Once Canada’s provinces decide to legalize online sports betting, they then begin the process of issuing licenses to sportsbooks. This also brings in some additional revenue for the Canadian provinces. The second quarter of 2022 is expected to see several online sportsbooks start offering mobile betting apps, odds and bonuses to first new customers in Ontario. Other provinces will follow soon after.
Canadian Provinces expected to launch online sports betting in 2022
- Ontario
- British Columbia
- Québec
- Alberta
Sports Betting Launch Date
The province of Ontario has already gone live on April 4, 2022 and soon British Columbia, Québec and Alberta are expected to follow. Several betting operators are already live and more will follow during 2022. Below there is a outline of expected and already live sports betting operators.
Full List of Ontario Sportsbooks:
- 888 Sport Ontario, Canada
- Barstool Sportsbook Canada
- Bet365 Sportsbook Canada
- BetMGM Sportsbook Canada
- BetRivers Sportsbook Canada
- Caesars Sportsbook Canada
- CoolBet Sports Canada
- DraftKings Sportsbook Canada
- FanDuel Ontario, Canada
- Golden Nugget Sportsbook Ontario
- LeoVegas Ontario
- PointsBet Ontario, CA
- NorthStar Bets Ontario
- Rivalry Sportsbook Ontario
- Sports Interaction Canada
- TheScore Bet Ontario, Canada
- Unibet Ontario, Canada
- William Hill Canada
Ontario is expecting to have 20+ online sports betting sites and the estimates are that the first year will see close to a billion Canadian dollars being generated in gross revenue. That figure is estimated to grow to 1.86 billion Canadian dollars by 2026.
Bet365 Canada
Another popular site is Bet365 Canada. They are a betting company with a stellar reputation and like Unibet are totally safe and secure to join. Bet365 has over 20 million customers in over 200 countries. Their welcome offer can see you receiving $250 in bet credits.
With over 50 sports to bet on, there’s never a dull moment on this site. You can even cash out your bets before the event reaches its natural conclusion. With such a high regard for this company, registering is not something you’d ever regret.
Joining these sites can be achieved in just a matter of minutes. Their registration forms are easy to complete. They offer a wide range of payment methods, so finding one you can use won’t be a problem.
2022 is going to be an exciting year for the newly regulated Canadian online sports betting industry. It’s good news for gamblers in the country and for the provinces and territories who will be very busy counting all the tax revenue that will be coming their way.
Unibet Canada
While the wait goes on for the new licenses to be given, there are no laws against overseas online betting sites, so lots of Canadians have joined them. One of the most popular online betting sites in Canada is Unibet. This is run by the Kindred Group who have had great success in Europe. Unibet launched in 1997, so it’s their 25th anniversary in 2022.
When you join their sportsbook, there’s a generous welcome offer that can be received. This sees new customers in Canada, including Ontario province, receiving a 100% matched bonus of up to $250, based on the size of their initial deposit into their new account. The site has several other promotions too that can be taken advantage of.
The Unibet site and a mobile app has a wealth of events to be placing bets on. There are betting opportunities at all times of the day thanks to their global coverage. Betting on events as they happen is the mainstay of their site and there’s also live streaming of events.
What to bet on in Canada? Not just Hockey
There’s some great sporting action to bet on in Canada. Odds, free bets, promos, free picks and more betting features (no accumulator bets or parlays though) will be provided by the Ontario sportsbooks.
Canadians adore ice hockey with top teams such as the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets all playing in the National Hockey League. There are other leagues in Canada that you’ll be able to bet on, such as the OHL. Needless to say, Canadians will be following the Winter Olympics closely.
Basketball provides regular betting opportunities with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. Vancouver Whitecaps play in Major League Soccer and there’s also the Canadian Premier League to bet on as well.
Each year sees the top tennis players heading to Canada. There are golf tournaments to place bets on too and sports such as boxing, cricket and F1, you will never be short of anything to bet on. Of course, there’s also the opportunity to be placing bets on sports events from all over the world with everything from English Premier League football to the NFL and UFC/Boxing.
2022 World Cup Betting in Canada
Canada has a good chance of reaching the 2022 World Cup, so that will be popular to place bets on, though lifting the trophy is rather unlikely.
No doubt, several legal in Canada betting sites like bet365 will offer free bets for the World Cup 2022 betting bonanza. Customers will be able to claim promotions such as free bets, odds boosts and special markets on football matches in Qatar.
What new customer bonus to expect from online sportsbooks in Canada
When legal sports betting sites are up and running in Canada, new customers will receive a lucrative bonus offer – thanks to the relatively low tax on companies revenues (up to 20 %). When signing up for a sportsbook, look for the welcome promotions such as: 100% deposit match, bet $10, get X5, Free Bet and more types of betting offers available.
Is the referrer code the same as bonus code?
Yes, in Canada online sportsbooks will use the referrer (referral) code instead of bonus or promo code as in the UK or USA. Typically, the code is inserted on the registration page during sign-up or when new customers make their first deposit. Check out promo codes for betmgm CA and Pointsbet.
Are online casinos legal in Canada? What sites can I use in Ontario?
Ontario is the first province in Canada to allow online casinos and sports betting. So, yes, expect Betmgm, bet365 and other sites and mobile apps (for Android and iOS) to offer slots and popular casino games such as roulette and blackjack. Check out the list of the best online casinos to expect in Canada in 2022/2023.
History of Canadian Sports Betting Laws
It was in 1985 that sports betting was made legal in Canada. Before that date, gambling in the country wasn’t in an ideal situation. Organized crime was heavily involved in the gambling industry. This had gradually changed in the previous decade and then came the big leap forward in the mid-1980s.
From 1985, provinces and territories were allowed to oversee the gambling industry. This included charitable gaming, lotteries, and slot games. Gambling is popular in Canada, for example Ontario has over 25 land-based casinos and racetracks such as Ottawa and Fort Erie.
For sports betting, the Pro-Line service had to be used but it wasn’t a perfect piece of legislation that was passed. One major problem was the inability to place a bet on a single event. The situation was that you had to place parlays (aka accumulators). If you wanted to place a single bet on the Toronto Raptors to win, it just wasn’t possible. You’d have to find another event to bet on and make it a double.
The problem with this is that the more events you bet on in an accumulator, the higher the odds become. That means the chances of winning your bet decrease. The inability to do this led to many Canadians simply taking their business elsewhere. Accounts in other countries were opened and this then saw them able to place a bet on a single event rather than doubles, trebles and more.
This wasn’t good news for Canada because it meant valuable business was being lost. Business that could be bringing in millions of Canadian dollars in tax revenue. June 2021 saw lawmakers finally pass legislation that changed all of this.
To do so, the Criminal Code in Canada had to be changed. Since August 27 of last year, it has now been possible for gamblers in Canada to place bets on more than a single event. Another piece of good news is the fact that there is no tax to pay on your returns.
The individual provinces in Canada now find themselves in a similar situation for USA states. Rather than it being the federal government that makes the decisions, it’s the provinces who can decide themselves what to do. That’s why so many American states have been legalizing gambling in recent years, Canada can now follow suit.