Canadians love gambling, especially when they can bet on their beloved hockey. The country has tremendous potential, even though it is dwarfed by its southern neighbour. The good news is that in Canada, you can gamble online without fearing the repercussions of the law. Even though the legal context is far from clear, players have multiple avenues for betting on sports, playing casino games, and poker. These are the things you need to consider if you’re a Canadian ready to gamble over the Internet.
It’s not illegal to play at offshore casinos
Anyone who plans on opening a casino in Canada will need to obtain a license. It is illegal to operate such a business without a license and those who do it expose themselves to legal repercussions. Since there are not many gambling operators licensed in Canada, players don’t have that many options. Many of them frequently choose offshore casinos, which are not regulated in this country.
The good news is that players don’t take any chances for playing at these operators, at least not legal ones. While you are not subject to prosecution if you are caught playing on their platforms, there are other risks to consider. If the casino scams its players, there is no legal recourse and nothing to be done against it. That’s why it is important to undertake research and choose an offshore casino licensed somewhere
Gambling winnings are not taxable in Canada
Players who choose to gamble over the Internet can do it for free by using the virtual money provided by the casino. All Internet gambling and sport betting operators listed source offer this alternative, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find free games. Having said this, the most exciting way of gambling is on real money, so sooner or later players need to make a deposit. Some offshore casinos allow punters to deposit in Canadian dollars, to avoid any foreign exchange fees.
Lucky players will eventually want to cash out their profits and enjoy the money made by gambling online. Each gambling operator has its own set of rules, but generally, players need to withdraw using the same payment method they use for deposits. When it comes to taxes, Canadians can consider themselves lucky. That’s because gaming activities are not taxable unless they can be assimilated as a business.
The bottom line is that the criminal code of Canada doesn’t criminalize online gambling even if you do it at unlicensed casinos. If you’re lucky and win, you get to keep all the profits you make without paying any taxes. The only real danger of gambling at an offshore casino is that you could run into a dishonest operator. If this happens, you could have your winnings withheld, the deposit funds stolen, and even personal information compromised. It’s up to you to filter out dangerous casinos and choose honest ones.
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