The history of gambling in Canada extends back much further than the advent of European settlers. Native Americans played a game called Slahal using sticks and bones around the Pacific Northwest Coast. According to oral tales, the game predates the Ice Age. This game was more than just a pleasure; it also had a significant social, spiritual, and civic value. Since dice games were considered criminals under British common law, European settlers had poor regard for gambling.
Today, Canada has embraced gambling wholeheartedly. With nearly 20 million Canadians actively gambling, technological advancements have made internet gambling a common past hour. With respect to online gambling, this ranking places Canada in 8th place globally. A survey by the Canadian Gaming Association claims that the business supports 135,000 full-time jobs and is valued at more than $15 billion.
The Most Common Varieties of Gambling
Considering that half of Canadians have participated in a lottery in the last year, lotteries are by far the most common form of gambling in that country. With only 3.1% of the market, sports tickets are at the bottom of the popularity rankings. Similar low percentages are found in card rooms and horse racing (3.5% and 3.6%, respectively). Scratch cards and raffles are the next most popular games after lotteries, and then casinos are next behind them both physical and Online Casinos in Canada.
With all of Canada’s major casinos reporting a decline in revenue even before the lockdowns of 2020, land-based casinos are losing favour. With a 24% drop in land-based casino revenues for the 2018–2019 fiscal year, Alberta attests to this trend. The provincial government made the intriguing decision to open its own online casinos to close the revenue shortfall. Nearly all the provinces adopted a similar strategy.
Demographics
When it comes to e-gaming Canada, men and women are almost evenly split, with men making up 57% and women, 43%. It’s noteworthy to notice that female gamblers are more likely than male gamblers to use mobile devices. Mobile devices are used by 55% of female gamblers. Online Casinos in Canada are most common among people aged 18 to 34, who make up 16% of the entire population. The percentages for all other age groups are in the single digits.
It’s crucial to remember that English and French are both official languages in Canada. The latter is more typical in Quebec, where Montreal, with a population of 1.9 million, is the largest metropolis. People do not prefer to communicate in English in a French-speaking atmosphere because they take the language seriously. If you plan to advertise your offers in French-speaking provinces, you should take this into account.
What Is the Market Worth?
Over $1.2 billion of Canada’s $2.65 billion in gaming revenue came from the online market last year. Even though this is an amazing number, it is anticipated that a significant amount of money is being lost because of the complex gambling laws that mandate that each online gambling service obtain a license from the relevant provincial government. Because of this, many offshore casinos can take advantage of the fact that the Canadian online casinos business is not as developed and substantial as it could be.
If Canada followed the same strategy as its British counterparts, annual revenues might increase by up to $4 billion, according to estimates. Canada’s online casinos players spend an amazing $824.68 more annually per person than players in the US and the UK.
Gambling Online is Legal
Gaming is generally allowed across the nation; however, each province sets its own local regulations for internet gambling. A Canadian online casino must submit a license application to the regional authorities to operate legally in Canada. At present, each Canadian province has online casinos save from Saskatchewan. Only British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba are permitted to grant licenses for internet gambling. Online casino websites are only permitted to operate locally without a specific license. Only if there is a special agreement between the local authorities of the provinces is it possible to provide games across provincial boundaries.
Unlicensed offshore businesses operate in legal limbo and are mostly free to do so throughout the nation. According to Canadian criminal law, only physical casinos are subject to punishment. In other words, you probably won’t get caught unless you are running a casino on Canadian soil. Although it is technically against the law for internet casinos to deliberately target Canadians, there is no rule that forbids Canadians from playing at offshore online casino sites.
Prospects for the Industry
Gamblers worldwide are switching to online betting and casinos as land-based ones close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Canadians are no exception. But this change had existed before the pandemic. Online gambling is now accessible to almost everyone thanks to quick, affordable, and a nearly universal internet connection and reasonably priced mobile devices. There are many different video casinos available online for those that miss the vibe of a real, physical casino. Through live casino games that stream in real-time, you may communicate with a real dealer. It is reasonable to predict that more and more VR technology will be implemented into online casino games in the future.
If you’re looking for devoted players, Canada is a wonderful place to go because it has a strong gaming market. Through our platform, you may access a wide variety of gaming offerings and are certain to connect with participants in Canada’s thriving gaming community.
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