One thing all new online live dealer sites have in common is that you will need to register an account if the venue is licensed. Yes, there are a few instant-play crypto-currency-only sites out there but these usually pop up out of nowhere and disappear just as fast as they appeared.

Even the least expensive license vendors and least intrusive regulators such as Curacao require a certain level of anti-money laundering and IMF money tracing to keep funds out of the hands of criminals and worse. This is accomplished by the operator “knowing their customers”, in the business it’s known as KYC or “know your customer”.

Registration is quick and simple and could be as simple as providing your name, date of birth, physical address, and a verifiable email or mobile phone number.

The second part of the process, which is a bit more involved, usually only comes into play when it’s time to cash out your winnings. At that point, you may need to provide the same documentation you provided to your online financial institution when you opened a checking or savings account.

Interac and other instant banking services are not quite as evolved yet as some European methods such as Trustly’s Pay’n Play – but the day may be coming soon when simply depositing at an online casino can start a chain of inquiries and events in the background that will verify all of your account information for you with no need to register an account (other than the act of depositing).

That process would also eliminate the need to confirm ownership of financial instruments, your identity, or anything else. That day has not arrived yet, so players must register an account to play for real money and confirm their identity to withdraw funds.

We’ll line out the sign-up process to illustrate just how easy it is to start playing for real money at a brand-new online site in Canada with live dealers right away!

A step-by-step guide for opening an account:

1. Use the tools on our pages to find a trusted live dealer operation that accepts players from Canada. When you see a list appear on this or most other pages, you’ll also see our rating with the best sites ranked at or near the top. From there you can use the “Filter” button to create a single priority (such as Canadian currency, etc.), or set multiple priorities to include software provider, payment methods, game selection, and more. The lobbies listed on this page are the most recently opened sites that we have determined are trustworthy and reliable.
2. Read unbiased reviews such as those found on this site, stay away from known bad operators (we identify many behind the scenes by known associations, etc.), and check the operator license to be sure it is valid. Key note – a site doesn’t need a specific license for live gaming, one license in Curacao covers all types of gambling games from betting on lotteries to sports books, slots, and live games.
3. Click the “Sign Up”, “Register”, or “Join” button – usually next to “Log In”
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to fill in the appropriate personal information and select the proper drop-down menu items for location, etc. Keyed-in fields may include your name and date of birth, city/postal code, and contact information such as email address and/or phone number.
5. Reply promptly to any SMS (text) or email message asking to verify your account

Pro Tip: Always consider opting in for SMS and email solicitations if you like to use bonuses. You can always unsubscribe later if you don’t find the “flash” offers to your liking.

The answer to that question is no doubt different for most players. However, we can point out some advantages and disadvantages to joining a brand new live lobby for your consideration. Let’s start with the downside…

Unless the operator and game provider is already known you may run the risk of having a disappointing session or even a loss of winnings, depending on their license status and integrity.

An online gaming license is not an absolute guarantee of being paid in every situation. On the extreme ends of the spectrum, we can tell you that iGO and Malta each require operators to keep player funds safe – this means they are “ring-fenced” separately from operators’ business assets. However, we are not aware of this being a requirement that is enforced by either Kahnawake or Curacao regulators.

No matter where an operator is licensed they will have had to “prove up” business liquidity and the ability to pay winners before a license was issued. This is one reason you will see many new Curacao operators with low limit thresholds for bonus winnings – they are required to limit potential losses – even those racked up by “cost of doing business” promotions.

On the other side of the coin…

The “new guy” always has to try harder, so a newer lobby is more likely to offer innovative and potentially more lucrative sign-up bonuses and other offers. While live dealer bonuses are some of the hardest to come by, new sites have to attract new players if they are going to compete, especially in a market like the Canadian online live gaming sphere. That presents a possible break for players at new casinos to create an advantage for themselves!

Bragging rights: In addition to leader boards, tournaments, badges, tasks and the increased level of engagement novel promotions can deliver, some players with social networks simply love being the first to discover a great new site and share it with their online friends – especially when sharing includes first-ever big wins and the satisfaction of exploiting any greenfield advantages early access might have awarded them.

The contrasts between older and newer operators pros and cons are simply not as stark in Canada as they can be in many other countries. That’s down to the nearly half a dozen overlapping and “competing” regulatory regimes at play in the market. That much oversight simply makes things less volatile for players in general.

