Top Poker Sites in Canada

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The Best Poker Sites in Canada for 2023

International sites have become the best option for Canadians looking to get into online poker as there is simply no legal local sites. Our team has played at more poker sites beyond the prairie than there are flops we've seen to find the best international poker sites for Canadians. Read our poker reviews to see where you can get the best bonuses, game variety and software. If you know which type of site you're looking for, go straight to our lists of the top international sites in Canada or the best US sites open to Canadian players.

How to Choose an Online Poker Site & Poker App in Canada

Every player will be looking for something different from their perfect Canadian poker room so it makes sense to make a list of what features are important to you before signing up to any new site. To help you out, here are some of the most common things our readers look for when they join a card room. You might be interested in some of these and not others so use this checklist to judge each potential site against your own criteria.

License/Licensee: A legitimate gambling license ensures fair play and safe banking options.

Reputation: Look for an unblemished record through online reviews, industry profiles and on forums.

Security: Seals from leading security firms (GoDaddy, McAfee etc.) show the site has passed rigorous tests for data and financial security.

Audited payout rates / RTP: Third party auditors (eCogra, GLI etc.) verify the RNG software is producing accurate results and payouts are calculated fairly.

Soft/Weak Players (Fish): Fishy players are critical for fishy profit margins. Look for games with lots of bad beat hands or beginners tables/tournaments.

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Friends Locator / Seating Chart: This lets you choose to sit with / avoid specific players at the table, or even at specific geographic locations.

Sign-Up Bonus: These can include deposit matches, free tournament entries, consultations with pros and even pre-ordered food for when you move in with that bankroll unexamined.

Loyalty Rewards / Bonus Points: Loyalty points are earned by playing and can be redeemed for cash, prizes and swag.

Alternative Poker Software: If standard downloadable software isn't working for you, try a poker site with instant-play flash apps or a mobile app.

Customer Support: Good support includes live chat, toll free phone numbers and a solid FAQ section to troubleshoot basic issues quickly.

Deposit / Withdrawal Options: More methods mean easier banking. Look for credit cards, eChecks, prepaid cards, eWallets and transfer services.

Local Customer Service Team: 24 hr. Support is good. Having reps who understand your slang and timezone is better.

Online Poker Tournaments: Strong tourney schedules offer tons of low cost satellites into big events - online and live.

Play Money / Play Money Tables: Play money gives beginner poker players real experience without the risk - plus, many amateurs never transition from play money to real money.

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Stake Stepping / Rakeback: Many rooms offer rakeback deals - either directly through the room or through affiliated third parties.

Language Options: If English isn't your first language (or you don't like using it), look for rooms with tables in your native tongue.

Live Event Satellites: Satellites give you a shot at major live events for just a few bucks.

Responsible Gambling Options: Any commitment to problem gambling includes options to set deposit limits, spending limits, time played limits and the ability to self exclude.

Legal Status of Online Poker in Canada

The legal status of online poker in Canada is unique compared to other forms of online gambling.

In 2002 the Canadian Government passed Bill C-21 which made it illegal for Canadian based companies to operate online casinos or poker sites. However, offshore gaming sites operating outside Canada were untouched by the bill and still permitted to accept Canadian customers.

This legislation, known as the "Safe Internet Gaming Act," was put forward to protect players from unscrupulous operators and has allowed international poker sites to flourish for Canadian players ever since. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Canadians regularly play internet poker and real money casino games at licensed offshore websites completely legally.

It’s worth noting that individual players playing poker online are neither breaking any laws nor is it breaking for friends to setup a shared tournament or league as long as no one is charged to enter and no one is making a profit from running it.

Even prominent politicians and members of parliament have been caught playing on partisan poker sites while others have been busted on the public stage for playing on real-money poker sites during sessions of parliament. So rest assured you're not alone if you find yourself sneaking away to play a quick SNG at lunch.

Canada does not currently have a federal law prohibiting citizens from accessing online gaming sites. That being said, individual provinces such as Quebec and British Columbia have proposed bills to restrict access but none have been passed thus far.

