The term “unlawful Internet gambling” means to place, receive, or otherwise knowingly transmit a bet or wager by any means which involves the use, at least in part, of the Internet where such bet or wager is unlawful under any applicable Federal or State law in the State or Tribal lands in which the bet or wager is initiated, received, or otherwise made. Gambling in the United States is legally restricted. In 2008, gambling activities generated gross revenues of $92.27 billion in the United States. The American Gaming Association, an industry trade group, states that gaming in the U.S. Is a $240 billion industry, employing 1.7 million people in 40 states. In 2016, gaming taxes contributed $8.85 billion in state and local tax revenues. Critics of gambling argue it leads to increased political corruption, compulsive gambling and higher crime rates. Some states still outlaw all but charitable gambling, but most have expanded their definition of legal gaming operations to promote economic development. The Legal History of gambling in the United States is marked by dramatic swings between prohibition and popularity. In colonial times, games of chance were generally illegal except for state.
The nation of Canada is a unique blend of natural beauty and urban modernity.
From the frozen tundra of Nunavut to the steel and glass skyscrapers of Toronto, the world’s second-largest country in terms of total area has a lot to brag about. This sense of national pride also applies to their robust gaming industry, as well as the gambling laws created to keep it running efficiently.
While other nations across the planet swing wildly from one extreme to the
other on the question of gambling, the citizens and lawmakers of Canada have managed to take an even-handed approach despite the allure of easy money. In most cases, the laws remain flexible while still keeping the welfare of the public in mind at all times.
In this report, it’s my goal to provide you with an overview of the gambling
laws in Canada, specifically as they apply to various forms of gaming. I’ll also include additional statistics and factoids in order to add a greater layer of depth and distinguish this document from those of a similar nature.
Please keep in mind, however, that I am not a lawyer. The legal landscape of
gambling in any nation can change rapidly, so even the most well-intentioned information can become outdated within a short span of time. If you want to be cautious, it’s always best to consult with an attorney or email a government agency directly before embarking on the life of a high-rolling Canadian gambler. Illegal Gambling in Canada
Several decades ago, illegal gambling in Canada was largely the domain of
organized crime. And since most forms of gambling were outlawed throughout the country prior to 1970, these unsavory individuals had plenty of chances to ply their trade.
That slowly began to change in 1970, when certain previously-illegal gaming
activities were made accessible to the average citizen. Another major leap took place in 1985, when provinces and territories were given the right to oversee activities such as slots, charitable gaming, and lotteries.
While modern organized crime figures still rely on illegal gambling as a
primary source of revenue, the practice has also been adopted by a more tech-savvy generation of independent crooks. In either case, these unscrupulous individuals bilk customers, rig sporting events, and avoid paying their fair share of taxes. This has resulted in a greater burden for city and provincial law enforcement, as well as national organizations such as the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The Criminal Code of Canada deals with a wide array of illegal gambling
offenses, but the following are the most common:
In July of 2010, the above offenses were adjusted in the Criminal Code to be
considered “serious offenses.” Under the laws of Canada, a serious offense is indictable under the code or act of Parliament, and the federal government doesn’t need to bring the matter before Parliament as an amendment to the existing legislation.
While some serious offenses within Canada carry a maximum prison term of five
years, gambling-related offenses often fall significantly short of this mark. Most are limited to two years imprisonment, while an offense such as knowingly keeping a common betting house is limited to no more than six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
When compared to their neighbor to the south, Canada has rather lenient
gambling laws. This is in keeping with their desire to be a more progressive nation, reserving long stretches of prison time for crimes such as murder and rape.
As a general rule, a form of gambling is illegal within the borders of Canada
if it’s not licensed or managed by the government (either on a federal or provincial level).
This certainly applies to major gaming operations such as
land-based casinos, but it also applies to charitable options such as bingo and raffles.
Online gambling often falls into something of a grey area. Canadian law
doesn’t prohibit the practice of betting via the Internet, but it does require a service to be licensed or owned by a provincial government in order to be considered legal. This hasn’t prevented over 1,000 unlicensed offshore sites from offering their services to Canadian citizens.
