The thrill of watching stakes rise and fall and the fulfilling feeling when you win after thinking hard about a strategy – these are what make gambling such a popular leisure activity. Not to mention that, today, it is also perceived as a lucrative career where players can earn hundreds and thousands of dollars.
Originating from Europe, most games were brought to the new world with its very discovery, which explains why they have even stronger roots today than in their original homeland. It is a sphere that is highly sensitive to the economic conditions and now, just after the edge of the recession, it is starting to boom again. The GDP is rising and along with it, the people’s confidence in their own ability and skills to win!
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With the help of modern information technologies, the image of the classic casino has started to become more and more blurry. Online gambling is now on the rise. These online venues provide a very wide variety of stake thresholds, games and bonuses.
Canadian casinos
Like any other average online casino, the Canadian one usually has a pretty standard outlook. The purpose behind such a platform is to attract loyal customers, who are passionate about the activity, yet do not overreach. There are no tricks or unfair practices, as the business is regulated by Canadian authorities. This means that casinos have a minimum payout percentage. This ensures that a high percentage of what the casinos earn from getting bets is returned to the players in the form of prizes and large jackpots.
The popular stereotype that casinos are only after the money of the gamblers is irrelevant in the Internet environment today. In fact, statistically, only around 30% of the people in a casino portal are loyal customers who are sticking solely to it.
Of course, there are a lot of incentives for new players. Welcome bonuses are the usual practice, no matter from which country the casino is hosted. They are usually in the form of more chips, free currency, access to specific rooms and other similar packages, which allow the new users to quickly and safely go around the “casino” and see the endless opportunities it offers.
Of course, there are also loyalty schemes. As mentioned, regular customers are a rare thing nowadays and the casinos prefer to give out more to keep them. Point systems are a very popular method to do this. This is often based on how much the customer earns or spends from the games. They are also a nice form of motivation and incentive for improving performance. Aside from this, free and useful tips for getting better at a specific game are also shared by the online casinos in order to help those who are new at the game.
The currencies used in Canadian casinos
The currency is a very important part of online gambling. Microgaming Casinos and Playtech Casinos usually allow you to use Canadian currency, but the majority still uses US dollars. However, the practice to allow more currencies is on the rise as the Canadian market has grown with nearly 10%. Of course, there are several ways for Canadians to deposit and withdraw, with decreased convergence taxes. A good choice for such transactions is the creation of an electronic wallet such as the Instadebit and the Neteller. This is advisable especially if you are not comfortable with directly using your own debit or credit card.
There is an interesting practice lately, which is probably going to reach Canada as well. Some casinos offer their own currency to the gamblers and its rate is usually consistent with the international trading rates. In other words, for the real value of one Canadian dollar, you can buy the same Casino currency as with the real value of an US dollar adjusted to the Canadian one. However, it is a rather complicated practice and until there is a new and more convenient way to do that, most people are forced to pay conversion taxes and fees for maintaining online currency deposits.
The Canadian gambling law
As mentioned in the beginning, Canadian standards on gambling does not differ much from the usual benchmark when it comes to online casinos. However, the laws of the country have several implications and even though the clientele is usually international, it is still the Canadian law that guides the transactions and the rules. It is important to know more about it, as it can be the arbiter for any possible misunderstandings and practices.
To begin with, there are many types of legalized gambling practices that are offered in the country. They can be commercial casinos, racetracks, bingo halls and even Lottery terminals and slot machines. Each of them is regulated by the specific provinces they are hosted from and this is why the different casinos often have different practices in the country. When you are considering becoming a loyal customer to a casino, it is best to first ensure that you have researched the specific rules that guide such operations.
Of course, there is illegal gambling in the country, at least to some extent, with illegal online hosting portals, private betting houses and unlicensed lottery machines. However, in comparison to other countries, Canada is relatively safe when it comes to such practices, because the government has a tighter grip on monitoring illegal activities.
Casino gambling is the most popular form of gambling, at least for the Canadian visitors according to recent statistics. In the whole country, there are only three provinces in which casinos do not operate – Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland & Labrador. These are the areas wherein many people seek the services of their online versions, as going through the Internet is much more easy and comfortable than driving all the way to a real land-based casino.
Of course, you are still going to need to verify your age and provide other legal documents for the protection of yourself, the casino and the other players. The age requirement for getting in a casino in Canada, no matter if online or not, varies in the different provinces, but is usually the same as the drinking age. Generally speaking, you need to be 19 years old in order to enter a casino in Canada, with the exceptions of Alberta, Quebec and Manitoba, where 18 years old is enough.
The history of Canadian gambling
In the more distant past, gambling was considered a rather popular recreational activity, not to mention a part of the usual social life in Canada. With the years, it went through several ups and downs as the economy did, and today, it has become more accepted than ever. Of course, regulations are tighter than before and the provincial territories have their own opinions on what is best.
A key year for the acceptance of gambling was 1969. It was when the Criminal Code was changed in a way that allowed each province to raise funds for different causes through the use of lotteries. A good example is the Montreal Olympics, which was funded from such lotteries. The initial idea was to use them to raise funds for charity and other similar things, but it turned up to be the gateway for every type of gambling. It grew to ticket lotteries and horse racing, which then went through bingo and casinos. This is when the Internet kicked in and everything changed. Today, not all these forms of gambling are permitted in all of Canada anymore.
Some tips for using cards in casinos
It is important to know about several things that are relevant when using bank cards in Canadian casinos. For example, debit cards that are issued by another country are usually not permitted, unless you transfer the money through a specific online platform.
Also, sometimes, two different charges apply when you withdraw money online. One is the fixed fee and the other is the is fee based on the exchange rate, which is a percentage of the amount you withdraw. If you want to save money, just make big withdrawals at once to save yourself from paying fixed fees many times. Capital One Cards are credit cards that are not charging foreign transaction fees and they are a very popular choice when it comes to outside customers.
You should always contact your bank when you are going to perform such activities, because the different banks have different rules and regulations when it comes to things like that. For example, linking a bank account to a money transfer service can be a tricky activity that depends on the specific service, specific country and the specific bank. Sometimes it is about tracking small amounts of money sent by the organization, and sometimes it is connected with specific codes that should be sent to the bank. It is better to be knowledgeable of any possible fees, restrictions and other rules before using the card in order to not worry about anything and to wholly enjoy the casino experience.