If you’re looking for a guide to Canada online poker, you’ve come to the right place! This article from WPT.com outlines the current legal status of online poker in Canada, as well as the best legal poker sites for Canadian poker players.
When playing online poker in Canada, certain poker sites are available depending on where you’re located in the country.
In Ontario, you’re limited to a group of Ontario-only poker sites, and can only compete against other players within Ontario.
Outside of Ontario, you get access to WPT Global, one of the best online poker sites in the world. This guide takes a thorough look at WPT Global, including games available, bonus offers, and more.
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Is Online Poker Legal In Canada?
Canada online poker laws (or lack thereof) allow international poker sites to operate in most of the country. The province of Ontario operates under a different set of regulations, with a different set of legal poker sites available when you’re playing from Ontario.
Provinces outside of Ontario don’t explicitly outline any legal stance toward online poker. You might see various different online gambling sites offering services in Canada.
Some of these platforms promoting themselves as Canadian online poker sites are regulated and legal in other parts of the world. Some are not, however.
When you play poker in Canada, your best bet is to play on platforms that operate as regulated online poker sites in other countries.
The best site for real-money online poker in Canada is WPT Global. One of the best poker sites in the world, WPT Global is also the top choice among poker sites in Canada.
Read on for a full overview of WPT Global later in this article.
Is Online Poker Legal In Ontario?
Ontario explicitly legalizes and regulates online poker, but you can’t access WPT Global if you’re playing from within Ontario borders.
Players in the Ontario province have access to a list of poker sites that only operate within the province. When you play on these sites, you’re limited to playing against other people from Ontario.
As always, stick with these Ontario-approved poker sites when you play from Ontario. While the player pool is limited, trusted online poker sites are always a better option than offshore/illegal gambling sites.
Best Canada Online Poker Sites
WPT Global is the top choice for online poker players in Canada. It operates as a full-scale, real-money online poker platform, available in more than 100 countries around the globe.
With a top-notch selection of games, banking options, and promotions, WPT Global tops the list of the best Canadian poker sites.
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WPT Global
WPT Global operates as one of the world’s top legal poker sites. Since launching just over two years ago, WPT Global has established itself as one of the top three online poker sites in the world in terms of player traffic.
That traffic continues to grow, meaning Canadian players can sign up for a WPT Global account and compete against a massive player pool spanning more than 100 countries.
WPT Global is owned and operated by the World Poker Tour, one of the longest-standing and most reputable brands in the industry. The platform offers a selection of cash games and tournaments that compete with anything else available in Canada.
WPT Global Cash Games
You’ll find cash games running at WPT Global around the clock.
The cash game lineup includes a variety of stakes, appealing to players of all experience levels and bankroll sizes.
WPT Global’s cash games run from the micro stakes ($0.01/$0.02), through mid-stakes games like $5/$10, and all the way up to the high-stakes world of $100/$200/$400.
You can play the cash games at WPT Global using two currencies – USD and Chinese Yuan (CNY).
The cash game mix includes No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and Short Deck/6+ Hold’em. The games include standard ring games, Bomb Pot tables (with bomb pots occurring five times per hour), mandatory straddle tables, and Pace (fast-fold) tables.
WPT Global hosts the “world’s largest recreational pool of poker cash game players,” and that means fun, action-packed cash games. WPT Global lives up to that tagline by allowing no more than two professional poker players at a cash game table at a time.
This commitment to action and fun games creates an online poker environment unlike anything else in the industry at WPT Global.
WPT Global Tournaments
WPT Global tournaments run 24/7. The biggest tournaments at WPT Global offer prize pools that go into seven-figure territory.
A new tournament begins every ten minutes on the daily tournament schedule. The buy-ins for daily tournaments go from $2 to $220, with games including No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha.
Much like the World Poker Tour’s live events, WPT Global frequently runs tournaments and festivals with some of the largest guaranteed prize pools in the world.
These massive prize pools aren’t just limited to big buy-in events. For instance, the recent $1-for-$1 Million tournament offered a $1,000,000 prize pool for just a $1 buy-in.
As per online poker tradition, Sunday is the biggest day of the week for online poker tournament action on the site. WPT Global’s Sunday Majors lineup includes:
- $11 Mini Slam ($8,888 Guaranteed)
- $110 Sunday Slam ($50,000 Guaranteed)
- $330 Sunday Slam ($20,000 Guaranteed)
If you manage to win all three majors in a 22-day period, you win the $100,000 Triple Crown Jackpot.
