Quick Start Primer for New Online Bettors in Ontario

1. Tour of iGaming in Ontario – Basic info about the market and why it exists.
2. Pick Your Playground – Tips for selecting the right operator for your needs.
3. Account Registration – Guide to signing up for your first new player account.
4. Depositing Funds – How to select and employ an optimal payment method.
5. Navigating the Wagers – Learn the ins and outs of placing a sports/casino bet.

A Virtual Tour of Ontario’s Online Gambling Scene

Ontario launched a competitive market on April 4, 2022. That day, 18 online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker rooms were up and running with an iGaming Ontario (iGO) license. By the end of the year, that number had swelled to 67. As more and more operators flood the market, Ontarians are finding extraordinary benefits to iGaming in Ontario.

Private market regulation certainly has its perks. Operators are held to the highest standards. The security is top-notch. Responsibility – that of players and operators alike – is paramount. Games are unquestionably fair. Deposits are safe. Winnings and withdrawals are forthcoming. If for any reason a player doubts the integrity of a website, there is a responsive, local authority to complain to. 

It all boils down to trust. Ontario has opened its doors to global competition to provide players with unparalleled choices they can really trust.  That should be more than enough reason for intelligent bettors to conduct their gaming with iGO-licensed websites.

Choosing the Best Online & Mobile Gambling Site For You

First things first – ask yourself what you want out of the experience. Are you only looking to bet on one activity, or would you appreciate a mixture of sports, casino, and/or poker games?

The Games you Want to Bet On

Some of Ontario’s top operators are renowned for focusing all of their services on a single bet format. Poker players, for example, won’t find much better than WSOP.ca. But WSOP offers no other type of betting. The same goes for casino-only websites like Jackpot City and Royal Vegas, or sportsbook firms like Rivalry. One focus equates to one superior service.

Other operators will cater to everything all at once. Some are able to pull this off well, and others… not so much. The biggest names in the industry are the go-to sites for all-inclusive iGaming. Names like 888, BetMGM, Party, and PokerStars top the selection pool.

When you take poker out of the equation, the prime choices grow considerably. Ontario’s own Play Fallsview offers a fantastic sportsbook-casino combo within a brand many players are already familiar with. Bet365, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings – the list goes on.

When you’ve decided what you want to bet on, you can start taking a closer look at each operator’s menus. Narrow down your choices to your personal interests. If you love slot machines, choose a site with a lot of slots games and maybe some big progressive jackpots. If you’re into foreign sports, check out the list of supported contests at various sportsbooks. You get the idea.

Viable Payment Methods

Once you’ve got a short list of options, check out their banking pages. It won’t do you much good to join a website if you have no way of getting funds in or out of. Being geo-restricted to Ontario, this shouldn’t be a problem unless there’s a specific payment method you’re looking for. This is especially true of eWallets like PayPal and Luxon.

Take a moment to review the list of deposit and withdrawal methods, amend your list accordingly, and move on to the next section.

Appealing Promotions

You’re probably wondering why this isn’t higher on the list. Bonuses, promotions – free stuff in general – make people very happy! But when you get too happy about a bonus, it can cause you to overlook more important details (like the game variety and payment methods discussed above). So, we save this part for last.

An appealing promotional line-up can be very enticing, at least on the surface. Don’t immediately jump at the offer with the biggest dollar signs. This is where due diligence really pays off. Dig deeper. Read the fine print. Learn the wagering requirements – every bonus has them.

It is only by understanding the terms of a promotion and what’s expected of you, that you’ll truly be able to recognize and take advantage of the best online gambling bonuses.

Take the time to consider all of these aspects. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself deciding on the best gambling site to suit your style.

Setting Up a New Gambling Account for the First Time

Start by looking for a ‘Create New Account‘ link. Alternatively, it might say ‘Sign Up‘, or ‘Join‘. Click it. You’ll see a list of input boxes asking for your name, address, date of birth, etc. Fill these in accurately, providing all the information it requires. Press the Next or Continue button as prompted and follow all instructions to complete your account registration. Here are some things you can expect to encounter along the way.

Would you Like My Blood Type, Too?

Ontario is going to want a lot of information from you. To start, they’ll want your real name, address, and date of birth to prove you’re old enough to gamble online. But it doesn’t stop there. You’ll also need to provide your SIN, not just for identification purposes, but to appease the watchful eye of the government and its rapacious tax offices. You may be asked for other information, as well. Just know that provincial regulation mandates absolute security, so the sensitive stuff is not being stored or leaked to third parties.

