Type the term "bitcoin" into Google or any search engine of your choice, and you'll discover a veritable goldmine of news stories. It's been the hot trend for the past year, and certainly for all of 2017. If you want to be at the forefront of a new way to gamble online, find a site that allows you to wager with virtual currency, and they'll almost certainly accept bitcoin.
So it's no surprise that Canadian bitcoin gambling sites are popping up left and right. Canadian casinos that accept bitcoin, sportsbooks that use bitcoin, and crypto bingo sites for Canadian players are part of a Canadian online gambling sector that is experiencing something of a bitcoin revolution.
Today, we are going to show you the top online bitcoin gambling sites that are legally available to Canadians. Along the way, we'll point out some of the important dos and don'ts of gambling with bitcoin.
Why These Canadian Bitcoin Gambling Sites?
Many Canadian bitcoin gambling sites can be found online. So what made us choose the above as our recommended sites? Well, for one, we have a certain way we go about things when it comes to adding new features to a site. That is, we have a very specific set of standards that we apply to almost all of the online gambling sites that we recommend, whether they use bitcoin or not. And as far as we can see, the sites we recommend on this page have all of the following features.
In fact, we maintain a strict set of criteria for all of the online casino sites we recommend, regardless of whether they accept Bitcoin or not. We ensure that all of our recommended sites share these same attributes.
Trustworthiness
Each of our sites has historically and currently runs on secure, encrypted connections that keep your personal and financial information safe. They are legitimate gaming sites run by experienced operators. They have, in almost all cases, national gaming licenses that are sanctioned by gaming authorities. And the most important thing: they won't steal your valuables, in any kind of deposit! Note: The above text is copyrighted by the author, and changes were made to it in order to bring it into compliance with the required non-change of structure, format or message.
Service Variety
We don't know if you want to bet on the horses, play roulette, spin the slots, or face other live players in a poker tournament. That's why we choose sites that give you lots of options, including casino games, sports betting, and various other forms of gambling.
Fast Payouts
Sending bitcoin anywhere, anytime, for a tiny fraction of a penny is one of the best things about using it for any reason. You could send 10 million of the electronic coins from Canada to Japan and they would arrive within hours. The gambling sites we choose almost always offer same day payouts.
Excellent Service
One of the most important aspects of any gambling site we review is customer service, but it takes on special significance when we review Canadian bitcoin gambling sites. Because so many people are new to using bitcoin, it's crucial that the customer service team at these sites is sharp, friendly, and eager to solve any problems that may arise.
Why Use Bitcoin to Gamble Online?
If you have already joined the bitcoin movement, then you surely know why we recommend Canadian bitcoin gambling sites. But if you haven't, here's the somewhat redundant section on why bitcoin online casinos are good for you.
You may not be completely convinced of the idea yet. So, especially for you, we will go through the reasons why a large number of people have started using bitcoin to gamble on the Internet.
Bitcoin Is Secure
The bitcoin blockchain has existed since 2009 and has undergone rigorous testing and security checks. It allows users to send and receive value without the need for trusted third parties, such as banks or credit card companies, to act as intermediaries. In principle, if a person or group were able to carry out a serious hack of the blockchain, that value could essentially be invalidated or sent to an address controlled by the hacker, with no recourse for the rightful owner. And yet-despite ample opportunities for hackers to either send false messages to the network or alter the messages recorded in the blocks-they haven't.
The bitcoin payment network is one of the most secure in the world. Its encryption is unbreakable, and the ledger that records all transactions is immutable, making it as close to 100% fraud-proof as you can get.
When used properly, bitcoin protects its users from theft. If the user is defrauded by a fake casino that claims they never made a deposit, that payment is recorded on the bitcoin ledger for all to see, and the user can prove at any time that they made the payment.
Bitcoin Is Private
It's natural for people to want privacy when it comes to their financial affairs; however, it's of the utmost importance to maintain that privacy when it comes to gambling on the Internet.
Unfortunately, there will always be people who judge us for playing online. One group that definitely does not look favorably upon it is bank managers. They're the ones who, when we apply for a loan or mortgage, can and do sometimes refuse to give it to us because they see some gambling transactions on our bank statement from the last few months.
If you use Canadian bitcoin gambling sites, you will have a transaction showing that you purchased bitcoin, and that's it. The mystery of where you sent the Bitcoin is yours to solve; no one else will find out unless you want them to.
Bitcoin Is Fast
Many crypto enthusiasts claim that bitcoin is slow compared to other cryptocurrencies such as ripple and litecoin, but it is still lightning fast when compared to traditional banking and payment systems.
