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Late last month, police in Ontario, Canada raided a lavish mansion outside of Toronto. Their target, according to inside information, was being used as an illegal casino catering to VIP gamblers. We all know that gambling laws are different across the world. At one end of the spectrum, some countries are laidback and have minimal rules about what their citizens can do. On the other hand, there are nations that make it totally illegal to gamble within their borders. So, where does Canada sit on this spectrum? No, gambling at home is not illegal in Canada. In fact, as online gambling currently stands in a grey legal zone, Canadians are allowed to play at foreign gambling sites. It is illegal, however, to established and run an online casino within the borders of Canada. ⚖️ Are there any online gambling laws in Canada? The sprawling mansion in Markham, north of Toronto, was being used as a high-end illegal gambling casino where a single bet could be as high as $20,000.

Some gambling commissions (who ensure gambling sites are operating legally) have rules stating that gambling sites cannot accept players from a specific country unless they’re licensed to operate there.
Take PokerStars, for example. They operated in Australia using a loophole in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. However, Australia passed a new law and the ACMA threatened to tattle on PokerStars’ to gambling commissions.

Canada Illegal Gambling Laws

Canada Illegal Gambling Winnings

One of those commissions was the New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement. They threatened to pull PokerStars’ New Jersey license if they didn’t cease operations in Australia.
That’d have severe financial repercussions, so PokerStars stopped operating in Australia. Long story short, it’s the same idea for gambling sites in Canada.