Gambling is a pretty popular pastime in Canada. According to a recent study, around three-fourths of the Canadian population has, at some point, gambled.
Many of these people also say they do so at least once a month, and some even once weekly.
With Ontario’s recent legalization of online gambling, the question everyone seems to have is, “Should I gamble online?” In this article, we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of gambling at online casinos and come up with a concrete answer.
Is Online Gambling Legal?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of it, we should first go over the legality issue. Yes, Ontario has legalized online gambling. However, owning and operating an online casino is still prohibited in the rest of Canada. Does this mean that Canadians have no chance of gambling? Not at all. You see, there are no laws that state online gambling is illegal. Meaning Canadian players can access a myriad of offshore casino websites.
When doing so, be careful to look for specific designators of quality. A trustworthy licence issued by (European Union (EU) affiliated countries or Caribbean nations. Wide variety of payment options and a broad gaming library. Finally, look for bonuses and promotions that will help you get ahead. Of course, if you don’t want to go the offshore route, there are still some perfectly safe and legal options back home. For example, the ComeOn! Online Casino & Slots App is available for Canadian players on the google app store. You can find slots, blackjack, roulette, and various other games here.
Simply put, gamblers in Canada will have no legal problems playing online casino games. No resident of Canada has ever been prosecuted for doing so, and furthermore, with Ontario’s recent legalization, the future seems bright for the country’s iGaming industry.
Advantages of Gambling Online
So, now that you know that online gambling is safe and legal, we are going to explore the pros that come with it. Since the late 90s, when the iGaming industry started, online gambling has seen a significant boost in popularity. In large part due to advancements and developments made within the industry. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the advantages of gambling online.
Safety: Safety is a primary concern. We touched briefly on this before, but in large part, determining the safety of an online casino relies on looking for a licence. The best licences usually tend to come from Caribbean nations like Curacao, as iGaming is a serious business in those countries. If Curacao is unavailable, you will find that EU countries also dole out some rather trustworthy licences. Most notable here would be the UK, Malta, Gibraltar, and Cyprus.
Convenience: Online casinos are, obviously, a lot more convenient than land-based ones. You can access them from your home PC or most electronic devices with a Wi-Fi connection. And with the recent advent of mobile casino apps, their availability is made all the easier.
Variety: Online websites offer a lot more variety when it comes to gambling. You can not only play all of your favorite games, but you can also find more of them than in a typical casino. Better yet, for sports fans, many casinos double as bookies. And since Oshawa got its first cricket field last year, residents can join the fun of the second most popular sport in the world.
Bonuses and Promotions: When gambling at online casinos, players will find they are privy to many excellent bonuses and promotions. Most casinos draw users in with the welcome offer that they get right off the bat. As the name implies, a welcome offer is a bonus that players receive when they first sign up with a website and make a deposit. The bonus can be anything from extra spins to a discount to a return on the deposit bonus. And it doesn’t stop there. Most websites have VIP programs, long-time user bonuses, and other ways to keep you engaged and interested.
Payment Options: The last advantage we are looking at are the numerous payment options. Of course, credit and debit cards are the first choices for most. However, they are not the only ones. E-wallets are a rather safe and popular choice. And for the more internet-savvy gamblers, cryptocurrency is the latest option. In fact, crypto has become so popular that many casinos operate solely on cryptocurrency.
Cons of Online Casinos
As you can see, there are quite a few reasons that one might want to gamble online. However, some might still wonder what the downsides are. Let’s go over a few cons that online casino players might have to face if they decide to go this route.
Less Personal Interaction: One of the joys of the casino is the personal interactions. Obviously, that is completely lost online. For some games, that is entirely irrelevant. For example, personal interactions are not much of a factor if you play slots. However, for poker fans, this will be a big issue. Many know that poker relies just as much on reading opponents as on luck and strategy. So, online poker will require players to change their methods, especially if they’ve accustomed to face-to-face play.
Transaction Time: We’ve discussed the wider variety of transaction options in the advantage category. However, there is a downside when it comes to depositing as well. Namely, some online casinos might require a rather lengthy period for the transactions to process. Usually, you will not have a problem with deposits, but withdrawals. Depending on the website and transaction method, withdrawal wait periods can range from instantaneous to a week.
Transaction Fees: Usually, online casinos do not charge transaction fees. However, you might have trouble with your bank. Now, it is worth noting that these fees are small amounts, but they might stack up over a longer period of time.
In conclusion, we hope that this list of pros and cons has helped you decide whether you want to try online gambling or not.
The iGaming industry is growing right now, and becoming a lot safer than it ever has been. So, if you want to be a part of that, we hope this article has provided some pros and cons to think about.