One case of prosecution involving online gambling came when British Columbia
went after Delaware-based Starnet Communications International and forced them to forfeit almost $4 million in revenue. Another example occurred in 2013, when Ontario authorities conducted 10 raids, charged 19 people, and seized more than $2 million in funds from users of Platinum Sports Book.
Luckily, despite all this, there are still plenty of safe online gambling sites
for Canadian players. Casumo is currently our most trusted site for Canadian vistors. If you haven’t already, check them out today! Gambling in the Provinces
The nation of Canada is divided into 10 provinces, including the following:
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Colombia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Each province is a self-governing entity, with power granted to the various lieutenant governors by the federal government, and any major changes in this relationship require an alternation to the nation’s constitution.
In this section, we’ll examine the current gambling laws in each of the
nation’s 10 provinces, especially as they relate to the average citizen. Gambling Laws in Ontario
Ontario has the highest population of all Canadian provinces, and over 90% of
residents in Southern Ontario are within a one-hour drive of a legal gaming establishment. Considering this last fact, it should come as no surprise that a 2011 poll found that 82.9% of adults within the province had admitted to gambling at least once during the calendar year. If you want to be included in a future percentage, give one of these legal forms of gambling a try:
Gambling Laws in Quebec
Quebec has been offering legal games of chance since 1970, and the available
options have continued to grow over the decades. If you find yourself in this predominantly French-speaking province, here are the most readily available forms of legal gambling:
Gambling Laws in Nova Scotia
The second-smallest province in Canada in terms of area, Nova Scotia is known
for agriculture and fishing. They also have a respectable gaming scene, with 87% of adults playing games of chance at least once a year (for an average annual expenditure of $609). The following forms of legal gaming are available throughout the province:
Gambling Laws in New Brunswick
Even though the population of the province stands at less than one-million,
residents have a wide range of legal gambling activities to choose from. These include:
Gambling Laws in Manitoba
Gambling is legal in this western Canadian province, and activities are
overseen by the Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba (which was created in 2014 by combining the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission and the Manitoba Gaming Control Commission). Residents and visitors can enjoy the following legal forms of gambling within the borders of the province:
Gambling Laws in British Colombia
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation has been offering gaming to BC
residents for more than three decades, and the available gaming options have continued to grow over the years. Whether you live in British Columbia or neighboring U.S. states such as Oregon and Washington, here are the legal forms of available gaming:
Gambling Laws in Prince Edward Island
Consisting of one major island and 231 smaller ones, Prince Edward Island is
the smallest province in Canada. The Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission has been overseeing gaming in the region since its creation in 1976. Even though the province consistently has one of the lowest gambling rates, the following types of gaming are offered:
Gambling Laws in Newfoundland and Labrador
Located in the easternmost section of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador
allows most forms of gambling within its borders. The most notable exception is land-based casinos, although First Nations tribes do have the right to open their own facilities. The following forms of gambling are currently legal within the province:
Gambling Laws in Saskatchewan
According to a study conducted by Statistics Canada, residents of
Saskatchewan spend more per household on gambling than any other province. If you happen to be a citizen of this sunniest part of Canada, here are the legal gaming pastimes currently available:
Gambling Laws in Alberta
The largest of the Prairie Provinces in terms of population, Alberta has a
long tradition of sports and gambling. They receive over 4% of their budget from gambling revenue, which is more than any other province in the nation. Unfortunately, a 2013 study showed that half the revenue came from problem gamblers, which means the province has a long way to go in terms of identifying and treating gambling addiction. Some of the most popular legal forms of gaming in Alberta include the following:
Gambling in the Territories
In addition to the provinces, Canada includes the territories of Yukon,
Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. These areas are smaller in terms of overall population (a combined 107,265 in May 2011), and they are largely administered by the federal government. To many Canadian residents and foreigners, this entire region is simply known as “The North.”
