Published by Programme B
Gambling in Canada and the US are similar in many ways. Both nations share their love for online gambling, with new online casino sites emerging on a regular basis.
Nonetheless, there are contradicting areas in the USA and Canada online gambling. Gambling laws and regulations are one such area that tends to differ between the two countries. For instance, Poker, Blackjack, and Roulette are widely played games in both countries, but in the US, players face a 25% cut on their winnings as tax payment, while this is not the case in Canada.
The biggest and perhaps the most significant difference is in currency. The US’s online casinos use the USD widely used and accepted in nearly all online casinos in the industry. The CAD, used in Canadian online casinos, is less prevalent, giving the US advantage, considering that most Canadians play at offshore casinos, and some do not accept the currency. Deposits made to such casinos in CAD are converted to the accepted currencies. Online casino comparison sites such as Betpal at https://www.betpal.com/fr-ca/casino-en-ligne/ come in handy when looking for a real money casino in local currency.
Also, online gambling laws in Canada are not very straight forward. There’s no law prohibiting it, but the government doesn’t license online casinos, which explains the small number of online casinos based in Canada. However, Canadians have the freedom to play online casino games through offshore online casinos.
In 2011, the US assistant Attorney General interpreted the gambling laws showing that individual states could legalize online casinos but not sportsbooks. However, the US government currently legalizes all forms of online gambling, including sportsbooks. New Jersey permits both online and betting companies and licenses operators, explaining why several US gambling companies are based in New Jersey. Some states like Nevada only license sports betting but not online casinos.
Not All Globally-Known Game Providers Allowed in the USA
Regarding games and game providers, Canadians aren’t limited to any since they use offshore casino sites. They can opt to play games from any software provider in Europe or even the US. However, many recognized providers like NetEnt, Playtech, Microgaming, and Quickspin aren’t allowed to provide games to American casinos across the border. Scientific Games, Real Time Gaming, and Betsoft are the leading providers licensed to operate in the US. Things are gradually changing, though. You’ll find some top international software providers in states like Nevada, New Jersey, and Colorado.
There are more similarities in banking options in the two countries than differences. Both Canadian and US online gamblers have e-wallet options, including PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, Neteller, and EcoPayz. Punters from both countries can also make deposits and withdrawals via debit/credit cards, the likes of Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro. However, US players often face challenges in payment methods due to the UIGEA restricting most credit card companies from gambling payments.
Conclusion
Online gambling is gradually rising in both the US and Canada, but both have seen the rise vary in some aspects. The US’s Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 was a significant step back towards online gambling, which looked to stop any online gambling company from accepting payment in the form of a bet. It came when the online casino industry boomed in Canada. Some territories even opened their online casinos.
However, back in 2018, the US Supreme court made a ruling that endorsed the 2014 state ruling with New Jersey that accepted sports betting in online casino sites and horse racing tracks, paving the way for online gambling to be allowed all over the country.
The future looks bright for both the US and Canada online gambling industry as gambling laws continue to become more accomodating. Canada enjoys more online casino services, and the US looks to follow its lead with the widespread legalization of online gambling.
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