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YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO Canadian Poker Sites
There are many fans of online poker sites all over the world, not just the United States and Europe. In fact, as a Canadian, chances are you enjoy a game of poker. The thing is, many Canadians still have some questions regarding the legality of their online poker sites or wonder which the best poker rooms to play at are. Sometimes, getting started is an issue for those who may not be entirely familiar with using a computer.
Believe it or not, there are actually a number of top websites geared towards the Canadian player in 2023. Some of the best poker sites do allow Canadian players. Many of these have actually been in operation for a long time and are strictly regulated with full and respected licenses from legitimate gambling authorities. After reading this guide to Canadian online poker sites, you will learn all about:
How to find and get started playing at a legal Canadian poker site
The best ways to make real money at these top online poker rooms
The legal status of Australian poker sites and gambling across the country
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Ease of Playing Poker Online - Canada
One of the first questions most Canadians have about playing at a poker site: how easy will something like this be? As far as actually setting up an account and playing, this is among the easiest thing you will do online. In fact, there is really no technical knowledge needed. In most cases, the software used to operate an online poker site or poker rooms will work on most computer systems. You may even be able to download an application and then begin playing right from your phone or other mobile device.
Many of these online poker rooms will have a very broad mix of players, from all over the world. This is quite beneficial to you, especially if you have some specific knowledge of a popular poker game like Texas Hold’em. These sites are well established and have a large base of players. That means such poker rooms are also well funded and you can be confident that they are going to be round for a while.
Be sure to check out the online tutorials located on many of these top websites. They want you to become a more skillful player, hoping you will return to play more and more. By all means, take advantage of all the resources these poker rooms make available to you. In some cases they do provide excellent value and training. In other cases, they should be able to offer more insight into using the site more efficiently and effectively.
Getting Started Guide To Canadian Poker Online
The first step when getting started with playing at an online poker site is really choosing your favorite. While this is a personal decision, remember these poker rooms are not all created equal. Many of the top websites will indeed have the more popular poker games, but also think about whether you might want to try your hand at a game that is a little less popular. Canadian online poker sites are here not just for you to play, but for you to win some real cash as well. So, be sure to choose according to your specialty. A site that offers some less popular games might be a great place to find fish or maybe folks who have had enough of the big named games and are looking to try something new.
Once you have chosen the best from among the online poker room choices, then consider their banking options and payout policies. Make sure that these are convenient. For example, being able to use your credit and debit cards to make deposits is important to a lot of people, but look into whether some sort of online wallet such as Skrill or Neteller would also work well for you; having several options means extra security and convenience.
Exchanging Your Canadian Currency
One of the things to know about even the top online poker sites is that they are very often set up to use US dollars as their basic currency. This is true even if you are dealing with a truly Canadian poker room. The reason for this is simple. Initially, US players represented the lion's share of all online poker site traffic. Then laws in the US changed and online poker became a truly global ballgame. Most of the top websites were already established to use dollars and just decided to continue in this fashion.
The bottom line is that this means you will probably have to deal with currency exchange, this is simply having your Canadian dollars converted into US dollars. Then, you will be playing with US dollars. When the money is pulled out, most poker rooms will give you the choice of converting it back into Canadian currency, or leaving it in US dollars, although some will not offer this option.
You could make or lose money, based on the exchange rate between the Canadian and US dollar when you made the initial deposit and when you take a payout from your online poker site. This is probably not going to be much of a big deal, especially as the two currencies are relatively close in value and not until you are moving a significant amount of real cash in and out of these online poker rooms.
Once all of this has been worked out, it is time to make your initial deposit and get started. Depending on your chosen websites, you might need to download poker client software onto your computer. This should be a very quick download and it will install automatically. Then, you simply need to click on the little icon left on your desktop anytime you want to get started playing your favorite online poker site games. Very simple and easy.
Canadian Online Poker Customer Service
Another big factor to consider when dealing with an online poker site is the type of customer service they offer. Now, chances are that you might not ever deal with this section of the site, but it is still nice to you have options. Think about the types of support options which are offered. Almost all of the best websites and poker rooms are going to at least offer you the option of emailed support. However, it can take a while for the team to respond.