In this section, we’ll look at the gambling laws of Canada as they apply to
each territory. While opportunities for legal games of chance are rare in these regions, they still exist if you know where to look. Gambling Laws in the Yukon
With a sparse population of just over 34,000, the Yukon is not known as the
gambling center of Canada. A few legal opportunities do exist, however, especially for those living in and around the territorial capitol of Whitehorse.
Gambling Laws in NunavutDefinition Of Gambling Legal
Nunavut is the newest and least populated territory in Canada, and the
capitol of Iqaluit only has slightly more than 7,000 inhabitants. Despite its remote location and harsh weather conditions, the region offers a surprising number of legal gambling options to its citizens. While each of the following are legal under Yukon law, keep in mind that the limited population might prevent all of these options from being continuously available.
Gambling Laws in the Northwest Territories
The most populous of the three Canadian territories, the NWT is comprised
primarily of Aboriginal peoples. The climate is harsh by most standards, ranging from polar to subarctic. But despite unpleasant weather conditions and differing cultural backgrounds, gambling and games of chance are still popular with local residents.
According to territorial law, the following pastimes are currently legal
within the Northwest Territories:
Conclusion
Canada is a diverse country that promotes the celebration of various
cultural, religious, and racial backgrounds. The same can be said of their gambling landscape, as a wide range of gaming pastimes are legally available throughout the nation’s 10 provinces and three territories.
Charitable and online gambling are two of the most common, with the former
providing much-needed income for non-profit organizations such as churches. The latter is available throughout the country with few regulations, which marks a distinct difference between Canada and the heavily-regulated Internet gaming climate of the United States.
Casinos are also prevalent and legal throughout the nation, especially in
southern provinces such as Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. These come in all shapes in sizes, from those owned by First Nations tribes to establishments operated by the Canadian government. In addition to local residents, casinos near the U.S. border also draw a sizeable number of foreign patrons. California Gambling Laws
Unlike the United States, sports betting is widely available throughout the
provinces and territories of Canada. However, this form of gambling is commonly limited to parlay bets, requiring customers to successfully wager on two or more games in order to receive a cash payout.
Ultimately, the nation of Canada seems to have found a perfect approach to
conducting legal gambling within its borders. Most forms of gaming are allowed, although reasonable laws and regulations exist to keep the hobby from becoming a detriment to its citizenry. While no system is perfect, the model conducted by the lawmakers in the Great White North stands as a shining example for all other nations.
Gambling online falls into a legal grey area. While it is technically illegal in most of the United States, the prosecution and conviction of individual players is very difficult because they're gambling from home. It is also illegal for a gambling Web site to operate within the United States, which is why the offices and servers of most online casinos are located in other countries. There are about 70 countries that allow online gambling sites to set up shop, including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, and some provinces of Canada.
When you register for an online casino, you are required to agree to the site's terms and conditions. Finding out whether or not gambling is legal where you live is your responsibility. You must also abide by any age limits set on gambling in your locality. If online gambling is illegal in your area, and authorities discover that you've won money, your winnings could be forfeit.
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Us Online Gambling Laws
Issues of jurisdiction and sovereignty make gambling laws even murkier. The U.S. Wire Wager Act makes it illegal to use an electronic wire method (which courts generally agree includes the Internet) to transmit bets to places where gambling is not allowed. So a casino set up in the Netherlands is breaking U.S. law if a player in the U.S. plays their games. However, the U.S. doesn't really have the legal authority to prosecute someone in another country. Since players are almost never prosecuted either, we're left with an illegal act that generally goes unpunished. Of course, if an off-shore casino decides to cheat a player out of winnings, and online gambling is illegal in that player's locality, the player will have a difficult time suing the casino.
This brings us to the topic of regulation. Some of the countries that allow online casinos to operate have strict guidelines and regulations that make sure the casinos operate legitimately. They make sure the casino pays out when players win, and they ensure that published odds match the actual odds programmed into each game. Australian and Finnish online casinos are known for adhering to national standards. Some countries are not so strict about regulation and may be more interested in taxing the casinos than making sure that they play fair. There are many online casinos to choose from, and it pays to do some research into the regulations they must follow when you select one.
Sports Gambling Definition
In the next section, we'll find out how players make their money available for online gambling.
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