Gambling in Canada has a long and complicated history. In the Great White North, people enjoy different types of games of chance – from poker to fast-paced slot machines. Read this article to know fun facts about Online Slots Canada.
Locals enjoy land-based gambling in casinos in Ontario (25 venues), Alberta (25 venues), British Colombia (15 venues), and Quebec (9 casinos). Online gambling is also popular, as there are over 2 thousand online casinos in the country. Statista also reports that in 2021, the estimated size of the Canadian gambling market 2021 was estimated to reach $12.54 billion.
In this article, we discuss some of the most unexpected facts about gambling in Canada.
More than half of Canadians gamble
The size of the Canadian gambling industry is truly remarkable. The country is the eighth on the top casino countries ranking.
Moreover, nearly 20 million Canadians take part in gambling activities. Considering that Canada’s population is 37.59 million, these figures are impressive. It means that over 53% of Canadian people have gambled at least once in their life.
Gambling is the largest entertainment industry in Canada
The gambling industry in Canada creates more than 267 000 workplaces, 135 000 of which are full-time jobs. This is more jobs than in the movie, TV, music, and sports sectors combined. Thus, gambling becomes the biggest entrainment industry in the Great White North.
Casino dealers earn up to $60k a year
In Canada, a job as a casino dealer is a very appealing position. Although an average annual salary is $14.7k, with tips it can add up to $30 000 – $60 000.
To get a dealer job, one needs to go through in-house training. Dealers also have to get a license from the state gaming authority and have superb communications skills.
Gambling demographics in Canada: 80% of gamblers are male
Although there are many female players in Canada, the majority of gamblers are young men. In fact, 80% of all Canadian gamblers are men. Women prefer non-casino gambling, like bingo and lottery.
Preferred games of Canadians
Statistics also show that Canadians aged between 35 and 50 are most likely to gamble. Younger players prefer active online games, while older people over 40 prefer calmer games like bingo. People over 55 like slot machine games.
The biggest gambling regions in Canada
According to the recent research, most Canadian gamblers come from the following regions:
- British Columbia;
- Quebeck;
- Alberta.
Quebec and Ontario are home to some of the most visited casinos in Canada.
Gambling superstitions in Canada
As gambling is closely linked to the luck and power of chance, many casino players believe in the silliest superstitions. In Canada, gamblers believe that the following actions can bring bad luck:
- Washing your hands before playing at a casino;
- Entering a casino through a back door;
- Touching another player’s shoulders.
Other exciting gambling facts in Canada
Here are some more interesting facts about the Canadian gambling industry
- There are over 2 000 online casino websites in the Great White North;
- Casino players make the most profits between 4 pm and 6 pm;
- Online gambling sites return over 96% in wins, while terrestrial casinos return less than 60%;
- In 2015, Canadians lots a total of $10 billion on online games of chance (including offshore casinos);
- A Canadian spends around $825 on games of chance per year;
- The biggest jackpot won in Canada was an impressive $20 million. The win happened in October 2018, on the Mega Moolah slot;
- 600k+ (1-2% of adults) Canadians suffer from an addiction to gambling.
Read more: Best Canadian Online Casinos
