Canada’s Top 5 Best Online Poker Sites for 2024

Written By Zara Harris Published on 12.11.2019 Last Updated on 19.07.2024

As you will see, at the majority of top poker sites in Canada, you can also grab a welcome bonus. These deals often come in the form of free play cash that you can use to boost your initial play. As with any online gambling promotion, you need to be aware of the terms and conditions that are attached to a poker welcome bonus.

The Top 5 Online Poker Sites in Canada by Category

In addition to looking at the safety and security of a site, you are also best off looking at the games on offer. After all, other factors don’t matter much if you can’t play any games that you enjoy. Decent sites will offer a good range of poker variants, with Texas Hold’em being the most popular option. Here are the best poker sites available in Canada according to our reviewing criteria:

• 888Poker – Best Canada Poker Site

• Party Poker – Best Pick for Cashback Hunters

• Unibet – Best Immersive Gameplay

• Full Tilt Poker – Great Choice for New Players

• PokerStars – Biggest Poker Site Worldwide

The above list is in no way an exhaustive run down of all the online poker sites Canada players can enjoy. Rather, it’s a good starting point and should direct you to the best choice for what you’re specifically looking for. To learn how we made the above choices, keep reading.

Our Selection Criteria of the Online Poker Sites in Canada

We’ve briefly mentioned our criteria already but allow us to introduce it in greater detail. Through years of reviewing experience, these are the features we always test for when on the lookout for the best poker sites Canada fans can access. It’s a tried and true method of testing for the best.

1. The Poker Online Games Offer

You don’t need to be an expert reviewer to know that the games on offer make up a big portion of what makes a poker site worthwhile. We always scan poker online games Canada libraries to ensure that the titles are of the highest quality and that there’s a good variety of games available.

As any poker fanatic will tell you, there’s a lot of variety in the world of poker, so strong representation of the game’s many variants is a must. Naturally, some casinos will favour certain variants over others. If you’re looking for where to play your favourite form of poker, check out our choices below.

• Omaha – Offered by bwin Poker

• Pot Limit Omaha – Offered by Unibet

• 7-Card Stud – Offered by William Hill

In the table above, you’ll find our recommended sites for specific poker variants. That’s not to say that you won’t find the above variants at any other poker sites Canada wide, merely that those listed really impressed us with the games they had on offer and the quality of their service overall.

Another feature we screened for are games that straddle the poker and slots worlds. Both games are titans of online casino gameplay, and when the two come together it can be truly exciting. Therefore, you’ll also find the availability of these online poker games Canada sites reflected in our choices.

2. The Online Poker Sites Payout Rates: Rake and Rakeback

When playing any kind of casino game, it’s always crucial to pay attention to the theoretical payout. If you’re looking for the best online poker sites for real money Canada players can find, then this is the section to which you’ll need to pay the closest attention. Check out our payout findings below.

In the table above, you’ll be able to peruse the payout rates of some of the most popular poker variants across some of our top-rated casinos. As you can see, some of the RTPs are quite high, which makes poker one of the best payout casino games.

3. Bonuses and Promotions

Bonuses are big business in the online betting world. Sites routinely offer large rewards to players simply for signing up, and poker sites are no different. Though poker-specific bonuses are less common, many regular online casino welcome bonuses can be used across poker games.

Welcome bonuses are not the be all and end all of rewards, however. You might be lucky enough to come across poker sites with no deposit in Canada, which means players can enjoy a free hand without having to pay a penny. Though rare, these offers certainly are not unheard of.

4. Mobile Poker Sites App

It’s no secret that we all spend more time on our phones nowadays than ever before, and the world of online gambling has adapted to reflect this fact. The best mobile poker sites Canada players can visit will either have a mobile-ready site or a downloadable app for both Android and iOS.

The table above will give you a short overview of what’s available at the many online poker sites Canada players can find. To learn about mobile gambling in more detail, however, we recommend that you pop over to our mobile casino guide.

5. Poker Sites Software Platform

To put it frankly, poker sites Canada players can visit are only ever as good as its software platform. Without a solid, intuitive system, you’re not going to get very far in your game, and you likely won’t have a good time. Good software will always be easy to use and extremely user-friendly, which is what we screen for.

The best online poker Canada sites will often run on the same software or platforms. This is a good thing for players, as it means you can often play against a wide variety of players from other operators. When looking through our list of the top poker sites Canada, you’ll likely come across the following platforms:

• OnGame
• iPoker
• GG Network
• PartyPoker
• The Microgaming Network
• Winning Poker Network

In addition to providing top-of-the-line poker software, the presence of these networks and software platforms at online poker sites Canadaplayers can visit assures that the site in question is reputable. The above networks are highly respected, and only lend their wares to legitimate sites.

Downloadable Clients

Though many of the best poker sites Canada players can find are fully available in your browser, the absolute best of the bunch will also provide a downloadable client. It’s recommended to download the software wherever possible, as it can often run more smoothly and with fewer hiccups than the browser equivalent.

The Liquidity Factor

Liquidity is something we’ve briefly touched upon already with regards to poker platforms. Basically, liquidity refers to traffic on a platform coming from a variety of operators. When operators share a platform, they increase the ability for players to play against a lot of opponents. The best poker sites Canada players can find will have strong liquidity.

6. Safety: Only Trusted Poker Sites

When examining any gambling site, our primary concern is always player safety. Therefore, you will never find any risky or untrustworthy poker sites featured here. When selecting our trusted poker sites, we make sure to screen for funds protection, responsible gambling tools, brand reputation, data security and fairness always.

• 888Poker – Global Powerhouse in Gambling

• GGPoker – SSL Security Certification from DigiCert

• bwin Poker – 128-bit SSL Encryption

• Unibet – Trustwave Encryption Software

• William Hill – Trustworthy Payment Methods

The above online poker sites Canada players can access have all met our high standards for safety and security and present no risks to players.