Since residents of Canada are free to play wherever they like – onshore or offshore, the variety of payment options is almost limitless. The only exceptions might be American financial institutions or those with close ties to US banks that are still operating off poor guidance provided by several past US administrations that misinterpreted a more than half-century-old law called The Wire Act of 1961 and its relevance to the UIGEA of 2006.

US courts have now issued declaratory judgments that confirm what intermittent US Departments of Justice have opined since the early days – The Wire Act only applies to sportsbetting – players who stay away from American sportsbooks with or without live dealer operations should have no problems.

Certified and licensed live gaming lobbies will always find a way for Canadians to deposit funds and withdraw their winnings. Look for the Interac logo when in doubt, get accustomed to a reliable eWallet, or simply use your favorite cryptocurrency when available to play at an offshore site. Of course, direct banking is also available at the government/lottery (Playxx.com, etc.) lobbies and those operating in Ontario under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

With the vast array of choices available to players in Canada, there’s really nothing that is not on offer when it comes to live dealer gaming. That’s all the more reason to check out new providers for any nascent technology or innovative games before they hit the mainstream operators.

In general, you will be sure to find everything from $0.10 to $40,000+ spins on roulette from 888 and other providers; games like Funky Time, Dream Catcher, Monopoly Live from Evolution with an augmented reality bonus round featuring Mr. Monopoly himself, native games and native tables for every title under the sun from Svenske Roulette to Hindi Baccarat and everything in between. You will most likely even run across a speak-easy tavern-themed game of craps that uses a robotic arm to throw the dice for all players.

Nearly every game with every side bet or not found in a brick-and-mortar operation will be found in a Canadian online live dealer lobby.

Who will be the first among your friends to find the next new hot game innovation?

While some operators simply don’t offer bonuses for live gameplay, many do. When allowed you can usually expect similar wagering requirements to those that come with digital table games like random number-generated roulette, baccarat, and blackjack. Some operators, especially new ones, offer better playthrough terms, and sometimes no limit is set on the amount of money you can win with bonus funds or a mixture of your funds and free bets.

As with any “free money,” there will be strings attached. Even at the new casinos with no bonus offered for live dealer games, you should be able to pick up favorable terms on digital gameplay – slots, blackjack, video poker, etc.

Please just be sure to check the terms and conditions before playing live games with a ‘standard’ bonus offer as any breach of terms could cost you a payday. Some terms allow live gameplay and simply don’t cunt the wagering against playthrough and others will disqualify any cash-in.

As always, please read and understand all terms and conditions before accepting or playing with any bonus funds. There’s not much more disappointing than believing you had a great win only to find out you breached the terms of an offer to achieve it and will never see “your” money.

The Ontario market has mostly stabilized with a cross-section of fair to middling to excellent live lobby providers but there is no actual limit on the number of providers that can try to make a go of the highly competitive space. New operators and even new studios are coming into play all the time while others are dropping out. Taxes and stiff competition are often cited as reasons to leave.

Malta Gaming Authority

Maltese regulators are mostly found at operations throughout Europe but the MGA has been taking care of players in Canada for decades. Aside from the Crown Corp/lottery operations, and iGO, players will find the MGA seal on sites in every province and territory. Some of the things the regulator looks out for include the following:

• Preventing crime and catching illegal transaction activities
• End-to-end protection of player funds including the security of deposits and withdrawals
• Monitoring player habits to look for signs of problem gambling
• Monitoring of all activities to ensure operator compliance

Whether in Canada or somewhere in Europe, virtually every major live dealer game provider is certified by and holds a license in Malta. This ‘dual-layer’ approach works in harmony throughout the world’s regulated gambling jurisdictions with very few exceptions – and those are usually in countries that want a complete monopoly over online gaming (and the subsequent increase in revenues that goes along with absolute control).

Playtech, Evolution, Pragmatic Play, Ezugi, NetEnt, and Authentic (the list goes on and on) are all licensed in Malta among other jurisdictions.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission is a much smaller agency but was established in 1993 and has granted gaming licenses for servers in its territory since 1996. Further data points include:

• Stringent license requirements – the KGC will only grant licenses to applicants who demonstrate the ability to meet KGC standards for security, fairness, and financial stability
• Licensed operators must provide a dispute resolution for player complaints and disagreements. Historically the KGC has ruled in favor of players more often than Malta
• While the KGC doesn’t dictate that licensees adhere to a strict set of rules and regulations, operators must adhere to general standards and principles