Despite the current legality of playing online poker for real money, we recommend that you check your local laws before playing online. As well as national laws, some states and provinces may have additional rules regarding poker that you should follow. For now though, it looks as though Canadian poker players will be able to continue enjoying the best that online poker has to offer for years to come.

In June 2009 the Canadian government announced that there would be no changes made to the current legislation and online gaming remains fully legal in Canada. That means you can continue enjoying all your favorite online poker sites and casino games safely and securely knowing that the Canadian government wants you to keep playing.

Is Poker Legal in Canada?

Yes, it’s legal for Canadians to play online poker for real money. There is no federal law that prohibits residents from accessing offshore online poker sites and no such law has been passed at the provincial level in any state.
Can Canadians Play on American Poker Sites?

Yes, Americans cannot play on most international poker sites but Canadians are unaffected. Following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the USA in 2006, many sites exited the American market but left access open to players from around the world – including Canada.
Will Poker Stay Legal in Canada?

The Conservative party, which is currently in power, has done little to regulate online gambling in Canada and has shown no inclination to make poker illegal. In fact, many Conservative party members have been caught playing online poker themselves.
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What Happened to the Canadian Poker Alliance?

Launched in late 2011, the Canadian Poker Alliance aimed to grow the game of poker across Canada and lobby the government to stop enacting legislation that threatened to intrude on poker freedom. However, in early 2015 the founders of the organization (leading member of the WSOP Canada Mike Sullivan and Canadian poker pro Jonathan Gardner) announced the organization had achieved its goals and disbanded.
Do Any Live TV Shows Feature Poker in Canada?

One of the most popular shows was Million Dollar Arm which was produced by Rich Reid, a Canadian. Aside from that there hasn’t been much love for poker on Canadian television but that could easily change with the burgeoning success of home-grown players and the massive audiences that watch the WSOP on a delayed basis.
Are there any Canada-Specific Poker Promotions?

Yes. Most large poker sites feature Canada specific freerolls, bonus offers, and special tournaments available only to players from Canada. Some also offer depositing Canadian players free maps so they can find their way around the various poker rooms quickly.
Is Collusion Common on Canadian Poker Sites?

No more common than on poker sites with a larger international player base. Because collusion is nearly impossible to detect until it’s too late (i.e. you’ve already been cheated out of your chips), most poker sites use detection software to scan IP addresses and seating information to ensure people aren’t colluding. If collusion is detected between more than two people the site can and will confiscate the entire balance of the colluder’s accounts.
Which Canadian Provinces Offer Legal Poker Rooms?

Two Canadian provinces –British Columbia and Quebec–have tried to implement legislation to restrict access to poker sites but neither bill has yet to pass. Currently, no province offers any legal poker options within its borders.

How We Rate Poker Rooms for Canadian Players

Our staff includes professional online poker players who have logged countless hours at every major poker site. We rate new sites as they emerge and re-evaluate existing sites every three months to make sure our rankings remain accurate. Here are the criteria we use to compare online poker rooms.

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Site Integrity – Only player poker sites with a legitimate gambling license, a solid record over a period of years and no black marks for deceptive practices made our top-ten list.

Player Baseleak – The amount of revenue a poker room generates by taking rake from pots. The lower the rake, the wider the leak. All poker sites rake the pot a small percentage (often 5%) but the best poker sites in Canada cap the maximum rake they can take at a table to a maximum amount (usually $3 max no matter how many players). Newer porn sites have introduced capped rake models and are drawing players away from traditional sites

Bonuses, Promotions and Guarantees – The best Canadian poker sites offer new players a healthy sign up bonus, reload bonuses, referral bonuses, loyalty rewards, bonus freerolls, free merchandise, live event satellite tournaments, bonus miles and non-stop special events and series. The bigger the prize pool guarantees (PokerStars is the undisputed king here) the better the overall promotion and liquidity will be.

Traffic and Network Partners – The busiest sites are almost always the best. They provide the widest selection of games, the softest players, the largest guarantee tournaments and the most active poker forums. Their ability to host the biggest online tournaments and the greatest selection of alternate poker software (instant play, mobile, Facebook etc.). The biggest sites like Pokerstars are able to offer huge guaranteed tournaments and the deepest, most diverse playerpools.

