Considering that they share a border, it’s not much of a surprise that the two largest countries in the Americas are compared often. One notable point of comparison between them is online gambling. Though both countries share a passion for online gambling, they differ on every other count as far as the casino landscape is concerned. Let’s take a look at the difference between USA online casino laws and those of Canada.
Difference in Regulations
In the 1900s, gambling laws in the USA and Canada were not different from each other; it was pretty much illegal everywhere you went in both countries. While that is no longer the case in either country – there are now less strict levels of restriction in the gambling laws of both nations and gambling is no longer illegal – both countries have taken different routes to reach that stage.
The US introduced the Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006. The law sought to prohibit casinos and other gambling organizations from approving any bets that were placed via the use of the internet. While that law persisted, online gambling in Canada began to increase in popularity.
In 2018, though, the US made up for the lost time by striking down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that had restricted sports betting in the country for 25 years. It also ruled in favor of New Jersey, legalizing sports betting in online casinos and horse racing tracks. In that period, sports betting in the US has taken massive strides in the states where it is allowed. Sports betting is not yet considered as prominent within Canada.
What might count as the most significant difference between casino regulations in the US and Canada is that online gambling is legal across Canada. The country’s government simply doesn’t grant licenses to online casinos, meaning there are not a lot of online casinos based there. Canadians who are interested in online gambling typically register at and play casino games at online casinos based offshore. There are also some online casinos in Canada that are operated from within Mohawk Territory. Some of these territories provide licenses to online casinos with the most prominent of these being the Kahnawake Gambling Commission.
However, in the US, online gambling is regulated differently in each state. Residents in states with legalized online gambling can register to play at online casinos, but residents in states that haven’t do not have that privilege – same country; different online casino regulations.
Gaming and Currency Disparities
One notable difference in the casino landscape between the USA and Canada is in the way online casinos are played. Online casinos in Canada are known for allowing free trials for casino games more often than not. These free trials help players get familiar with the games before staking real money, and are encountered more often in Canadian online casinos than in US casinos.
Playing online poker, roulette, or blackjack in the US is a slightly less lucrative endeavor than it is in Canada. Up north, players are permitted to spend whatever winnings are made without having to pay taxes. The US however taxes 25% of every win made on online gambling.
Another difference to note is in the currency. The US dollar is the most generally accepted currency in casinos online, alongside the Euro and British Pound. Quite simply, Canadian dollars do not come with that level of acceptance. This means that online casinos in Canada, especially those based offshore, will prefer to convert deposits or withdrawals made in CAD to USD rather than list the former as an accepted currency.
Software Providers and Popularity
Due to the generally accepted nature of online casinos across Canada, players in the country are able to access games from top software providers all over the world. Several popular game providers are restricted from providing games in online casinos in certain states in the US. These providers include NetEnt, Playtech, Quickspin, and Microgaming.
Banking options in both countries don’t hold too many differences. Deposits and withdrawals can be made via debit/credit cards or with several e-wallet options. Withdrawal times vary between different casinos and are not dependent on the country it is located.
As far as popularity is concerned, there isn’t so much to separate both countries. Major gambling states in the US, such as New Jersey and Nevada, can boast of having online casino popularity levels that could rival any in Canada.
The differences in the casino landscape in the US and Canada are quite extensive, but both countries are firmly on the upward path as far as online gambling is concerned. Different countries; same trajectory.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, 2006- https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/statutes/unlawful-internet-gambling-enforcement-act
- Montreal Times, 2021 – https://mtltimes.ca/life/gambling-laws-canada-vs-usa/
- Baron, 2021 – https://baronmag.ca/2021/01/the-usa-vs-canada-main-online-casino-differences/
