Crash gambling in Canada is governed by federal and provincial legislation. In fact, the Criminal Code prohibits any kind of betting, gambling, or lottery, except as permitted at the provincial level.
Online casinos: a more permissive business
To ensure the proper management of activities, most provinces, such as Quebec, have created their own Crown corporation that is responsible for controlling gambling-related activities such as crash gambling online. Some less populous provinces, such as New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, and Labrador, have chosen to join forces to ensure joint management of the industry. Aside from the organizational aspect, gambling laws are fairly consistent from coast to coast.
Only provincial governments can benefit from crash gambling online, with some very limited exceptions. In particular, certain religious or charitable organisations are allowed to hold sessions where participants can bet money, as long as the purpose is charitable.
Online casinos enjoy greater freedom than physical establishments, as there is no Canadian law defining what constitutes “online gambling”. Although provinces can prevent a private company based in Canada from operating such a website, they have no real power over entities that are located outside the country. Indeed, a Quebec Superior Court decision reinforced this situation in la belle province in July 2018.
The special case of Quebec
In June 2016, the former Couillard government amended the Consumer Protection Act to force Internet service providers to block access to online casinos not authorised by its state-owned company Loto-Québec. Two years later, the court ruled that the legislative change adopted by the National Assembly was unconstitutional because it infringed on an exclusive federal jurisdiction over telecommunications. The new provisions were therefore struck down.
While the provincial government cannot prevent foreign-based crash gambling online casinos from offering their services to Quebecers, many of these companies still obey the laws of their domicile. That said it is important to select an online casino that has a recognized license to operate. Some specialized websites allow you to analyze this information in detail in order to make an informed decision.
The benefits of playing crash gambling online
Since Canadians have access to all online gambling sites located outside of the country, they can take advantage of the many benefits that these websites offer. These platforms often offer free versions of their popular games, allowing curious users to test the product before risking their money. In addition, it is worth noting that the minimum stakes are often lower as these websites are less expensive to operate. Furthermore, online casinos often offer bonuses to customers who make their first deposit. Finally, they offer a wider range of choices to their users. In sum, Canada’s legal framework for gambling gives consumers a choice between provincial casinos and websites based outside the country. It should be noted that although some Indian reserves operate their own gaming houses, they must still be licensed by the province in which they are located.