7. Tables, Sit and Go and Tournaments

Another key feature we screen for when seeking the best sites to play poker Canada, or elsewhere, is the number of tables and the variety of tournaments. Naturally, table number is important. It’s all well and good if a site is buzzing with activity, but if you can’t find a free table you won’t get in on the action.

Ideally, tables and tournaments should cater to a wide number of players and allow players to play and go as they please. In this sense, the biggest online poker sites operate something akin to Canada bingo sites, in that traffic can pass smoothly and frequently.

8. The Range of Payment Methods

The other major things to be aware of are the table limits offered on an online poker site and the various payment methods that are accepted by the operator. Make sure that the table limits available suit your budget, as should never pressurize yourself to bet more than you want, just to play a game. Equally, it’s far from ideal to have to sign up to a new payment service just to use at a site that won’t accept your favourite credit card or eWallet.

One important consideration when choosing which payment method to use at a Canadian poker site is that not all deposits by all payment types will trigger a bonus. Often eWallets like Neteller and Skrill will not trigger a bonus, so check the bonus fine print before making your first transaction.

9. The Players

Apart from the potential winnings, a big part of why we flock to online poker sites Canada and beyond is the players. A strong user base means you won’t have to wait too long to start playing and will also ensure a steady flow of new people to play against, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting.

Between tournaments and the liquidity of platforms, you’ll have no shortage of opponents at our recommended poker sites. The communal aspect of the game really is one of the most fulfilling and enjoyable features, so don’t underestimate it on your search for a quality operator.

10. Special VIP Levels

Last but certainly not least among the features we scan for is special VIP levels. If you’re familiar with any kind of gambling site, you’ll already be aware that there are often VIP perks available for frequent players. In this regard, the top pokers sites featured on this page are no different.

At many of the operators we’ve listed here, you can expect rewards for loyalty. More often than not, these are accessed automatically through an in-built point system. Accruing a certain amount of points will net you rewards like exclusive tournaments or monetary bonuses, so keep an eye out.

Licensing and Regulation

The first thing to say here is that online poker sites can’t be based in Canada. The only exception to this is if they are based in the First-nation territory of Kahnawake. So, although it is entirely legal to play poker online, you will generally need to do so on international sites. The first thing to look at when considering a site is where it is based and where it is licensed. Certification from respected authorities like Britain’s Gambling Commission and The Malta Gaming Authority is an excellent sign of quality and trustworthiness.

New Poker Sites in Canada

The popularity of poker online often dictates the appearance of new operators. Currently, online poker is enjoying a great deal of success, and as such new sites are being launched all the time. It can be difficult to keep up with new poker sites Canada players can visit, so we’ve been keeping tabs on the latest.

The above refers solely to the best new poker sites. Naturally, the above table will be updated frequently to reflect new arrivals on the scene. If you’re looking for sites with a bit more scope, or just casino sites generally, we recommend you head over to our ranking of the best new casino sites.

Poker Sites to Avoid in Canada

We can’t offer an exhaustive list of the top poker sites, as we’d be here all day. However, if you decide against playing at our recommended operators and go in search of poker sites on your own, we do strongly recommend that you stay away from some of the following sites:

The sites above have received poor reviews and, in some cases, heavy penalties for putting their players at risk with their dodgy practices. There are plenty of rewarding, enjoyable and safe operators on the market. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable by playing at a shady site.

History

Poker has long been a game favoured by Canadians for its interesting strategic gameplay – since the 19th century, in fact. The game was outlawed in the late 1890s, though, as part of a sweeping reform against gambling in the country. However, in the 1970s, changes implemented to the Canadian Criminal Code allowed individual provinces to regulate games of chance in order to combat underground and mafia-run gambling dens.

The first land-based casino in Canada opened in Winnepeg in 1989 and a string of others followed shortly thereafter. In 1999, all remnants of the 1890s ban on gambling were lifted. This set the groundwork for gaming in Canada as we know it today and coincided with the poker boom of the early 2000s, turning poker into one of the most popular games in the country.

Online poker in Canada is also quite popular, though there are question marks around the legality of some online poker rooms. Since Canadian First Nations peoples have been allowed to operate gambling halls on their territories for many years, tribes like the Kahnawake provide many online operators with licences. However, in the eyes of Canadian authorities, these are considered offshore providers.

Even though this is a legal loophole, Canadian authorities historically allow operators and players the freedom to gamble as they wish. To prevent revenue from leaving the country via offshore brands, provinces began to explore operating online casinos as part of the local lottery. British Columbia became the first province to do so, thereby closing the loophole in 2012. Other provinces like Quebec quickly followed suit, providing players with the ability to play 100% within the law. Canada is a hotbed for poker talent and produces some of the most popular professional players on the circuit. 2010 WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel is from Boucherville, Quebec. Arguably the most famous poker player in the world, Daniel Negreanu, hails from Toronto. Other popular Canadian poker players include Isabelle Mercier, Timothy Adams and Jaime Staples.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an alternative to online poker sites, check out our guide to the top operators for casino poker. Or, you can jump back to our main guide to online casinos in Canada if you would like to find other options. If you’re looking for a simpler way to play the game, you can investigate the video poker games or potentially the poker at live dealer casinos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hopefully this page has given you a good introduction to the best online poker sites available in Canada, and which bonuses you can use when signing up. However, we know that you might still have some questions needing answered. We have collected the most frequently asked below and given you some answers.

The List of Poker Sites in Canada

This page is intended to introduce you to the best poker sites currently on the market. For further information on any of the sites featured here, we recommend checking the operators out for yourself or clicking across to the dedicated reviews we’ve written, which you can find in the below list of poker sites Canada.