Poker sites that also offer phone support do tend to be of higher quality. There are even those poker rooms which have established a live online chat system. Meaning you can have your question answered almost instantly. If it is important to you, maybe inquire as to whether or the poker site uses Canadian based support agents or if they outsource this service to a foreign country. Pay attention to whether or not they offer support around the clock, or if these agents have normal (or even extended) business hours. If you know that you like playing poker late at night and into the early morning hours, but the support agents are not on duty until several hours after you normally sign off, that might be a factor to consider.
General Canadian Online Gambling Laws
Most of the laws related to real money online poker sites in Canada derive from the common Criminal Code. According to most of the sections which specifically mention poker, it would seem that real cash online poker rooms are perfectly legal for Canadian residents.
There have been a number of modifications to this Criminal Code since the 1960's that have affected online poker sites and even gambling in general. Each Canadian province has now established their own gaming commission. Furthermore, a 1985 amendment to the Code allowed provinces the right to regulate computerized forms of gambling. The bottom line is that each province can determine (and also regulate) the legality of online poker sites.
As of this writing, in 2023 the majority of Canadian provinces do allow their residents to play at online poker rooms with real money. However, some provinces like New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (also Newfoundland and Labrador) have stricter regulations for online gambling. Even with this, they have only seen fit to regulate and restrict casino games; there have not been any definitions and restrictions placed upon internet poker rooms. Therefore, it appears all Canadians can legally play at online poker sites without any issues or hassles.
How Online Poker Rooms Generate Revenue
Obviously, the best poker rooms need to have several different methods of generating revenue. The first of these is called the rake. In most cases, when there is a real cash game being played, the rake is something players will need to deal with. This is a commission or cut of each pot that the house or poker room will take. It is usually a small percentage of the pot, based on a sliding scale according to the amount of money in the final pot. There might even be a cap, or maximum amount of rake the house will take on each pot, although this will be determined by the specific poker room.
Tournament games have a different method of providing revenue for the online poker site. Most tournaments will not have any kind of rake; instead, you will pay an additional amount added on to your tournament entry fee. This is why these entry fees usually show two numbers, like $100 + $5. That $5 in the above example is your fee that goes to the house. You will not have any dealer tips or other expenses deducted from the prize pool.
Side games may also represent an additional source of revenue for even the best sites. This can include traditional casino games like blackjack, roulette, craps, and more. The poker websites might decide to stick to side bets on poker hands, where the player goes up against the house for real money. Of course, these side wagers are carefully calculated and the house always has the edge.
An often overlooked revenue source for even the top poker rooms is generated by investing the deposits of players. Having said that, it should also be noted that most businesses will have to abide by very strict rules and requirements as to how much risk and what types of investments they may make with real money held as player deposits. Since the poker sites have no obligation to pay any interest to players, even a little bit of extra revenue earned in this fashion can be a significant contribution to their bottom line.
Now that you’ve read our hints and tips on online poker, why not pick out your favorite US poker online site and put them into practice.
FAQ
REAL MONEY
How do I know real money games are safe to play?
As long as you’re playing at a well-known and trustworthy casino online your money should be safe to use there. These casinos employ careful protective measures such as encryption to keep you safe.
COMMON QUESTIONS
If casino games aren’t rigged how do casinos earn a profit?
Every casino has a built in edge. This edge allows them to win slightly more than they lose. When hundreds of players use a casino, some will win and others will lose. The amount lost will be larger than the amount won over time which lets the casino remain profitable.
POKER SITES FOR MAC
I own a Mac computer, am I limited on where I can play?
You will have to take care when picking online casinos to ensure they are Mac compatible, but most top options are today.
MOBILE POKER SITES
Will my smartphone work or do I need a tablet to play at a mobile casino?
Every mobile casino should support smartphones and you’ll be able to play at least some of the games using a smartphone. Not all casinos make all their games available on a smartphone though.
LEGAL
Is online gambling legal in Canada?
Online gambling isn’t covered in great detail under Canadian law, but it’s currently considered legal to gamble online as a Canadian citizen. This means you can enjoy all those casinos without worry, but it’s important to keep an eye on legal changes, because laws concerning online gambling are regularly changing around the world.
NO DOWNLOAD
Can I play at an online casino without downloading software to my computer?
It’s simple to play at an online casino in Canada without downloading any software. You simply create an account at one of the casinos online and then sign in and play through your web browser. These casinos will say that they support “Instant Gaming”.
