New Online Casinos Launched in Canada

Most new online casinos available outside of Ontario don’t have huge marketing budgets, so can’t afford big ad campaigns on TV at primetime slots, like BetMGM or Bet99.

So, to stay competitive, new casinos offer really generous welcome bonuses to entice new players.

Often this will be a simple cash-back promotion (where a casino will pay you back a % of your losses over time) so the casino can attract a big volume of players immediately post-launch.

Sometimes, they’ll even offer wager-free bonuses, though a 1x playthrough is more common. (For example, if a bonus is C$50, you’ll need to place C$50 worth of bets to redeem it.) 

New casinos normally launch with games from fast-integrating studios such as Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, Hacksaw, Relax and Nolimit City. As a result, they’ll often have the latest game types and releases, such as arcade-style crash games.

International brands also generally have bigger games libraries than their Ontario counterparts, as it’s a quicker approval process for them to host more niche games or titles from smaller studios.

You can normally also expect a new casinos’ game lobby to noticeably expand in the first 60-90 days after launch. So if you don’t see live casino games straight away, give it a little bit of time.

Another aspect that makes new casinos stand out from older brands, is that the majority accept various cryptocurrencies as well as good ol’ regular currency.

Just watch out for volatile exchange rates and expect extra verification steps if you want to cash-out with crypto.

This will basically involve verifying your identity by uploading your ID, proof of address and some additional banking statements to prove you’re who you say you are.

All the new casinos we recommend are built mobile-first, so expect a vertical interface with quick filters, huge tap targets and big bet buttons. Perfect for one hand gaming with no room for misclicks.

Most online casinos have dormant account fees, meaning that they’ll slowly start to take your funds away if you’re not playing there regularly enough.

So be careful if you sign-up at a new casino and leave money in other online casino accounts idle.

Many terms and conditions (T&Cs) define inactivity as six to 12 months with no login or wager. After that, monthly inactivity fees (often between C$5–C$10) may be applied to your balance until it reaches zero or you log back in.

So if you’re no longer using an old account at another casino, withdraw your remaining balance.

Most T&Cs ban the use of a VPN (short for virtual private network). If you’re detected using one, your account could be locked with any bonuses you’ve earned confiscated.

If your account is reinstated, you’ll also likely face an enhanced Know Your Customer (KYC) process to withdraw winnings.

(KYC is basically a series of ID and proof-of-address checks the casino makes to ensure you’re a real player, not someone laundering money for nefarious intents.)

Even if you’re physically in Canada, a VPN path through another country can look suspicious.

Some new casinos will advertise that they accept Canadian dollars, but will actually settle all transactions in euro or US dollars behind the scenes, leaving you to pay the difference with foreign exchange (FX) fees on deposits and withdrawals (normally between 1-3%).

So make sure you review the T&Cs for any mentions of conversion rates, and deposit and withdraw using the same payment method and currency to avoid a double FX charge.

Also, for bonuses with max-win caps (where there is a limit or ‘cap’ on how much you’re allowed to cash out from it), ensure the ‘cap’ is stated in Canadian dollars or ‘CAD’, not “€500 equivalent” or similar.

Most new brands exclude e-wallets and prepaid cards, like Skrill, Neteller, iDebit and Instadebit, from welcome bonuses to curb what they call ‘bonus cycling’, where players use instant withdrawal cards to redeem and withdraw bonuses before meeting the wagering requirements.

Make sure to check the “bonus-eligible payment methods” table in a promotions T&Cs before you deposit.

If you’ve already deposited with an excluded method, speak to customer support so they know your next deposit will be in Canadian dollars and therefore eligible for any bonuses.

New brands will often be required to perform enhanced KYC checks before you can sign-up or withdraw any winnings. So have your personal details to hand to avoid any unwanted delays.

For proof of address, use a bank, utility or tax bill no older than 90 days. Prepaid mobile bills are often rejected, as are PO Boxes. Provincial IDs without an address will also require extra documentation.

Finally, for bank statements, don’t over-redact information. Make sure your name, partial account number, bank logo and date are all visible.

New casinos can sometimes change platforms or even payment processors after they initially launch. There’s a small chance this could result in things like modified RTP rates on games, VIP resets or even lost wagering progress.

So screenshot your progress and confirm with customer support that balances, free spins, comp points, and wagering progress will carry over. 
If the casino does announce a change in platform or payment processor, withdraw your funds until the new platform proves itself to be stable.