Tournament results also apply to a $14K Weekly Tournament Leaderboard. Finish high on the leaderboard and you might win a $1,500 WPT Prime Passport.
WPT Global often presents tournament festivals with huge guarantees.
The 2024 WPT Global Summer Festival, for instance, awarded more than $8 million across a tournament schedule that included buy-ins ranging from $5.50 to $3,500.
The $3,500 WPT Championship played as the Main Event of the festival, with the winner getting their name etched on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup.
WPT Global also frequently hosts satellites to live World Poker Tour events; read on for more on these qualifiers.
WPT Global Sign-Up Link
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WPT Global Satellites
WPT Global is the only online poker site that runs satellite qualifiers to live World Poker Tour events. You can win your way into WPT Prime events, WPT Main Tour events, and more.
The satellite tournaments at WPT Global offer the opportunity to earn entry into prestigious World Poker Tour live events for just a small buy-in.
For instance, WPT Prime Passport satellites run throughout the year. These $110 buy-in satellite tournaments award $1,500 packages that include buy-in plus travel stipend for any WPT Prime event on the calendar.
The smallest buy-in satellites start at just $5, and you can win a ticket to the $110 satellite in those $5 buy-in events. Win a $110 ticket and you’re one step away from a WPT Prime Passport!
WPT World Championship Satellites
The record-breaking 2023 WPT World Championship took place at Wynn Las Vegas and awarded a $40-million guaranteed prize pool.
The WPT World Championship returns to Wynn Las Vegas this December. WPT Global awards seats to the World Championship via satellite qualifiers throughout the year.
Much like the WPT Prime Passport satellites, WPT World Championship qualifiers start with buy-ins as low as $5.
Each Sunday in 2023, WPT Global ran a $1,060 buy-in satellite that guaranteed at least eight WPT World Championship Passports, as well as a $220 buy-in event that guaranteed at least one Passport.
The $12,400 Passport included the World Championship buy-in along with a cash travel stipend. The next WPT World Championship takes place at the Wynn once again in December 2024.
Look for chances to satellite your way into the premier World Poker Tour event of the year on WPT Global.
What Games Are Available At WPT Global?
The poker variants available at WPT Global include:
- No-Limit Hold’em (tournaments, cash games)
- Pot-Limit Omaha (tournaments, cash games)
- Short Deck/6+ Hold’em (cash games only)
No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments run every day at WPT Global. You’ll only find Short Deck Hold’em in cash game format.
Is There A WPT Global Sign-Up Bonus?
New players can sign up for a WPT Global account and unlock a welcome bonus package with up to a $1,500 deposit match.
Depending on the amount of your first deposit, you can also qualify for WPT Passport Satellite tickets, Global Spins tickets, and a $110 ticket to the $50,000 Guaranteed Sunday Slam tournament.
You can check out the full terms and conditions of the sign-up bonus by clicking here.
You can play at WPT Global on your desktop or laptop computer, or download the WPT Global app for Android or Apple iOS devices.
No promo code is required to unlock the bonus. Register for a new account, make your first deposit, and you’re locked in for the deposit match and any applicable tournament tickets.
You can start the registration process by clicking on the link below.
WPT Global Sign-Up Link
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How Do I Sign Up For A WPT Global Account?
You can sign up for a WPT Global account by going through the following steps:
- Click the sign-up link above
- If you’re on a desktop device, the sign-up link will redirect you to the WPT Global download page. Click the “Download” tab in the horizontal menu at the top left of the main lobby.
- If you’re on a mobile device, the sign-up link will redirect you to either the App Store (for Apple iOS devices) or the Google Play Store (for Android devices)
- Once you’ve downloaded either the mobile app or the desktop client, you’ll be prompted to complete the registration process. Once you’ve provided the necessary details, you’ll receive an email verification.
- Verify your email, and you’re on your way! Keep in mind that you get a 100% match on your first deposit, up to a max of $1,500.
Promotions At WPT Global
WPT Global offers one of the most extensive lineups of player promos you’ll find anywhere.
Some of the recurring promotions you’ll find at WPT Global include:
- Up to $10,000 Invite-a-Friend referral bonus (see details here)
- $25,000 cash game leaderboard
- $14,000 weekly tournament leaderboard
- Tournament guarantee Bump’em Up
- Spins Splashes and Spins Giveaways
The list above shows just a few of the many promos available; check out the WPT Global Promotions page for the full rundown.