You can send bitcoin to the most remote corners of the world in a matter of minutes. Even if the blockchain is ridiculously congested, it will still take a few hours to get your money from a bitcoin gambling site in Canada to your own secure wallet.
Consider the 3-5 business day wait for credit/debit card or bank transfer payments to clear, and it's easy to see why waiting for your money in bitcoin - an average of 10 minutes with the potential of a few and the promise of no more than an hour - makes the cryptocurrency seem so much more attractive.
Bitcoin Is Cheap
When we say that bitcoin is cheap, we certainly don't mean that buying a whole bitcoin is easy on your wallet. What we mean is that sending and receiving bitcoin is easy on the wallet compared to many other payment methods. Here are some cost comparisons to chew on.
While many credit card companies charge a 2.5% fee on casino transactions (which can add up to a lot on a transaction over $1,000), you can transfer the same amount of Bitcoin for a negligible fee of just a few cents.
There are several important reasons for looking for Canadian bitcoin gambling sites with either no fees or really low fees. One of the main reasons is that you certainly don't want one of the main advantages of using bitcoin - namely, the ability to make transfers without incurring serious fees - to be offset by sky-high withdrawal fees at gambling sites.
Bitcoin Is Permissionless
This is one of the best reasons for using bitcoin. You have to apply for a credit card or a bank account, and banks like to tell you what you can and can't do with your money. With bitcoin, money is 100% permissionless. To use it, you simply download an app. Or create an exchange account. That's it. You're in.
Proving your income is not a requirement to use bitcoin. There are no forms to fill out. You do not have to worry about your bank or payment provider restricting transactions for any reason (as some have done in the US). You can spend your Bitcoin at any online gambling site on whatever you want, whenever you want. If you want to spend all your bitcoin at a Canadian site, that is well within your rights, and I for one think it strengthens the Canadian bitcoin gambling ecosystem.
Bitcoin could be called a currency for adults. You're not asking the bank or mom and dad for permission to send or receive money. It's your money, do what you want with it.
Summary
Hopefully, you now have a fair idea of the reason why so many online gamblers are now jumping on the bitcoin bandwagon. This cryptocurrency is revolutionary; it will change many things in our world in the next few decades.
The gaming industry is always at the forefront of adopting new technologies. Canadian online casinos that accept Bitcoin are some of the very first gaming establishments in the world to use this new currency. You can tell your grandchildren that you were part of this movement in the early days (and we assure you, it is still very much in the early days)!
Downsides to Using Bitcoin to Gamble Online
If you're a person who pays attention and stays on the ball, you've already figured out that what's been laid out above are the advantages of using bitcoin. And I would wager that most, if not all, of you have flipped the coin in your head and wondered what the other side might look like.
Certainly, there are some disadvantages to using bitcoin gambling sites and using bitcoin in general. As a reliable resource for bitcoin gambling, we want to present you with both sides.
Before you dive in and use bitcoin to gamble online, here are some things you need to be aware of.
Bitcoin Is New
Bitcoin was created and went online in 2009, but it is unfamiliar to many people, and that is what we mean here.
Using bitcoin, like anything new, can take some getting used to. For example, the wallet addresses themselves. They are not very user friendly. And to be fair to users, it's easy to see how someone might find the addresses to be a confusing religion of signs that require a conversion to understand how they actually work. And yet, as the old saying goes, you can't pay with bitcoin if you don't get it first.
Yet all you have to do is copy and paste someone's wallet address and send the bitcoin. It's surrealistically easy once you get over the initial weirdness of doing it.
If you prefer to send Bitcoins using QR codes, that's also an option. This eliminates the need to use wallet addresses.
Bitcoin Is Volatile
One of the main reasons bitcoin is in the news so much is that its price is so volatile. It is not uncommon for bitcoin prices to change by hundreds of dollars in a single day, and over the course of a week, the value can change by thousands of dollars.
The essence of bitcoin is this, and has always been this: it has crashed many times before, and it has always recovered and gone on to far exceed the price at which it crashed, many times over. This has been the cycle of bitcoin from the beginning - our malfunctioning simulator of a currency - but it's not surprising that much of the population is turned off by the recurring disaster for a currency that is supposed to be stable and reliable by nature.
But there's a flip side. Just as the price of bitcoin can plummet, it can also skyrocket. Some players see this as an advantage when using bitcoin. You could win $5,000 today and find that it has doubled in value in a few months.
