Are online casinos becoming part of everyday culture in Canada?

All over the world, the entertainment sector is booming and online casinos are no exception to the rule: they are becoming more and more popular among Internet users. In Canada, the legislation regarding online casinos is particular, as it varies by province: some provinces only allow their official gambling site and others tolerate foreign operators. These operators are mostly casinos associated with world-famous brands, offering more advantages and bonuses than federal gambling sites, as these newest no deposit casino bonuses prove. In any case, all Canadians have access to online casino sites, but does this mean that online casinos are part of their daily lives?

History of gambling in Canada

When John Cabot landed somewhere on the east coast of Canada in June 1497, the playing cards he and his crew brought with them were not the first form of gambling to take hold on North American soil. Thousands of years before Cabot’s arrival, the Indigenous peoples of Canada used sticks and bones to fight in “Slahal,” a game that often had spiritual and communal significance.

European colonization led to a much more conservative attitude towards gambling. Many dice games were illegal under British common law, including backgammon, which Richard III banned in the 1380s because he thought it was too much of a distraction for his soldiers. Yet these games were played clandestinely.

Canada’s first Criminal Code retained these rules, and the ban was only officially lifted when a 1999 amendment struck down the old law.

Until the 1950s, many forms of gambling in Canada were legal but considered a vice. Although small illegal casinos existed for short periods throughout Canada’s history, the country’s first commercial casino opened in Winnipeg in 1989, followed quickly by a casino in Montreal in 1993.

In summary, gambling has always been an integral part of Canadian culture, from the Aboriginal peoples to modern civilization, first in a purely private context and more recently in dedicated entertainment venues: land-based casinos.

Online casinos

Much has happened since the first casino opened in Winnipeg in 1989. The industry has evolved greatly thanks in part to the phenomenal technological advances of the last few decades, and it is now possible to play online casinos anywhere from a mobile phone or tablet as long as you have internet access. The global average of smartphone screen time per day is 3.7 hours, which is spent communicating with family and friends, on social networks and playing games. Some smartphone gamers play regular phone games, but many play casino games: whether it is roulette, slot machines or card games such as poker.

The popularity of online casinos

In 2021, 26% of the world’s population had already played online casinos, and there are 1.6 billion regular players and about 4 billion casual players. Experts expect an increase of between 7% and 13% in online casino revenues by 2023. 

The popularity of casino games among mobile players is due to the fact that many casinos have developed applications or websites that can be easily accessed from a mobile browser, but also because they offer a wide range of games that satisfy the most demanding players.

Of course, there is also a large proportion of online casino players who play at home, from their desktop computers. In any case, online casinos offer players the opportunity to entertain themselves, have a good time and maybe even win some money in the process.

Given the forecasts for the online casino market and the increasing use of phones for gaming, it is true to say that online casinos are becoming part of Canadian culture as its popularity grows worldwide.