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This section contains useful information about land-based and online casinos in the province of British Columbia, about legislation, tax fees that relate to gambling in this province, about the responsible gambling policy that the best online casinos in British Columbia (BC) offer, and so on.
The hybrid casino Casinonic was launched in 2020 and operates under the Curacao license. It provides 2000+ games from trusted providers – Mr Slotty, Microgaming, BGaming, etc. Among the advantages players note are fast registration, games with high RTP and a large welcome package – 5000 CAD. Deposits and withdrawals can be made through such payment systems as Bitcoin, Maestro, MasterCard, VISA, Interac and others. There is no mobile application yet.
The online casino has been operating under a Maltese license since 2020. The company that runs it is called N1 Interactive Ltd. The casino provides players with thousands of games from over 30 game providers. Slots, table games, live dealer games and other popular game options are available. Deposits and withdrawals are possible thanks to popular payment methods VISA, Interac, ecoPayz and others. The welcome bonus package is 2000 CAD and 200 free spins. The application is currently developed exclusively for iOS.
The online casino was launched in 2003. To date, the hybrid TonyBet lobby has 3000+ games from 80+ game providers. Among them are such names as Spinomenal, BetSoft, Zillion, Iron Dog Studio, Thunderkick, BGaming, etc. The welcome bonus for registered players is 100% cashback up to CAD 1000 and 120 free spins with 50x wagering requirement. A gambler can deposit or withdraw funds using payment methods such as MasterCard, Interac, VISA, Bitcoin and the like. There is a mobile app for iOS/Android.
Oshi started operating in 2014 and initially operated as a crypto casino. Subsequently, the Oshi casino made some modifications and turned into a hybrid casino, as this allows expanding the target audience. At the moment, gamblers can play both fiat and cryptocurrency. Among the advantages of Oshi, is the possibility of not paying a commission for making a deposit and withdrawing winnings. Oshi provides thousands of games from 70+ game providers and offers 9300 CAD and 500 free spins as a welcome bonus. Among payment systems, popular options are from Bitcoin to MuchBetter. There is no app for Android and iOS.
Casumo was launched in Sweden in 2012 and has won numerous industry awards during its existence. The casino offers over 2,000 slots, as well as table games, poker, live dealer games, and more. Casumo cooperates with such highly reputable providers as Thunderkick, Evolution, Play’n Go, Microgaming and others. Deposits and withdrawals are possible through such popular payments in Canada as VISA, MuchBetter, Paysafecard, MasterCard, Interac, iDebit and others. Gamblers who have visited Casumo casino note modern design and easy navigation as an advantage. A mobile application for Android and iOS has been developed.
The online casino was launched in 2021 and specializes in slots and live games. The casino is owned by Rootz Gaming and operates under a Maltese license. There are 1000+ games in the gaming lobby, including live games. Providers include such brands as Synot, Play’n Go, Pragmatic Play and others. The welcome bonus is 20 free spins, for which you do not need to make a deposit. As well as 400% balance booster up to $20 on the first deposit and 100 free spins. You can deposit or withdraw your winnings using such payment methods as Interac, iDebit, InstaDebit, MasterCard, VISA, MuchBetter, MiFinity. Commissions are not charged.
This online casino provides gamblers with a lobby of 1000+ slots from the world’s leading game providers. For the convenience of choosing among such an assortment, CasiGO has provided gamblers with an “In trend” function, which shows what games other gamblers are playing right now. Bonuses are also presented to players in an original way. In addition to the traditional welcome bonus of 1100 CAD and 375 free spins, the casino provides gamblers with other bonuses. And to make it easier to keep track of current promotions and not forget about them, CasiGO offers players an online promo calendar. In it, all current promotions are immediately highlighted.
The online casino was launched in 2001 and cooperates with Microgaming as the main gaming provider. There are more than 500 games in the casino lobby, including slots from Microgaming, roulette from Real Dealer Studio and so on. The welcome bonus is offered on the first 5 deposits, with the very first being $1 and the rest being a minimum of $10. Gamblers can deposit and withdraw funds with all popular payment methods, from credit cards and electronic wallets to prepaid vouchers. A mobile application for Android and iOS is available in official stores.
British colonization of Canada began, the British brought their laws to Canada and therefore gambling (dice) was banned from the very beginning.
legalization of lotteries in Canada
one of the largest lotteries was established, which was carried out by the authorities of the province of British Columbia.
A branch of the Playtime Gaming establishment appeared in the province, first providing a bingo hall, and after some time expanded to halls with slot machines, roulette halls, restaurants, etc.
The first official casino in British Columbia opened.
PlayNow.com’s first official online casino opened under government regulator British Columbia Lottery Corporation.
The province of British Columbia provides the population of the province with the only legal online casino option, the PlayNow.com platform, which operates under the laws of the province. After all, the income that this online casino receives does not leave the country, but remains in support of provincial, charitable and public organizations and programs. The platform provides slot machines, poker, bingo, lotteries, sports betting, games with live croupiers. But this online casino is only available in British Columbia, as BCLC is only allowed to offer games within the province.
