their earliest forms. There is also a long tradition of dice games such as barbotte that have been popular for decades, so it’s no surprise that the national enthusiasm for gaming has included a wide variety of different options.
A progressive approach towards gambling legislation
The gambling industries in some countries have found themselves at the mercy of various religious movements that often called for the banning of anything that was considered to promote immoral behaviour. However, these have rarely been successful in the long term, either in reducing the popularity of gambling or in achieving any long-term restrictions on the degree to which gambling is allowed.
In contrast, Canadian gaming laws have always been relatively liberal with only a few limits and regulations imposed and most regulatory activity being left to the individual provinces to manage. Since the 1970s, there has been some regulatory oversight, but gamers have enjoyed the freedom to bet on casino games and sports, with a number of racetracks and casinos being built all over the country to service the demand from those who enjoy pitting their wits against the odds in a variety of games.
This has allowed the online gaming industry in Canada to thrive. Because the existing legislation avoided being too prescriptive, it was relatively simple to include new forms of gambling under the umbrella of existing regulations and allow the burgeoning online market to grow.
Canadian laws allow citizens to gamble and play casino games with limits.
Online gambling regulation around the world
The Canadian Gaming Commission oversees Canada’s gambling activity and deals with any issues that arise within the industry. Individual operators can be licensed by any accredited organisation and many are overseen by international regulators such as eCOGRA.
By working closely with some of the most respected regulatory bodies, Canadian gaming companies have established themselves as safe and reliable. This has fostered confidence among players and the authorities that any issues raised by players or the businesses themselves will be handled appropriately.
Because the gaming legislation is relatively relaxed and gambling businesses are expected to self-regulate, healthy competition is encouraged and supported among gambling operators in Canada. Thus, it is in the interests of each individual operator to ensure that they are providing an excellent customer experience in order to retain their competitive advantage.
How does Canada’s gambling industry compare globally?
Gambling, and online gambling in particular, is an industry where customer experience is paramount and so many sites offer chat features and functions that actively encourage players to talk to one another. Alongside independent communities where players discuss their experiences, any poor player experiences can be shared quickly and will damage the reputation of the site even among those that have not played.
By building communities of players, operators can easily identify issues and problems as they arise, and players can share details of any inconsistencies or anomalies they encounter. This means that it is in the interests of each individual operator to ensure that they maintain high standards of customer service, not only to meet the requirements of their license, but to encourage repeat custom.
Gamers in Canada have recourse with both the Canadian Gaming Association and the licensing body that oversees the individual operator. The Responsible Gambling Council is another Canadian-based organisation that offers players plenty of resources and tools aimed to reassure players and provide them with information and advice.
As well as a safe and flexible attitude towards online gaming, Canadian gaming sites also offer a wide range of secure payment options, including Mastercard, Visa, PayPal and others. Many also accept both US and Canadian dollars without requiring players to pay conversion fees, making it a much more appealing option for international players that want to maximise their budgets.
Canadian online casinos accept a range of payment methods.
Although Canada might not be best known for its gambling industry, it certainly has the potential to become one of the major players in the world of online gambling. The global gaming industry is growing swiftly, with revenues expected to reach more than $500 billion per year by 2023.
Canada is bringing in a reasonable share of that total, an estimated total of $31 billion from online gambling, and that is expected to increase in the coming years. Along with almost all forms of entertainment, the flexibility and convenience of being able to play online have increased the appeal of gaming for those that might not be able to take time out to visit a bricks-and-mortar casino.
