The internet has completely revolutionized the gambling industry. Today online casinos are major contributors to the industry. Online casinos offer a number of advantages over brick and mortar establishments. If you are in mood for a game, you need not dress up and travel to the local casino, all you need to do is log on to a site that offers your favorite games and start playing. Today people from across the globe including Canada enjoy online gambling. There are number of great Canadian casino sites to choose from.

• Bodog Casino
• Titan Casino

Is it Legal to Gamble Online in Canada?

In Canada, the legality of online gambling is somewhat of a grey area because there is hardly any guidance specifically pertaining to internet gambling. Laws applicable to traditional land based gambling establishments are the only guidelines available at present. According to these laws, gambling operations can be run only by provincial governments. Moreover, issuance of gambling license is not permitted. So the only gambling licenses being issued in the region are those by Kahnawake jurisdiction, the validity of which is once again uncertain.

But all these laws are applicable to the land based establishments clearly falling within in the country's jurisdiction. It is difficult to apply the same code to online casinos because in this case the gaming house is virtual. It is possible to run on online gaming operation in the country entirely from a location outside Canada. In any case, these issues are more of a concern to the operators than the players. There is no law restricting Canadians from gaming at online casinos. As long as the online casino is reliable and accepts individuals based in Canada, players can safely enjoy playing their favorite games at these sites.

Is Online Gambling Safe?

When it comes to playing real money games online, the biggest concern for most players is the privacy of personal information and the security of financial transactions. Most well-known Canadian casino sites take adequate measure to ensure this. Online casinos use encryption technology, which is used by major banks, to protect all the data. License for a recognized jurisdiction like Kahnawake Gaming Commission and certification from third parties like eCOGRA are strong indicators of the reliability of an online casino.

Steps to Get Started

For an enjoyable online gaming experience, you first need to find a good casino site. Licensing, years of operation in the industry, reputation, financial security, deposit and withdrawal options, game variety, software, bonus and promotions, and customer service are some of the factors that you need to consider while choosing an online casino. Most casinos offer play money as well as real money games. If you wish to play real money games, it is best to choose Canadian casino sites that accept Canadian dollars and allows payments to and from Canadian banks.

After choosing an online casino that fulfills all your requirements, you need to download the software. This is very easy and quick. All you need to do is click on the prominently displayed download link and follow the instructions. Once the download is complete, you need to install the software by clicking on 'run' button and choosing default options. Many casinos offer the option of playing games in flash version as well. For such games download is not required. But the variety of games and options in flash version may be limited.

To start playing, you first need to open an account. Personal information like postal address, bank details and identity verification is required to open a real money account. Once all the details have been filled, you will be prompted to make a deposit. In most cases, the process of making a deposit is simple. You just need to go to the cashier section of the site, choose a convenient deposit option and follow the instructions. A majority of players use third party online payment services for this purpose. Most casinos offer detailed information about all the deposit options available on their site.

At most Canadian casino sites, the withdrawal process is similar to that of making a deposit and you can use the same option for the transaction. However, if you deposit funds you using a credit card, you will have to choose some other option for withdrawal as most casinos prohibit withdrawals through credit cards for security reasons. You can start playing real money games immediately after making a deposit. Remember to read the rules of the game and practice, if required, using play money to improve your chances of winning.