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Top Online Poker Sites for Canadian Players 2024
Canada is one of the largest and most developed countries in the world, although its population barely exceeds 40 million. It is divided into provinces and territories, its capital being Ottawa, although almost 40% of its population lives in Ontario. It is the birthplace of some of the best poker players in the world, headed by Daniel Negreanu. In this article, we will study everything you need to know to play online poker sites in Canada.
Best poker sites for Canadian poker players
A quick overview of the top online poker sites for Canadians to check out:
| Category | Poker site | Welcome bonus |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Best poker site in Canada | GGPoker | 100% up to $600 |
| ✅ Best HUD-friendly poker site | BetOnline | 100% up to $1000 |
| ✅ Best casual-friendly | GGPoker.ca Ontario | 100% up to $777 |
| ✅ Best crypto-friendly | CoinPoker | 150% up to $2,000 |
| ✅ Best poker client | 888 Poker | 100% up to $1,000 |
Reach our team to find out more information:
How do we rank the best online poker sites in Canada?
Considering Canada as a whole, including the province of Ontario, we are forced to use the highest standards to obtain a ranking with the best poker sites available in the country. We look at all aspects so our players can choose a secure, well-promoted game with enough traffic:
To qualify for a place on our list, a poker site must:
- Be licensed and regulated (hold an active gaming license and RNG certificate)
- Have convenient payment methods for Canadian players
- Have 24/7 traffic in all popular poker games: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, MTT.
- Have a good reputation among Canadian players
- Be mobile friendly - have an app or a well-designed mobile website
These are the best online poker rooms in Canada. They have passed our filters and have our seal of approval from Worldpokerdeals:
GGPoker Canada
GGPoker is the world's largest online poker room, with traffic that frequently exceeds 100,000 connections, and is the ideal place to play any modern poker format: cash games, MTT tournaments, Spin&Go, All-in or Fold, Omaha, as well as exciting games such as Battle Royale or 6+ Hold'em. The rakeback and the welcome bonus make an almost perfect offer.
Its alliance with the WSOP makes it the only site where you can win a gold bracelet online. In addition, it landed in the province of Ontario with an exclusive offer that we will see below.
WSOP.ca Ontario
The WSOP World Series of Poker, in partnership with GGPoker, was one of the first venues to be licensed to operate in Ontario. It is a 100% legal site that operates under the closed liquidity model and offers a generous welcome bonus and the Fish Buffet rakeback program.
The games are played in Canadian Dollars (CAD), and to date, it is one of the best rooms to play in Ontario, Canada, especially for MTT tournaments, Spins, and free tables.
888Poker
888Poker, one of the oldest and most reliable poker sites on the market, operates in Ontario and the rest of Canada with a legal version for the first province and its client with access to the international pool for all other players. At 888 you can play cash games in all stakes, multi-table tournaments with an exciting focus on the Mystery Bounty format.
Bodog
Bodog Poker is an excellent alternative for Canadians looking for particularly soft games. This site, which belongs to the PaiWangLuo network, has always focused on organizing fun and profitable games for everyone. From tournament series with millionaire prizes to anonymous cash tables, you will always find a table to play at Bodog.
Online poker in Canada
Considering that Canada ranks in the top countries that have won the most money in the live tournament circuit (more than 1,000,000,000 dollars!) and is the second country with the most WSOP gold bracelets, it is easy to conclude that the northern country's poker tradition is extensive.
That's why Canada is a world power in both live poker and online poker. The wide offer (excluding Ontario) allows locals to maximize their skills. Now, about online poker specifically, let's remember that Canadian law prohibits the rooms from providing their services from Canada, which directs grinders to the famous “.com” sites. This is excellent news because precisely these rooms have the most traffic and therefore the best promotions.
Legal background of online poker in Canada
Canada can be considered a gambling-friendly country. Since the 1800s, several laws have been introduced that have relaxed the position regarding gambling until the update of the Criminal Code in 1970 that transferred responsibility for these to the different provinces, which have had different advances.