Soft Competition – Fish are a matter of opinion but the best sites have begun introducing player-selection tools that let you easily isolate the weakest players at the micro and small stakes levels. Bad players are the lifeblood of any poker site so the best sites actively encourage new players to join with freerolls, cheap satellites and play money tutorials. The PokerStars global customer base is considered by many to be the worst in the world.

Game Variety – Texas Hold’em is king but the best sites in Canada offer a strong selection of Omaha, Stud, Draw, Mixed Games, Boost and PokerStars’ fast fold variant, 32-card Dealt Razorama and lottery SnGs.

Tournament Diversity – Big guarantee Sunday tournaments are a must along with a full daily schedule of turbo sngs, heads up sngs, double chance sngs, multi table tournaments, satellites and rebuys.

Software and Graphics – Every poker client offers play on Mac and PC. Features to look for include multiple languages, optional sound and music, easy resizing of the tables, player customization, multiple color schemes, preview hand histories and watch table action without putting up your own money. Innovations like PokerStars patented peek feature, which lets you see all the hands on multiple tables without actually paying the big blinds, are a big plus.

Customer Service and Support – The best online poker rooms are confident enough in their products that they offer proper toll free telephone support in addition to email and live chat. Onsite FAQ sections are a must.

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Deposit and Withdrawal Options – Virtually all poker rooms accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard), several prepaid options, wire transfers and a growing number accept Western Union Transfers. The best poker sites process withdrawals back to Visa and now even allow withdrawals via PokerStars branded MasterCards.

Playing on Canada Poker Sites

While Canadians are unable to play on poker sites operated within the country’s borders, dozens of reputable foreign poker sites enthusiastically accept registrations from Canadian players.

The Canadian dollar is accepted at all major poker sites and Canadian players can find games running around the clock at every limit, from penny Ante through to games where it costs $1,000s to ante.

Many poker sites have specialized “new depositor” bonuses specifically targeted at Canadian players. Depending on the size of your first deposit, you can qualify for anywhere from $50 to more than $2,000 in free money added directly to your player account. Read our full .

Canadian players can also find a series of special freerolls only accessible to players from Canada. While these tournaments do not cost anything to enter, they offer real money prizes with no strings attached. First deposit bonuses and Canadian-only freerolls are just two examples of the healthy competition that exists among international poker sites hoping to attract Canadian business.

All the major poker sites offer a wide range of software options including “play money” games that allow you to get some experience under your belt without risking any of your own cash. Real-money players can also download a variety of helpful tools including hand-history analysis software and player-selection software that helps track the most vulnerable opponents.

Most major poker sites also run regular (and lucrative) promotions that send the best players to the World Series of Poker, the World Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour, the Asian Poker Tour and other high-profile events both live and online. Check our and our to learn more about these amazing opportunities to play for huge sums of money and battle some of the best poker players on earth.

Some poker sites have also started offering players the opportunity to earn prizes like iPhones, iPads, flat screen televisions and other expensive electronics through a combination of loyalty points and random draw promotions.

With so many great poker sites to choose from Canadian players are spoiled for choice. To help you pick between the major providers, we’ve outlined details of the deposit and withdrawal options available to Canadian players below.

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Making Deposits and Withdrawals

Making deposits and withdrawals at any of our recommended poker sites is quick and simple for Canadian poker players thanks to a number of internationally recognized payment processing methods.

The most common ways to get money onto poker sites are via credit card (MasterCard or Visa), Instadebit, MyPay Solutions, UseMyWallet, Money Transfer or Prepaid Cards. Each method varies slightly in terms of the minimum / maximum amount you can deposit or withdraw but all are very user friendly and customer support staff are available 24/7 to answer any questions.

Note: Player funds are kept in individual accounts separate from operating accounts which are held in top-rated banks. This separation ensures customer funds are available to withdraw at any time.

Credit Cards

Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted and the most popular method of funding your poker account. Once you open your poker account you’ll be asked to enter your credit card information. Your information is encrypted and stored on secure servers.

Deposit limits:$50-$1,000+

Timelines: Instantly