The impact of the promotional clause in online casino laws Canada.
Since the turn of the millennium, provincial governments have debated the online casino laws of Canada. To this day, arguments arise over the legitimacy of international gambling websites, and whether they can be prosecuted for accepting Canadian players.
As you may notice, after nearly two decades, no offshore casino operator, or Canadian player, has ever received such backlash. There’s good reason for it, too.
Gambling is not a career or a way to get rich quick. It is also not a way to escape your troubles. It is a form of entertainment that is meant to be fun. Leave your credit cards at home and remember, casinos and online gambling sites are in the business of making money. If you decide to gamble, remember to stay within your limits and gamble safe!
The Criminal Code of Canada does not prohibit international gambling websites from accepting players in Canada, nor does it prevent players from accessing those websites.
Provincial leaders aren’t too happy about that. Try as they might—and they have certainly tried!—the Criminal Code gives them no authority to change that fact.
When Quebec attempted to legislate new prohibitive online casino laws, Canada put a quick stop to it. Telecommunication laws can only be governed by the country, not individual provinces.
But there are some laws on the books that limit what Canadian online casinos, and their internationally regulated rivals, can and cannot do. In particular is a rule I like to call the ‘No Promo‘ clause.
Online Casino Laws Canada – No-Promo Clause
R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, Section 202 reads:
| Betting, pool-selling, book-making, etc. 202 (1) Every one commits an offence who… (g) imports or brings into Canada any information or writing that is intended or is likely to promote or be of use in gambling, book-making, pool-selling or betting on a horse-race, fight, game or sport, and where this paragraph applies it is immaterial… (ii) whether the race, fight, game or sport takes place in Canada or elsewhere, |
How Canada Interprets No-Promo Clause
Several Canadian provinces operate and regulate homegrown online casinos. These include PlayNow in BC, PlayOLG in Ontario, and Espacejeux in Quebec. Their interpretation of the no-promo clause has led them to disallow most promotional material on these websites.
For this reason, players are not eligible to receive typical promotional offers, like deposit match bonuses, or free spins on the slot machines. These promotions are very common at international online casinos. But thanks to the no-promo clause, provincially regulated gambling sites cannot offer them.
Impact of No-Promo Clause on Offshore Casinos
The exact same online casino laws apply to offshore gambling websites that accept Canadian players. However, due to jurisdictional boundaries, the law is interrupted in a different way.
International casinos are perfectly capable of accepting Canadian players. They just can’t “promote” their services to Canadians. You won’t see sites like Royal Vegas lauding the acceptance of Canadian players, or boasting a special welcome bonus for CAD depositors.
It is up to the player to find Royal Vegas and redeem the bonuses that are available.
In a nut shell, online casinos can accept Canadians and offer them all the promotions they offer everyone else. They just can’t advertise these benefits directly to Canadian players.
A good example is the difference between Royal Vegas’s regional websites.
If you visit royalvegascasino.com, you’ll find a wealth of information.
Legit Online Casino Canada
If you visit royalvegascasino.ca (the distinctly Canadian version of its website), there’s a lot less information provided, and a lot more suggestions to ‘contact customer support for further details’.
The banking section of the .CA website, for instance, does not provide a complete list of deposit options. It doesn’t tell players which payment methods can be processed directly in CAD. However, that information is readily available on the .COM website.
In this way, Royal Vegas is able to avoid potential backlash from the online casino laws of Canada, while still providing the same superior services and bonus opportunities to Canadian players.
Time Limited Offer For Canadian Players -$1200 Free Play-through Bonus (not a typo)
Royal Vegas is going crazy with their promos this month if you are a Canadian based player. They are a serious operator and accept a host of easy deposit options such as eCheck. Quick payouts, and highly recommended.
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