How Traditional and Online Casino Gaming Began in Canada
As an expected outcome, the game online casino is nowadays the huge source of income for the entertainment segment and an essential part of the country’s restaurant and hospitality industry. The casino business in Canada is an example of fruitful cooperation between the authorities and casino owners. Due to the traditional casino games, the provinces receive a good income for the budget. Gamblers can play any game casino online safely without fear of prohibitions. But despite its obvious popularity and economic importance, casino games have not always been in favorable conditions in the territory of Canada.
The Creation of Canada and Ban of Gambling
When the discoverers of Canada were exploring local lands in the 15th century, they discovered that local tribes played a variety of gambling games. These activities had a great deal of spiritual and mystical matter. However, the pioneers from England brought with them a multi-year ban on gambling. King Richard III of England banned them completely in 1380, realizing that his soldiers spent plenty of time gambling. In 1892, the Canadian Criminal Code once again updated the complete ban. Then the laws gradually began to soften. Bingo and Raffles were allowed in 1900 for charitable purposes. In 1969, the government realized that lotteries could be a profitable business for the government. The first lottery of its kind was held in 1974 to fund the Montreal Olympics.
Online Casino Gaming
Gaming in Canada is a subject to the same legislation. Now it is not spelled out that casino games online are prohibited. However, the staff is responsible if the player is a minor or if the actions fall under the stipulated clauses of the article. Thus, online casino games in Canada are in fact allowed.
The strictest ban in the history of online Canadian gambling was only in 2007 when a USD 2 million fine was imposed on the Kahnawake Mohawk reservation, and its servers with online casinos and poker rooms were declared illegal. After paying the fine, the reservation quietly continued to engage in the business. The servers have also recovered and are functioning safely.
Online gaming in Canada includes such traditional casino games:
- scratch cards;
- bingo;
- slot machines;
- board games;
- lotteries;
- poker;
- sports betting;
- video poker.
What the Future Holds
The online games industry has indeed recorded significant growth and has generated remarkable revenues over the past decade, suggesting that regulation is more than necessary. The relevant question is whether the federal and provincial governments will take action to regulate the industry, or whether it will be done by non-governmental organizations.
According to the global gaming forecast, Canada may lead the United States in regulating the online casino industry at the national level, while cooperation between the provinces continues to gain momentum. These measures will spur further growth and attract even more onshore and offshore providers in the Canadian region.
