Canada Gambling Legislation
Gambling is an entertaining pass-time for most Canadians and people all over the world. For many decades, people have enjoyed gambling on one form of gambling or another. This dates back to the mechanical slot machines, poker, and traditional bingo halls.
Like most countries, gambling has been shrouded in many controversies with some arguing that it goes against moral values while at the same time, it has been beneficial in traditional charity bingo events. It is no wonder then that countries have been hesitant to give a complete go-ahead on gambling and most have opted to form gambling commissions to oversee it. Canada is among the countries that have complicated gambling laws regarding land-based and online gaming.
History of Gambling Laws in Canada
Just like its neighbors, Gambling has evolved from being viewed negatively to being accepted as both a necessary pastime and resource contributor for most countries. This has seen the laws slacken from being outright prohibitive to considering some gambling activities as legal based on their benefits.
Before 1970, the Canadian government had prohibited many gambling activities for its citizens, and it was considered illegal to engage in them. However, this changed, and Canadian Gambling first became accessible to players in 1970 when some gambling activities were declared legal. In 1985, the government gave its various provinces the power to regulate gambling activities in their specific territories.
The Canadian Criminal Code and Canadian Gambling Regulations
Before choosing to venture into the world of gambling in Canada, it is important to understand what can be considered as safe or illegal gaming practice. The Canadian Criminal code is the bill that spells out the gaming activities that can be carried out in Canada and within its territory. There are ten provinces, and each is charged with regulating the gambling activities that can be carried out within their territories. Consecutively, the gambling rules in Ontario differ from the ones in Nova Scotia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Quebec, and Labrador, among others.
Each province has its own specific regulations regarding different gambling activities ranging from horse racing, lottery, casinos, and slots machines. Additionally, different provinces have different rules on sports betting, Bingo and charitable games, online gambling, and video lottery terminals. The provinces also have the power to grant licenses, operate and regulate the casinos that fall within their territories. Some of the regulations include the legal gambling age, which is 18 in some provinces and 19 in others. Others include taxation and the payment methods that are allowed in some provinces and not in others.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Canada
The laws regarding online gambling in Canada are complicated and do not follow a clear-cut definition. While online gambling in Canada is illegal, many players still continue to enjoy playing online games on various websites. The explanation is that while online gambling is prohibited for operators based within Canada, there’s no barring of Canadian players from playing in international sites whose servers are located out of Canada. Consecutively, players enjoy online sites that are said to be offered by operators who are located offshore.
In conclusion, as punters continue to play legal online games from international operators, we at Online Casino Geeks can only wait and see the direction that online gambling in Canada will take. Be assured that we will provide you with the latest casino news when this change happens.