As most people already know, Canada has a long history when it comes to gambling. Some of the earliest forms of gambling were born in America’s Hat, so it comes as no surprise that they were among the first ones to accept online gambling as well.
The first legalized form of gambling in Canada was introduced in 1969. In the years that followed, this part of the world got some of the biggest casinos in the world, and they become normal establishments where you went to have fun.
Internet technology brought many changes in different aspects of life, including the way we entertain ourselves. Nowadays, many Canadians opt for online casinos, and at the same time, the strong presence of their numerous brick-and-mortar casinos can still be felt.
Let’s take a look at a brief history of the evolution of online gambling in Canada.
The Canadian Criminal Code
The first official document mentioning gambling in Canada was the Canadian Criminal Code. It was created in the 19th century in order to place a prohibition on this activity that most people didn’t like at the time. And until 1969, all forms of gambling were illegal.
The Year of Change
It became clear for Canadian governing bodies that gambling is something that most of their fellow countrymen truly enjoyed, so they decided to make some adjustments to the original Criminal Code in 1969. With the new law, they made gambling and lottery legal. It was the only thing missing for the gambling industry to begin its incredible expansion in this country. For a couple of decades, land-based casinos flourished without any competition that could rock their stability. They were venues of incredible entertainment that most Canadians enjoyed visiting. And in the ‘90s, everything changed. With the rapid growth of computer and Internet technology, the first online casinos appeared, and it signified the beginning of a new era.
First Online Casinos in Canada
Due to limited technological solutions at the time, the first online casinos in Canada, as well as the rest of the world, offered only a small number of casino games. These usually included poker, roulette, baccarat, and blackjack. Still, it was considered to be quite revolutionary at the time. Moreover, another big issue was the lack of equipment needed for this type of gambling to really show its potential. Unlike today, there weren’t many people who owned a home computer at the time. And this meant that only a limited number of people were able to access online casino games. Lastly, another major issue was the lack of regulation. Any business that has been conducted online wasn’t regulated since there weren’t any laws that defined this type of operation. However, this wasn’t a problem only for Canada. It had become a troubling matter for countries worldwide. And ever since then, countries all around the planet have started passing new laws that will better determine the legal status of online gambling in their country.
Regulation of Online Casinos in Canada
Even though over two decades have passed since online casinos have made their first appearance, Canadian authorities are still struggling with the regulation of online casinos in their country. For now, all Canadians can visit online operators as long as those online casinos are offshore licenced gambling websites. This solution is far from perfect since there are various domestic operators that shouldn’t be forced to move their business outside Canadian borders. But for a Canadian player, this means they can try real money online casino and enjoy top-notch casino games at any time. For quite some time, Canadian gamblers have been benefiting from high-quality online gambling venues that offer amazing casino games like poker, slots, baccarat, blackjack, and more.
Therefore, people in Canada who enjoy playing online casino games aren’t doing anything illegal. Offshore gambling venues offer a first-class experience to online casino dwellers, as they include welcome offers, bonuses, loyalty perks, a huge selection of different games, and more. However, everyone is hoping that the Canadian laws will bring more changes in the foreseeable future. And it would be really disappointing if a country with such a long history of gambling wouldn’t pass laws that would be even more beneficial for both players and operators in Canada.