When inputting this information, it must be 100% accurate. It must also accurately match the information associated with your government-issued ID, bank statements, household utility bills, etc. These are the forms of documentation you’ll soon be providing to prove that you are who you say you are. Which brings us to…

Documented Proof of Identity

This is the 21st century – the age of technology. Regulated iGaming websites cannot and will not take your word for it. You’ll have to prove you are the person signing up the account, and that you’re eligible to gamble on the website you’re signing up at.

See also: Who is Eligible to Gamble at Ontario’s New Mobile Sportsbooks and Casinos

You won’t be required to submit this information when you first sign up the account. However, it is an option, and if you intend to play for real money, you might as well get it over with, because you can’t request a withdrawal without it. Avoiding the inevitable will only delay your cashout that much longer.

Geolocation Detection

One more thing you’ll need to verify is your location. Ontario’s iGaming market is ring-fenced, meaning only players who are psychically located in the province can access it. You don’t have to have an Ontario address. You simply have to be located here at the time of betting. According to the rules, you can sign up an account from outside the province, but you cannot place a wager.

How you verify your location will depend on the website you’re joining and the device you log in with. If you’re using a mobile device, its integrated GPS may be enough to verify your exact location. If you’re using a computer, some operators will require you to download an app to your phone and log into it while logging in on your computer. This method verifies your location via mobile GPS, even when you’re not gaming on mobile.

Not all gambling sites require mobile geo-location. Some of them – especially the big-name offshore brands – have geolocation systems built in that are sophisticated enough to detect VPN usage (a vulnerable practice we do not recommend). VPN (virtual private network) refers to software that re-routes a user’s IP address to mask their location. Ontario only permits gambling operators with VPN-detection software to forgo the use of mobile GPS apps for their customers.

Uploading Funds to Your New Betting Account

The process from this point will depend largely on the method you choose to deposit with. I’ll break this up into sections according to the most common methods.

• Credit/ Debit Card (Visa, MasterCard)
• Online Banking (Interac, iDebit, InstaDebit, Citadel)
• eCheck / EFT
• Web Wallet (PayPal, MuchBetter, Luxon)
• Prepaid Gift Card / Voucher (Paysafecard, Flexepin)
• Bank Wire Transfer

Credit / Debit Card Gambling Payments

These are very straight-forward deposits. When you choose this method, you’ll start by selecting the type of card you wish to deposit with – credit or debit, and the brand, Visa or MasterCard.

Next, you’ll input the basic information from the card. Enter the 16-digit card number, expiration date, and security code (on the back). You will also need to enter the name and address or postal code associated with the card. then choose the amount to deposit and submit the payment.

Your funds should be available almost instantly. Debit card payments arrive in a matter of seconds, whereas credit cards can take a few minutes to process.

Deposit with Online Banking

These methods have become far easier to use in recent years. Canada’s most common online banking methods include Interac and Interac eTransfer, Citadel Instant Banking, iDebit, and InstaDebit. The majority of Canadian banks and credit unions offer at least one of these services. You’ll know if your bank is supported by choosing an online banking method from the casino cashier and scrolling through the drop-down list of banks. If it’s on the list, you’re good to go.

When you find your bank on the list, select it. Enter the amount you wish to deposit, then press the button to continue. This should open a new window to your bank’s website. Log in to your online banking account as you normally would, where you’ll be asked to confirm, the details of the payment.

Once confirmed, the payment should arrive in your gambling account immediately.

eChecks and EFT Payments

Electronic cheques (eCheck) and electronic fund transfers (EFT) are essentially the same thing. To make a payment, you’ll need the bank’s routing number (aka SWIFT code), and your bank account number. Both of these appear on your paper cheques. If you don’t use cheques, you can call your bank and ask for the numbers.

Enter these digits in the corresponding input boxes when prompted, along with any other details the casino may require. Choose the amount you wish to deposit, then submit the payment.

Electronic deposits are always instant.

Web Wallet Casino Deposits

Web wallets, or eWallets, are a fast and secure way to move funds in and out of gambling accounts without sharing your bank or card details with the casino. You’ll need to have (or set up) an eWallet account with an online payment processor such as PayPal, MuchBetter, Luxon, etc; whichever wallet(s) your iGaming operator accepts.

From the banking page, choose your web wallet service. Enter the amount to deposit. When you press the button to continue, a quick redirect prompts you to log in to your web wallet account. Here, you’ll look over the details and, if all is correct, confirm the payment.