We are forced to divide Canada into two scenarios because, due to the closed liquidity model, residents of Ontario can only play in rooms that meet some particular conditions:
- Ontario: Only sites that have obtained a local license, fulfilling all the law requirements, can offer real-money poker games to residents of Ontario. To date, only about five sites have completed this process, including WSOP.CA in partnership with GGPoker.
- Rest of Canada: The options are endless for Canadians because, according to the law, they can only access offshore rooms, which are the best on the market.
Ontario has made the most progress, regulating the entire gambling market (including poker) in April 2022. Other provinces, such as British Columbia, have also worked on developing specific betting laws but have not approved any at the moment.
In general, Ontario residents can only play on online poker sites that obtain a local license in a closed liquidity model, while the rest of Canada can access all the available poker rooms on the market, including the recognized GGPoker, PokerStars, iPoker, ACR Poker, among others, due to the absence of regulation, because the only requirement is that the rooms that offer their services are not physically located in Canada.
Taxes and online poker
Let's start with the good news. In most cases, even if you are a professional player who meets some characteristics, you will not have to pay any taxes on your poker winnings.
The only difference lies in the differentiation between money from gambling and money from a business. The first maintains a rate of 0%, while the second would be taxable.
However, there are cases like Jonathan Duhamel, winner of the 2010 WSOP Main Event, who, thanks to his alternative businesses, did not have to pay taxes because the authorities could not prove that he played poker for a living.
If your only activity is playing professional poker, you may need the help of an accountant to pay taxes.
Deposit and withdrawal methods for Canadian poker players
Playing online poker for real money in Canada is very easy in every way, including a wide range of payment methods. Payments are almost always processed within 48 hours, although we have seen that sometimes the money is sent in minutes.
Remember that in almost all poker sites in Canada, you must verify your account with documents before withdrawing, although we always recommend completing this process before depositing. This information may be shared with local authorities if you live in a regulated province.
What payment methods are available on Canadian poker sites?
We highlight the following payment processors that operate in Canadian online poker rooms, including Interac, a solution for bank transfers used by many Canadian citizens.
- Interac e-Transfer.
- Skrill, Neteller, Payz, PayPal, MuchBetter.
- Cryptocurrencies such as USDT Tether, Bitcoin, and Litecoin, among others.
- Cards Visa, MasterCard.
- Paysafecard, Apple Pay.
Live poker in Canada
One of the best places to play live poker in Canada is the Playground Poker Club, an allied site of WPT Global that has hosted essential tournaments; this is located near Montreal, properly in Kahnawake. The Montreal Casino is located in the city of the same name and is one of the ideal places to play amateur poker.
The WSOP International Circuit has been played in Calgary (Deerfoot Inn & Casino), Toronto (Great Canadian Casino Resort), and Kahnawake (Playground Poker Club). The latter casino also hosts the WPT Montreal Championship.
Most famous Canadian poker players
It is almost impossible to make a list of famous players from Canada, because this one would be endless. Perhaps the most recognized of all is the GGPoker ambassador, Daniel Negreanu, who has 7 WSOP bracelets, and we also have to mention Jonathan Duhamel, Kristen Foxen, Greg Mueller, Daniel Dvoress, the brothers Max and Sam Greenwood, Timothy Adams, Sorel Mizzi, among another infinite list of Canadians who have filled the poker media headlines.
In total, the Canadians have cashed in more than $1,000,000,000 (yes, nine zeros) and have 87 WSOP bracelets on their record.
Responsible gambling
Canadians, honoring their high quality of life tradition, have a broad portfolio of alternatives to gamble responsibly.
Either through local rooms that comply with the regulation through iGaming Ontario or international rooms that rely on sites such as the Responsible Gaming Council or GamCare, among others, you can protect yourself from the potential adverse effects that betting can bring.
In the same way, we remember some tips that will help you keep the games on the friendly side:
- Never chase your losses. Manage your budget properly.
- Seek help from professionals, family, or friends whenever you consider it necessary.
- Set a schedule and schedule for playing so that you balance your life properly.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
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