Vancouver Gambling Guide

Gambling has been a part of Canada’s history dating back to the 12th century. Dice, card games, and Slahal, a betting game with bones or sticks, are all part of Canada’s gambling history. When John Cabot landed in Canada in 1497, gambling was hindered due to Richard III’s decree to abolish dice games in Britain in 1338. It was further hampered in 1892 when legislation made all gambling illegal, leading to many underground betting networks.

It wasn’t until amendments to the 1892 legislation began in the 1900s to slowly allowed gambling back into Canada. By 1985, Canada opened gambling to the country by allowing the provinces to dictate gambling laws independently. This paved the way for land-based and online casinos in Canada today.

Vancouver’s Land-Based Casinos

There are currently multiple live casinos in Vancouver for residents and visitors to try their luck at slots, table games, and sports betting. One of the largest is the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, formerly Boulevard Casino. Technically, this casino is on the outskirts of Vancouver but features 80,000 square feet of gaming floor with slots, table games, and poker rooms.

Another popular casino in Parq Vancouver is known for its luxury. The casino itself covers two floors for prime gambling at all levels. It also features a hotel, spa, and garden for the whole resort experience.

Several other live casinos in Vancouver are the Grand Villa Casino, Hastings Park Casino, and Starlight Casino. Each casino offers a range of games in nostalgic atmospheres to more modern vibes, depending on your preferences.

Online Casinos In Vancouver

When BCLC, British Columbia Lottery Commission, opened its online casino called PlayNow to counteract online gambling from overseas casinos, it allowed Vancouver citizens another avenue to gamble at a casino licensed within Canada. However, most of the online gambling in Vancouver is through reputable, international casinos. Since overseas online gambling is so expansive, Vancouver residents have many options with international casinos. Many of these casinos offer payment in Canadian dollars, making professional overseas casinos even more enticing.

Online Gambling Essentials

It’s not as simple as depositing money into an online casino without researching some vital specifics. Online casinos must meet the requirements we outlined below before receiving your patronage.

• Online Security

Online casinos must have extensive encryption software to mitigate the risk of playing at their sites. SSL, secure sockets layer, is encryption software many online casinos use. Third parties can’t intercept your data. Before selecting an online casino, research the encryption process. If they don’t have one, run the other way.

• Payment Methods

It’s different for everyone how they like to pay for things online. Therefore, an online casino should have an extensive list of payment methods to suit everyone. For real money players, e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill, credit cards, and bank transfers are all valid and secure methods for deposits and withdrawals. For cryptocurrency players, wallets like Coinbase Wallet, MetaMask, and Electrum should be featured on your selected casino. Those wallets cover the cryptocurrencies of Bitcoin and Ethereum.

• Bonuses

Online casinos love to offer bonuses to entice players to their sites. Welcome bonuses are usually massive and can give you offers on your first three to five deposits, depending on the casino. Things like free spins and matching percentages on deposits are fan favorites among online casinos. They allow you to play at a casino that is new to you on the house’s dime. That way, you can get a feel for the casino without losing a lot of cash.

Loyalty and VIP programs aren’t just for land-based casinos. Online casinos offer these options, too, for players to reap the rewards for their allegiance to a particular site. While some casinos provide VIP access to high rollers, that is not always the case. Some casinos now offer VIP or loyalty programs as soon as you register. This process enables you to earn rewards immediately that can be turned into free spins, deposit matches, or gifts down the road.

• Mobile-friendly Casinos

Online casinos are all about convenience, and a mobile-friendly option increases that. You don’t have to sit at the computer to play at your favorite online casino. Instead, you can grab your phone or tablet and be entertained anywhere. The best online casinos offer mobile-friendly options with a downloadable app or play directly in the browser. It varies from casino to casino on what they allow, so check before you invest your money.

• Gaming Options

Some people are slot lovers, while others fancy a table game like roulette or blackjack. Regardless of what suits you, an online casino should provide an enormous amount of gaming options for every kind of player. Various slots, table games, live casino games, and sports betting should all be on the table.

With so many software providers, glitches and slow play are a result. NetEnt, Microgaming, QuickSpin, BetSoft, and PlayN Go are some of the most valuable software companies. See those names in the descriptions of the games before you get started. Fast-paced play and superior graphics are worth it.