Provinces are cracking down on unregulated platforms, causing significant changes in Canadian online gambling. As government oversight grows, gamblers now have to think about legality, ID verification, and safer alternatives.
Canadians have been carelessly gambling online for decades. It was easy to use, fun, and readily available. You were probably dealing with a man you had never met and would never meet, if there was a problem at all. Many of the things you remember or know are changing.
For example, Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, predicted that 70% of all online gambling will take place “on unregulated, grey market” websites in 2021. These websites could have been licensed by countries other than the province, but not by the province itself.
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Nearly 75% of Albertan online gamblers have only ever used similar, unregulated websites, according to a more recent Ipsos poll conducted by the Canadian Gaming Association (additional information may be found here). In British Columbia, the rate is more like six out of ten online gamblers.
As a result, online gambling exists in Canada and is carried out in many places without the approval of local authorities. But things are starting to change, and Canadian gamblers may soon have to think about subjects they haven’t previously given much thought to.
In this case, can I use this online sportsbook legally? Why is my driver’s license photo suddenly being requested by this online casino? Oh, and is there anything better I might be using?
The straightforward explanation is that Canada’s online casino and sports betting platforms are being disrupted by the government, government-owned companies, and government-appointed regulators—entities that usually take the brunt of disruption.
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