How do you know if an online casino is safe and legit? Unfortunately, plenty of underhanded platforms are out there looking to make a quick buck off unsuspecting online casino players. That’s why we put in the hard work identifying the safest online casinos in Canada, so you don’t have to.
We guarantee that only the best online casinos in Canada make the cut. Here are some methods we use to separate the corn from the cob when it comes to online casinos.
CASINOenquirer Screening Variables for Safest Online Casinos
- Is it licenced? A website that doesn’t display credentials and membership of a valid gambling authority is a huge red flag.
- Fake or suspect reviews – the safest online casinos in Canada will have reviews that reflect the fact and include honest opinions. Reviews that show no subjectivity, are all glowing, and come from suspiciously similar user accounts may be fake. To combat this and root out dodgy online casinos, CASINOenquirer looks for verified player accounts (i.e. people who have genuinely played at the site) and sends in our players to test the website.
- Poor online reputation and bad reviews – an online casino with poor or very few reviews isn’t a great sign. Sometimes, a site genuinely offers real online casino games, but the user experience or gameplay is substandard. More often, though, negative reviews reflect that players have difficulty getting their winnings out from the site, or it takes an unacceptably long time to do so.
- No real-world contact info – Who can you reach out to if you experience problems? The safest online casinos in Canada will offer several contact options, including a valid and verifiable physical address and phone number. It’s easy enough to verify whether you’re dealing with a legitimate online casino through a quick Google Maps search, which is one of several checks we perform.
- Not many deposit options – the best online casinos in Canada offer various payment options for making deposits or withdrawals. This is a good sign, as it means a lot of financial providers are willing to work with them. For example, PayPal verifies the legality of an online casino site before granting them a business account. Best online casinos generally have the most deposit options available for players.
Can I Win Real Money?
Yes! After making your first deposit and playing for real money, you will immediately stand a chance to win cash prizes. You can keep these funds in your casino account for future use or withdraw your winnings. If you are looking for the most popular and safest online casinos that offer great bonuses and gameplay, you’ve come to the right place!
Rely on us to provide the safest online casino games
It’s our mission to link you up with honest online casinos that offer a superior playing experience. That starts with objective reviews from casino industry experts, and testing every new casino with real money. We want each player to find the best legal online casino.
We only display online casinos that meet stringent standards. Over and above the legitimacy tests we perform, we also require the casinos to have multiple 24/7 support channels and external auditing procedures in place.
Why playing at the safest online casinos matters
Thousands of new players sign up to play online casino games every year. The industry is enjoying a boom, and there’s a lot of competition to get players to sign up. And while most companies are out to provide a fair service, some try to scam players.
That’s why you should stick to the safest online casinos we review here at CASINOenquirer. Some of the challenges you might encounter when you play at untested sites include the following:
- Inability to get your deposit or winnings paid out
- Fake licences, meaning you have no legal recourse if things go wrong
- Rigged games – without external auditing or the requirement to prove their games aren’t rigged, unscrupulous sites could make winning impossible
- Ransomware and identity theft – occasionally, online casinos have an altogether darker plan in mind: luring you in with incredible welcome bonuses and too-good-to-be-true offers, when they’re only out to steal your credit card details or install malicious software on your computer
Avoiding Blacklisted Online Casinos
Rogue online casinos which conduct their business unfairly, scam their players, tamper with software, or refuse to pay out winnings or deposits get their sites blacklisted by legal online casino lists like CASINOenquirer.
How to Avoid Scams with Unlicensed Online Casinos?
The easiest way to avoid scams is by reading casino reviews, particularly if you’re playing at a new online casino. Be wary of deals and returns that seem too good to be true or are wildly outside the standard RTP for a particular game. Unlicensed casinos often have outrageous terms like 50x or 100x bonus rollover or websites that look sketchy. If in doubt, pick one of the best online casinos in Canada from our tried and tested list.
Signs an online casino might not be safe or legit:
- No visible gambling licence in the website footer
- Difficulty reaching customer support
- Lack of information on gaming software
- Lack of information on withdrawal processes and timeframe
It’s wise to stick with the most respected online casino names and safest online casino sites you’ll find here. New online casinos pop up all the time, and while most of them are perfectly legit, you don’t want to find out the hard way that they’re not. If they’re trustworthy, you’ll find them on our list of secure online casino sites, complete with a detailed review to facilitate your decision.
Remember that a legit online casino wants to stay in business for the long run, and that means it’s in their best interest to protect their players. Here are some other good signs a legit online casino in Canada will display:
- SSL encryption – Most easily identified by the small padlock icon which appears on the left of the URL in your browser
- Valid gambling license
- Reputable gaming software provider
- Understandable T’s and C’s – while all online casinos have to have detailed terms and conditions, it’s generally easy to see which have made an effort to use plain language wherever possible, versus those who are being deliberately obtuse!
- Full contact info available and multiple support channels
- Variety of deposit options on offer
A reputable, legal, reliable casino online in Canada will disclose its safety features. Safe online casinos in Canada use the latest technology to ensure that your casino account is completely protected. In addition, the safest online casinos will run games that are powered by well-known casino software development companies, like Microgaming.
Please bear in mind that software and security features can’t replace common sense! Make sure to have the latest antivirus program installed when you play casino online games, and never share your login details with strangers. Also, avoid financial transactions of any kind on public computers or wifi hotspots.
Is it safe to use my credit card?
Yes, it is OK to use your credit card as your details will not be shared with third parties by the safest Canadian online casinos. As we mentioned above, always check that the website has a valid SSL certificate (more on that below), and never share your credit card details when using a public computer or network.
What is SSL, and is it essential when gambling at safest online casinos?
An SSL certificate is one of the best ways to identify the safest online casinos in Canada. SSL stands for ‘secure sockets layer’ and basically means the connection between your browser and the website server is secure. You’ll notice a small padlock icon appearing next to the website URL in your browser when you access one of these websites.
Always look out for an SSL security feature, as the SSL will keep all your personal and banking details encrypted and secure. All online casinos are expected to build SSL encryption into their software. Most modern internet browsers will now also warn you when you try to visit an unsecured website, and your antivirus software will likely also notify you of potential danger. But remember – this won’t happen with legit online casinos!
Are my money and personal information secure when I register?
Yes, casinos will never share your information with third parties as it would constitute a breach of their privacy policies. The safest online casinos we work with understand that security is a critical concern for their customers, so this remains a top priority for them.