We assume that you have at least some appetite for risk since you're considering Canadian bitcoin gambling sites. How much risk you accept in your life is, of course, a very personal decision. We accept some and not others. Even those of us who live on the edge of risk sometimes enjoy the security of playing it safe. That said, bitcoin is a safe bet.
There Are Bitcoin Scams
Playing at reliable gambling sites is always important, but in the case of Canadian bitcoin gaming platforms, it is crucial to have an even higher level of trust in the operator. Trustworthy payment methods. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are still fairly new to most people, and as such they are shrouded in a bit of mystery. Not everyone understands how bitcoin works or how to get it, and even fewer people have gotten in on the ground floor and consciously taken the plunge. This meant that in the early days of using bitcoin for online gambling, operators were either unknown or operating in the shadows, casting doubt on their legitimacy.
Typically, these sites are hidden on offshore servers, making it quite difficult to get them to refund you. Similarly, unlike a bank, there is no company behind bitcoin, which means there is no customer service to contact if you have a problem.
If you send your Bitcoins to the wrong address or to a fraudulent casino website, it is your responsibility to correct the mistake. In some cases, this is downright impossible. This underscores why it is of the utmost importance to carefully read our reviews of Canadian bitcoin gambling sites and use them to choose a site that is on the up-and-up.
Bitcoin Gambling Bonuses
We considered putting this information in the "Benefits of Using Bitcoin to Gamble Online" section above, but we felt it really deserved its own section. The fact is that some bitcoin gambling sites offer crazy bonuses. And that is one of the main reasons to use these sites.
Although many gaming sites will match your deposit up to $1,000, some Canadian bitcoin gaming sites will match your deposit 100% up to 1BTC. This is an enormous amount of money, and it means that using bitcoin can earn you much larger bonuses than those available to players using regular currencies.
We’ve seen:
Bitcoin Free Spins
These are spins on slots that you can play for free after making a deposit with Bitcoin. They're often given on a few specific games.
Bitcoin Free Bets
These are found at Bitcoin sportsbooks and are risk-free bets given as a reward for depositing Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Deposit Matches
These can be found at Bitcoin casinos and poker sites and are simply “deposit x get x” offers.
The bitcoin gambling sites in Canada that we have listed in the table above all have their own unique offerings, so be sure to check them out. Hopefully you'll find one with a vibe you like.
Caution: Do not attempt to obtain Bitcoin by depositing and withdrawing in the following manner: deposit in Bitcoin, receive your free Bitcoin bonus, and then withdraw the funds. This system is not designed to allow this type of workaround and will most likely not allow you to receive free Bitcoin. All of the bitcoin offers that I am aware of come with significant terms and conditions.
Picking a Canadian Bitcoin Gambling Site
There's a simple three-step process that will help you choose a satisfactory online bitcoin gambling site from the Canadian options. If you follow this process, you'll be much more likely to end up with a bitcoin gambling site that meets your needs and provides you with an enjoyable online gambling experience.
(1) Get Clear About What You Want
Each site is different in what it offers. Think about what you want to get out of it. Do you want to play casino games? How about betting on various sports? Is poker an important consideration for you? What kind of bonuses in bitcoin are you hoping to secure? Will you need an app or do you prefer to play directly from the website?
(2) Read Our Expert Reviews
Although you could skip to step three, you might miss something unless you consider yourself a real expert on gambling sites. Probably best to go through this at a steady pace - kind of like how I approach gambling. Our team has been reviewing sites for years and has accumulated an impressive amount of experience. We leave no stone unturned when it comes to our gambling sites. We discuss everything you could possibly want to know, which helps you eliminate inappropriate sites before you actually go to them.
(3) Visit and Try the Sites
See the table above? It has live links to our recommended Canadian bitcoin betting sites. Click on the buttons to go to these sites. Once there, feel free to check out their services. If you like what you see, think about registering an account.
You can have accounts at several different gambling sites. You can sign up, you can take advantage of no deposit bonuses when they're offered, and you can take your time looking around to see if the site is right for you.
Some Final Advice
We hope you now have a much better understanding of what makes a good Canadian bitcoin gambling site. You also know some of the reasons why it can be good and some of the reasons why it can be bad to gamble with bitcoin. And most importantly, you now know how to choose a bitcoin gambling site that suits your taste and needs.
Take your time with this process. We often say that choosing a gambling site is like choosing a vacation or a car. You don't want to rush and make a mistake. Thanks to some dirty casino sites, you could end up with a regrettable situation on your hands.
Take your time, look around, find a great Canadian Bitcoin gambling site, and don’t forget to enjoy yourself!