These deposits are very fast, taking up to a minute at most to arrive.

Upload Funds with a Prepaid Card/Voucher

This section refers to prepaid cards and gift cards, as well as paper and virtual vouchers. They are all the same thing – a string of numbers and a PIN code. The only difference is the form in which they appear. Prepaid and gift cards come with a physical plastic card. Paper vouchers generally print out on a piece of receipt paper. A virtual voucher is a digital code, received by email or text message.

To use this payment method, select the brand from the banking page and input the value to be deposited. Then input the card/voucher number and the corresponding PIN code. Being prepaid, the payment is instant.

Bank Wire Transfer for iGaming

Bank wires are the costliest and slowest method of payment, but you can’t beat the security. You’ll need to follow the instructions given by the gambling website when choosing this method, as it can vary from one operator to the next, and may require a phone call to your banking branch to complete.

You can expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $50 for the service, and depending on your bank, it could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days to send the funds. 

If you’re not sure which method is right for you, see this page for tips on choosing a fast, secure way to deposit with iGO gaming sites:

• How to Pay and Get Paid at Ontario Online Gambling Sites

Placing Your First Bet on Sports, Poker, and/or Casino Games

Placing a Sport Bet

At a sportsbook, you’ll start by finding the type of sport you want to bet on. Either choose from the most popular sports on the main page,or press on the menu and choose your sport from an A-Z list. This will bring up a list of all contests available for betting on the chosen sport.

Scroll up and down through the available match-ups until you find one that interests you. Press on it, and you’ll see another list, this time detailing all the available wagers on that event – straight bets, spreads, props, etc. Click on any bet, and it will appear in your Bet Slip. You can repeat this process until all the wagers you want to make are on your slip.

Now, tap over to your bet slip. In a web browser, it should appear on the right-hand side of the screen. For mobile sports betting, click the Bet Slip icon, usually found in the bottom right corner. This will bring up a list of all the bets you’ve added to your slip. Here, you can enter and/or adjust the amount you want to wager on each selection.

The Bet Slip will display all the information about your wagers, including the odds and potential payouts. Depending on the types and number of bets you’re selecting, you may be able to convert them to a Parlay or Round Robin.

Betting with a New Casino Account

Casino betting is the easiest of all. Menu navigation begins with choosing the type of game you want to bet on. Typical categories include slot machines, table games, video poker, live casino, etc. Slots come with the largest number of titles, so expect sub-categories for this like 3-reel games, megaways slots, feature buys, and the like. Table games may also come with sub-categories for games like blackjack, roulette, and poker-oriented titles.

So, to start, work your way through the categories to the game you want to play. Press on it and wait for it to load. If you need a tutorial on how to play, a button will be available to read the rules. You can also play a few rounds for free before betting, just to get familiar with it first. When ready, look for the corresponding bet icon.

First-Time Casino Bets by Game Type

• Slots Bets: A slot machine will have a +/- sign to raise and lower your wager. There may also be a number of pay lines to bet on. Note that pay-line slots will multiply your bet size by the number of pay lines. So, if you choose to bet $0.25 across 9 pay lines, your total wager per spin will be $2.25. Slots with a high number of lines can get expensive quickly, so be careful. Once you’re confident with your bet size, press Spin, and away you go!
• Table Games: All table and card games promote betting via chip sizes. You will see an array of color-coordinated chips toward the bottom of the table display. Click on the chip size you want to bet, then press the designated betting area to place it there. You can bet more by continuing to place chips of the same or different denominations. When you’re all done, press the corresponding button to play the game (Draw in card games, Spin for roulette, etc.)
• Video Poker: Video poker machines are similar to slots, where you’ll choose the coin size you want by pressing the +/- buttons. You may also be able to choose the number of coins to bet per play. So, choosing 3 coins at $1.00 initiates a $3 bet when you press the Draw button.
• Live Casino: These are just like table games, but the layout is a little different. Choose a chip size from the available choices, and then press on the designated betting area to place one or more chips.

Betting in a Poker Game

The most important advice I can give you is to be very familiar with the rules and betting structure of any poker game before you play online for real money. If you’re not ready, download a social poker app on your phone and get some practice first. You’ll learn everything you need to know about the game, including how and when to bet. Otherwise, your inexperience and slow reaction time is just going to annoy the other real players at the table.

No matter what games you choose to gamble on with your new gambling account, be it sports, casino, or poker, the most important things to remember are to bet responsibly, and above all, have fun!