If a gambler has registered with PlayNow.com, but is physically outside the province, he will not be able to use the services of the site. An attempt to use the services of the site is regarded as a violation of the PlayNow.com Player Agreement. When a player creates an account with PlayNow.com, the information they provide is electronically sent by the online casino operators to one of Canada's largest credit bureaus. The PlayNow.com website says that this action does not mean that the online casino checks the player's credit history, but only checks personal information.
Besides this online casino, there are no legal online gambling resources in the province, so British Columbia residents use the services of offshore online casinos. These casinos do not have the right to advertise their services in Canada, but they can accept bets from British Columbians, as well as transfer winnings to a gaming account.
| Regulatory agency | Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 19 |
| Legal land-based casinos | 34 |
| Legal online casinos | 1 |
| Regulated casino games | Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker, Video Poker, Craps, Roulette, Lottery, Keno, Live Casino Games |
According to the Gaming Control Act, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation regulates all gambling activities in the province. BCLC works with other provinces (e.g. Manitoba) to provide residents of these provinces with access to British Columbia online gambling. By the way, the Gaming Control Act regulates only suppliers and does not restrict the activities of players in any way.
Regarding the legality of gambling, according to the Criminal Code of Canada, the promotion of gambling is possible only with the permission of the government. But if an online casino does not advertise its services in British Columbia, it is not breaking the law. In the province, any gambling activity is allowed for residents who are over 19 years old. The player does not need to be afraid of a fine if he plays on the site of an offshore operator, no penalties are provided for the player.
Under the Income Tax Act Canada, players do not have to pay income tax on winnings and are not even required to report lottery or gambling winnings. The exception is situations when a gambler plays in a casino professionally and his winnings are a stable income.
Spread over 105,000 square feet of spacious rooms with 1,000+ slot machines and table games, visitors will love it. For higher stakes, players are provided with private gaming parlors and luxury rooms for tight-knit companies (Royal Room and No9 Room). For those who want an experience beyond the gaming tables, there is the possibility to bet on horse races. Starlight Casino Racebook is located at Match Eatery & Public House. Also, gamblers can use the services of themed bars, buffet restaurants, Asian restaurants and visit the concert hall, where live music is played and concerts of various popular bands are organized. The casino is open 24/7.
This casino is the largest in all of Greater Vancouver. The gaming hall covers 80,000 square feet and offers visitors almost 1,000 slot machines and tables with the best table games. Like Starlight, Hard Rock Casino is a member of the Encore Rewards loyalty program, which is valid in the province, whether you visit a land-based casino or PlayNow.com online casino. Here you can earn prize dollars for playing for accumulated points, receive VIP offers and discounts in restaurants. There are four of them on the territory of Hard Rock Casino – Chip’s Sandwich Shop, Roadies Burger Bar, Fú Express, Asylum.
One of the first casinos that appeared in the province of British Columbia. It is not as large as the previous casinos that we talked about, but it is not inferior to them in terms of the fullness of the halls. Here, visitors can find more than 1000 slots and fifty gaming tables, a poker room and a VIP room where maximum limits are allowed. Players have access to an electronic table games, live croupiers and video games room, where gamblers can use three dozen interconnected personal gaming stations located in a stadium configuration and watch live dealer games on a video wall. Gamblers can accumulate Encore Rewards loyalty points and use them in restaurants (6 establishments with a variety of cuisine and serving dishes), as well as during the gameplay.
Responsible Gambling is a specific set of measures that aims at a healthy approach to gambling. Many governments, community organizations and casinos have adopted responsible gambling policies. Its main principles include the following:
The provincial government provides local residents with free access to resources to support informed choice while gambling. There is an online support feature or a 24/7 hotline at 1-888-795-6111. Gambling Outreach Service Stream (GOS) is educating residents of British Columbia through social media, workshops and information sessions. Residents also have access to free multilingual clinical counseling services – individually, in pairs or groups. Safe casino play exists. Many players can start gambling with ease and treat it as a form of entertainment. Safe play is characterized by the following features:
At the moment, the local government does not pay attention to this issue, and there are no laws in British Columbia that prohibit local gamblers from accessing foreign online casinos. But as Ontario began regulating foreign online casinos in 2022, chances are other provinces will soon follow suit.
PlayNow is the only local legal online casino in the province. However, there is no law that prohibits gamblers from the provinces from betting in offshore casinos. Residents of the province can choose and play at any regulated and licensed online casino outside of Canada.
No, players who live in this province are exempt from paying tax on their winnings, unless they play professionally and winning at online casinos and land-based casinos is not income for them.
No, the only legal online casino in British Columbia does not have demo versions of games, but this option is very popular in foreign online casinos. You can play for free at any licensed overseas online casino.
Yes, you must live in British Columbia or Manitoba to be eligible to bet on PlayNow.com.
No, in British Columbia, by law, a player must be at least 19 years old.
Online casinos offer their gamblers much more options than land-based casinos. These are numerous bonuses, loyalty programs and regular promotions. In addition, even the largest land-based casino with a record number of slot machines cannot be compared with an online casino that cooperates with dozens of providers through a game aggregator and can have more than 5,000 slots in its gaming lobby.
If you play on PlayNow.com, you are using the Canadian currency. If you play on the sites of foreign online casinos, there is a much larger range of currencies for deposits, up to cryptocurrencies.