Slots are becoming increasingly popular in Canada. Fortunately for Canadians, there are thousands of fun slots. However, their availability depends on various factors, most notably licensing. Ideally, game developers must partner with licensed online casinos to offer their online slots to the Canadian market. However, there are ways around this. Here’s a look at how Canada casino licenses affect slot availability.
Licensing is a Double-Edged Sword
The whole idea behind licensing online casinos is to offer slots in a safe environment. While the intentions are good, they don’t always work. Essentially, licensing can either increase or reduce Canadians’ access to online slots.
When Licensing Boosts Slot Game Availability
Licensing boosts access to online slots when enough online casinos get licensed. A good example of this is the Ontario online casino industry. Licenses from iGaming Ontario vs. international licenses mostly work the same way. To this end, many international casinos now operate in Ontario, and they bring with them thousands of slots for residents to enjoy.
The best perk about private online casinos is that they are competitive. They race to add new slots to their collections as soon as they roll out. Moreover, some casinos even develop their own exclusive slots that are only available at their platforms.
When Licensing Reduces Slot Game Availability
The thing about Canada is that every province regulates its own gambling industry. Unlike Ontario, none of the other provinces currently license or allow private online casinos to operate locally. They instead run their own online casinos with their own online slots.
Unfortunately, their game selections are usually limited and can’t compare to the overall game collections from private operators. Moreover, they aren’t as competitive or innovative as private operators, and they take some time to catch up. In this sense, Canada casino licenses limit slot game availability.
Licensing can still limit slot game availability even when it allows private operators. Among other things, licensing requires that slots prove fair play through RNG testing. Moreover, these games must have accurate RTP ratings and shouldn’t have misleading mechanics. Volatility is also a consideration to most regulators. Slots that don’t meet these requirements are automatically restricted.
Does Licensing Matter Anyway?
Canada didn’t start licensing and regulating international online casinos until 2022. Moreover, only Ontario currently licenses international casinos and allows them to operate within its jurisdiction. However, that doesn’t mean that Canadians couldn’t play online slots at international casinos before 2022. It also doesn’t mean that players outside Ontario can’t access international online casinos.
Canadians can access any offshore online casino with relative ease. It is not technically legal or illegal; it is a gray area in Canadian gambling law. This means that Canadians aren’t limited to only the licensed or government-run online casinos. More importantly, it means that they can access as many online slot games as there are all over the internet.
Licensing Matters for Your Safety
Licensing doesn’t really matter when it comes to Canadians accessing as many slot games as possible. However, it matters for your safety.
Canada casino licenses obligate online casinos to operate within the law. The country’s gambling laws are primarily designed to protect players. For example, online casinos must prove financial stability and honor all payments. Moreover, regulators like iGaming Ontario can help resolve disputes and complaints by players, such as payments withheld unfairly. To this end, you are assured of your safety when playing at locally licensed casinos.
Canada Will Start Cracking Down On Unlicensed Casinos
While licensing doesn’t really hinder access to online slots now, that may change in the near future. More provinces across Canada are planning to regulate private online casinos, inspired by Ontario’s bustling, billion-dollar industry. To this end, they plan to cut out the competition – unlicensed online casinos – by restricting their access from the country. In fact, some princes have already started doing it.
There are different techniques that Canadians authorities can use to restrict unlicensed casinos, including the following:
- Geo-restrictions like ISP blocking.
- Blocking payment transactions to/from unlicensed casinos.
- Search engine restrictions.
- Ad restrictions.
- Penalties and fines for operators that break the law.
Canadians can still bypass many of these restrictions when accessing international online casinos. However, the measures will become tougher over time as digital technology becomes even more sophisticated. Fortunately, there won’t be a need for offshore casinos, as more international casinos will be locally available.
Canada’s Casino & Slot Licensing Requirements
Slots and the online casinos that provide them to Canadians must meet strict requirements to obtain licensing. These requirements are meant to protect players and promote innovation among providers. They include the following:
- Game Technical Compliance: Slots and other casino games must be fair. Their RNGs must be tested independently by agencies like eCOGRA and iTesting Labs. Moreover, their RTP rates must be accurate.
- Financial Stability: Casinos must submit reports of financial audits and bank guarantees to prove that they are financially stable. They must also be registered as business entities in Canada, and the businesses should have clear financial structures. Alternatively, they must partner with businesses registered in Canada.
- Anti-Money Laundering & KYC: Casinos must verify their players’ identities during registration. Moreover, they must report all suspicious transactions and follow FINTRAC financial regulations.
- Responsible Gambling: Casinos are obliged to provide their players with tools that can help them gamble responsibly. A self-exclusion option is mandatory across all provinces. Other common tools include financial limits and reality checks.
- Data Protection: Online casinos must comply with Canada’s PIPEDA privacy laws. For example, they must encrypt transactions and communications. Moreover, they must secure servers and implement anti-fraud protections.
- Advertising & Marketing: Gambling ads should be factual. Misleading bonuses are explicitly prohibited, and all terms must be clear. Moreover, the ads must avoid vulnerable audiences like minors. Ontario also bans the use of celebrities and athletes in gambling ads.
Popular Slots & Casinos in Canada
Canadians have varying tastes and preferences when it comes to slots. However, some slot titles are clearly more popular than others. The most popular slots in Canada include the following:
- Book of Dead (Pragmatic Play)
- Book of Dead (Play n’Go)
- Mega Moolah (Microgaming)
- Big Bass Bonanza (Pragmatic Play)
- Starburst (NetENT)
You can play these games at various casinos. Notably, Canadians residents across all provinces can register and play at online casinos licensed in Ontario. The best locally licensed casinos include the following:
- BetMGM Casino Ontario
- 888Casino Ontario
- DraftKings Casino Ontario
- LeoVegas Ontario
- PlayOJO Ontario
These casinos have all of the games listed above – and thousands more. More importantly, they are safe for Canadian players. Besides, they rank among the best online casinos in the world and deliver an overall fun playing experience.
Conclusion
Online casino licensing boosts access to slot games when private operators acquire licenses to operate within the country. In contrast, access is restricted if private operators can’t acquire Canada casino licenses. However, that doesn’t really matter at the moment, as Canadians can access any offshore casino with ease. Still, it is advisable to play at the many international casinos licensed in Ontario for your safety.
