March 2024

Canadian Poker Sites

Canadian Poker Sites Are you looking to play at a top online poker site for Canadians? Do you really want to spend time trying them all out? Thought not, so we went out and found the best online poker sites that players from Canada can enjoy.

All of our top Canadian sites for 2024 listed here were selected because they:

  • Provide Canadian poker players with fast and secure deposits and cashouts.
  • Offer 24/7/365 customer service and large sign-up bonuses.
  • Have great software and plenty of tournaments and cash games.

Our top rated Canadian site this month is 888 Poker.

Now that you've finally found this page of the best online Canadian poker sites, you can get down to playing your favorite games. Just visit any of our recommended sites below for a guaranteed great experience for Canadian online poker.

Still unsure which site is best for you? Try our site finder below
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Blacklisted Sites

Our team of experts are here to bring you their recommendations on the best Canadian poker websites to look out for. But we’re also here to tell you which ones you’ll want to avoid. The following sites have all been noted for inadequate player protection, unfair games or questionable customer service.

Lock Poker
1.4/10
Players have reported waiting huge amounts of time for their winnings from this casino. Some players have had to wait over a year to receive their money!
Ultimate Bet
0.6/10
The owners of this casino have been indicted in the United States for money laundering and bank fraud. The site itself has been at the center of cheating scandals.
Absolute Poker
0.6/10
With rigged games and inadequate payment processes drawing attention to this online casino, it’s no wonder that players are now being advised to avoid the site.
Card Spike
1.1/10
Customer support is completely lacking, and many customers have faced years of waiting for funds they’ve withdrawn. This site has never offered sufficient player protection.

Finding The Best Canadian Online Poker Sites

The best online poker rooms for Canadians offer players many options, from convenient banking features to qualifiers to major live events such as the World Poker Tour event held each year at the Fallsview Casino at Niagara and TV events. When searching for Canadian-friendly poker sites, it's important to make well-informed decisions regarding where you'll play online, especially with real money.

There is so much more to the question “What is the best online poker site?” because there are also other factors to consider before you sign-up and play, such as loyalty programs, bonuses and the perks each website offers. All of this and much more is discussed in our detailed reviews of Canada's best internet gambling websites, written by the expert Pokersites.com team. We also have a list of CAD websites that accept the Canadian Dollar currency.

Fortunately for Canadians, online poker play is completely legal in Canada

Fortunately for Canadians, online poker is completely legal in the country. In fact, after the so-called 'Black Friday' of the game, many USA players migrated to Canada to enjoy playing legally online. This means that the best CA options have high traffic and can focus more on features and specifically catering to you, without having to worry about legal issues. The top sites accept the Canadian Dollar for secure payments (deposits), withdrawals (cash outs) and wagers with no currency conversion issues or fees.

It is also very important that the big names like Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, Party Poker or 888 Poker have their websites, software and customer service in both English and French. In fact, it's very common for them to have their dedicated software available in the French language. However, only the most popular and best poker rooms for Canadians maintain full customer service teams in French to serve players in areas such as Quebec and Montreal.

Great Tournaments & Freerolls

The best Canadian poker rooms offer special qualifying tournaments and promotions specifically designed for you and other players in your region. For example, a site like PokerStars, Party Poker or 888 Poker Canada will offer a freeroll qualifying tournament to play in a live WPT tournament nearby. Loyalty programs at these sites also have prize packages and loyalty rewards specifically for players in Canada.

Canada online poker sites serve an already large market in North America so people new to Texas Hold’em at sites such as PokerStars can play alongside other local people in their chosen language and currency. Special CA poker sites with support for French speaking players can help players by making them feel more comfortable and allowing them to interact with other players. These venues are a great entertainment alternative to the live casinos in Vancouver or near Toronto in Niagara Falls, and many other locations around Canada.

So as you can see, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to online poker for Canadians. Read our expert room reviews which provide a breakdown of the factors we consider when rating them. Choose one of these top rated sites and play today for your exclusive and completely free welcome bonus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to play online poker in Canada?

Yes - no Canadian poker player has been charged with a criminal offence just for playing online, so there is nothing to be worried about in this respect. Canadian players can play legally on worldwide online poker sites, against players from various different countries.
Things are a little different for those operating an online gambling site as, with some exceptions such as the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory and state-run sites in British Columbia and Quebec, Canadian-facing online poker rooms cannot be located within Canada's borders. This does not affect you as a player though.

What specific gambling laws do I need to know about?

The Canadian Criminal Code covers the concept of an 'unauthorised gambling house' however this has never been acted on in relation to online poker sites, and there is no indication it even applies to online gambling activities. Some individual territories and provinces within Canada have laws of their own in relation to licensed Internet poker rooms, so it is worth staying on top of the situation in your home territory or province.

Do I have to pay taxes on my winnings?

If you make a profit playing online poker then you will be subject to Canadian taxes, however if you make a loss then this is not something you need to worry about. This is particularly relevant to professional poker players, who would be well advised to report winnings and make the relevant tax filings in response. Recreational players making relatively insignificant amounts of money might still escape the attention of the authorities, however it is not worth running the risk of failing to report a profit, however small.

Are Canadian poker sites reliable?

Yes, most of the options available to Canadian poker players are hugely reliable, and hold licences in some of the best respected and trusted jurisdictions in the world. Under the terms of these licences, online poker rooms will be subject to regular checks and audits, and many will be bound by the terms of their licence to ensure player funds are kept segregated from operational funds. We have provided our own scrutiny above and beyond this to ensure we only recommend sites we would trust ourselves.

Is it safe to deposit money with a credit card?

Many Canadian poker sites will accept credit card deposits , however it is always worth checking before signing up for a real money account. Deposit methods are usually listed in the cashier section, while many sites will allow you to take advantage of toll-free customer support numbers or online live chat to make absolutely sure your preferred deposit method is accepted.

What about other deposit methods?

There are countless other options if you prefer not to deposit using a credit card, and one of the more popular is e-wallets. These allow you to set up an account with a reliable and encrypted third party site, meaning you are not required to give any card or bank details direct to the site in question.

What kinds of games are available?

This will vary from site to site, but Canadian poker players can enjoy the most popular variants, like No Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot Limit Omaha, across the board. Certain rooms will also offer games like Five Card Draw, Seven Card Stud or Seven Card Razz, for those of you who prefer something a little different.

How long does it take to claim my winnings?

It generally depends on your withdrawal method. Some of the best Canadian sites will allow you to withdraw to e-wallet accounts and it will take just one day, though other methods such as paper cheques have been known to take longer.