Banking Options At WPT Global
WPT Global includes several different deposit and withdrawal options for players. Most of these banking methods allow you to fund your account instantly.
You’ll find numerous ways to deposit, using traditional banking, cryptocurrency, or E-Wallets.
Traditional Banking Deposit Methods
- Visa
- MasterCard
- JCB
- Instant Bank Transfer
- Prepaid Vouchers
When you use one of the traditional banking methods on the list above, your deposit will usually appear in your WPT Global balance instantly. Occasionally, however, bank transactions can take longer to clear.
Cryptocurrency Deposit Methods
- Bitcoin
- Ethereum
- Litecoin
- Many other cryptocurrencies
You need a cryptocurrency wallet with a positive balance to use crypto for WPT Global deposits. To deposit with cryptocurrency, follow these steps:
- Navigate to the WPT Global Cashier page
- Click “Deposit”
- Choose “Cryptoprocessing” from the options available.
- Select the cryptocurrency you want to deposit with
- Enter the desired deposit amount in USD
- Send the cryptocurrency deposit to the unique address provided
E-Wallet Deposit Methods
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Muchbetter
- Luxonpay
You must have an active account with one of the above E-Wallet services to use it as a deposit method.
Withdrawal Methods
Most deposit methods available at WPT Global can also be used for withdrawals. When requesting a withdrawal from your account, keep the following factors in mind:
- Credit/debit cards can’t be used for withdrawals
- In most cases, you must choose a withdrawal method that you’ve previously used for a deposit
- Withdrawals generally take 1-5 working days to process
- You must play through a deposit at least once before it can be withdrawn
To make a withdrawal request, navigate to the Cashier page, click “Withdraw” and choose the withdrawal method you want to use.
WPT Global Sign-Up Link
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Are Offshore Poker Sites Safe?
Canadian players enjoy access to some of the world’s top regulated poker sites, including WPT Global.
A number of offshore/illegal poker sites also offer their services in Canada. If you play poker online, your best bet is to stick with reputable platforms like WPT Global.
Consider the following reasons to avoid playing at offshore poker sites:
Illegal Financial Transactions
If you deposit at WPT Global, you’ll see that transaction appear on your bank statement as exactly what it is – a deposit to the WPT Global online poker site.
Deposit at an offshore poker site, and that transaction shows up on your bank statement as a purchase from an online store you’ve never heard of, often in a foreign country. If a poker site is disguising the true nature of your deposit, that can’t be good.
When you request a withdrawal from an offshore poker site, it can take weeks (or even longer) for your funds to end up in your bank account. In some worst-case scenarios, players deposit at offshore poker sites and never see their money again.
Cheating
WPT Global operates with the highest levels of security you’ll find at an online poker site. The World Poker Tour has a keen interest in presenting fair games, prompt payouts, and a secure platform for its players.
Offshore poker sites, which operate outside Canadian laws, often have major issues with cheating, bots, multi-accounting, ghosting, and other unethical and unfair activity.
If you have access to a site like WPT Global, it’s best to avoid offshore/illegal poker sites altogether.
Canada Online Poker Sites FAQ
Can I play online poker in Canada?
Yes. Online poker is legal throughout Canada. If you’re in Ontario, you’re limited to a selection of Ontario-only poker sites, and you compete against other players from within Ontatrio.
In all other parts of Canada, you have access to some of the world’s top international poker sites. The best of these sites is WPT Global, which allows you to compete in cash games and tournaments against players from around the world.
Is WPT Global legal in Canada?
Yes. WPT Global, the world’s top online poker site, is legal in Canada (with the exception of Ontario).
Canadian players can play at WPT Global and compete against players from more than 100 countries.
Can US citizens play online poker in Canada?
Yes. US citizens can legally play online poker in Canada. As long as you’re physically located within Canadian borders as you play, you can play at Canadian poker sites.
What is the best online poker site available in Canada?
WPT Global is the world’s top online poker site, and is available in Canada in all provinces except Ontatrio.
Ontario players are limited to Ontario-only poker sites, and WPT Global isn’t among those sites (unfortunately).
Are offshore poker sites legal?
No. Offshore poker sites that offer online poker in Canada are operating illegally. These sites operate outside of Canadian laws, and should be avoided.
Best Canada Poker Site
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