Online Poker Canada – Top Poker Sites and Cash Games

Playing poker online can be done on a wide variety of specialized poker sites available to Canadian players. 

Experienced poker players already know which sites offer the best games, most rewarding tournaments, and most optimal rakes. However, new players who have just begun to delve into the world of online poker might need some assistance choosing the right poker site, and that’s where we come in.

By skimming through this page, you will find a list of the best poker platforms on the Canadian market and read about different kinds of games and tournaments that you can play there.

Our team of online poker experts has done a masterful job at searching through all major poker sites in Canada and filtered in those that they consider the best the industry has to offer at the moment.

So, if you want to play poker online on legit and safe sites and compete against other skilled players, make sure to check out our toplist below!

Top Online Poker Sites in Canada (2021)

After searching through dozens of online poker sites available to Canadians, we concluded that these deserve to be on our toplist. All the sites we listed offer the most popular poker variants, have great bonuses for new players, feature a decent player traffic, allow you a chance to compete in rewarding tournaments, and more. Enjoy!

  • Sign up bonus
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    A versatile assortment of games Intuitive website Licensed in Curacao Mobile-friendly Lots of promos for existing customers Great VIP club
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    9/ 10
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  • Sign up bonus
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    Stable platform Great variety of games Numerous payment methods 24/7 live chat support Licensed and regulated site Exciting welcome bonus
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    9/ 10
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  • Sign up bonus
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  • Sign up bonus
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How We Choose Best Online Poker Sites in Canada

If a poker operator wants to be included on our toplist, it must meet our strict selection criteria. When reviewing poker sites, we look at several key aspects that may make or break a given poker platform.

Poker Games

The most important thing about any poker site is its range of games. Most poker sites feature Texas Hold’em, which is by far the most popular poker variant in Canada and the world, so we give no extra points for that. 

But we understand that you might want to try some other games from time to time, which is why we made sure that our top online poker sites also include variants such as Omaha Hi, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven-Card Stud, 5-Card Draw, Razz, and others.

Bonuses and Promotions

One of the biggest benefits of online casino poker is that you can take advantage of different kinds of bonuses. The most common type of bonus is the first deposit bonus that usually matches your initial deposit with extra bonus cash.

If you continue playing after that first bonus, you might run into promotions that give you free tournament entries, special rakeback offers, loyalty programs, and more.

Software

Quality poker software allows for smooth uninterrupted online play, but not everything is about functionally. When rating poker sites according to their software, we also look at the software’s features and potential customizable options.

It’s safe to say that all poker operators on our list are equipped with state-of-the-art software that will make your poker gameplay enjoyable. Most operators will give you the option to download their software or play directly on the website.

Poker Tournaments

When it comes to rating online poker sites based on their selection of tournaments, we apply the basic principle of — the more, the marrier. There are several types of poker tournaments you can encounter, including but not limited to Sit & Go’s, Freezouts, Rebuys, Satellites, and Freerolls. We focused especially on Freerolls, as they allow you to enter the tournament for free but have a chance to win real money.

Of course, we didn’t only look at the sheer number of different tournaments that players can participate in, but also at how rewarding they are. Small tournament prizes won’t give you any incentive to play, so we made sure that the prizes on our top poker sites can satisfy your thirst for competition.

Mobile Poker

While most people play poker online using their desktop computers, there’s also a possibility to play casino poker games online on mobile phones or tablets. Our recommended poker sites are all mobile friendly, and a good portion of them offer downloadable apps that you can install on your iOS and Android devices.

Playing poker on mobile is very convenient, especially in a situation where you want to play a hand or two but are not at home.

Player Traffic

One way to see how reputable a certain poker site is is to look at the state of its player traffic. If there are a lot of players visiting that poker site, there must be a reason why it’s so popular. If, on the other hand, the player traffic is low, that poker site is probably avoided for a reason as well, but it can also mean that the operator is new and undiscovered by a lot of players.

In any case, the density of the player traffic will not necessarily indicate how good of a time you will have playing there. If there are a lot of players on the site, that will automatically mean that the competition is tougher, and if the traffic is low, you will have a much easier time racking up some wins.

When looking for the best online poker sites in Canada, we tried to include both low, mid, and high-traffic operators.

Betting Limits and Buy-Ins

Whether you’re a small-time player that only likes to play poker online for fun or you consider yourself a high-roller that wishes to play into pots worth thousands, all of our top poker sites will be a great fit for your wallet size.

They include both the cash games where the blinds are only a few cents and tournaments where the buy-ins are measured in hundreds of dollars.

Rake

Unlike regular casino sites on which you play against the casino, online poker sites put you up against other players. So, in order for the operator to make money, it must impose a rake, which is another work for commission.

Naturally, the higher the rake, the worse it is for the winning players, so we made sure that the sites on our list have acceptable rakes and that they offer some rakeback promotions.

Banking

Banking was another important aspect of our review process. In order to satisfy our criteria, every poker site had to accept several popular banking methods, including credit and debit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, cryptocurrency, and more.

We also looked to include as many sites that offer Canadian-friendly payment services such as Interac Online, InstaDebit, and iDebit, and that they also accept transactions in CAD.

Another crucial aspect of banking are the deposit and withdrawal limits, as well as transaction times. We assure you that all of our recommended poker sites have optimal limits and will allow you to deposit and cash out your winnings in the shortest time possible.

Customer Support

Finding your way around a poker site as a new player can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, which is why it’s important that the poker site has a professional customer support team that can give you a helping hand at any given moment.

Talking to customer support is part of our review process as well, as it lets us estimate its quality. All online poker sites on our list have several modes of contact, including email, phone, and 24/7 live chat.

Most Popular Casino Poker Games Online

There are dozens of different poker variations you can find online, but only several reappear on almost every poker site.

Texas Hold’em

In the last several decades, Texas Hold’em has become the most dominant form of both online and live poker. If you ever catch a poker tournament on TV, chances are that it will be Texas Hold’em. The game is typically played with between six and nine players. The goal is to create the best five-card combination using two hole cards and five community cards.

Omaha

Omaha is also a very popular poker variant, but it can definitely be said that it plays second fiddle to Hold’em. Nevertheless, Omaha is found on almost all top online poker sites. In a lot of ways, Omaha and Texas Hold’em are similar. Both use community cards, but the difference is that the players receive four hole cards instead of two and they can only use only two of them to create the best five card combination.

There are several kinds of Omaha poker, including Omaha Hi, Omaha Hi-Lo, 5-Card Omaha, and Courchevel, all of which can be found online.

7-Card Stud

7-Card Stud was the most popular poker game before Texas Hold’em came along. While this variant is mostly played in home games, it can still be found on many online poker sites. 

As the name of the game suggests, each player receives up to seven cards before the round ends. What makes this game different from other poker games is that four of your hole cards will be facing up and revealed to other players. Just like Omaha, 7-Card Stud comes in Hi and Hi-Lo variants.

5-Card Draw

5-Card Draw is another poker variant mostly associated with home games, but you won’t have a hard time finding it online either. Unlike other popular variants, this game allows you to discard the cards that you don’t like and receive new ones.

5-Card Draw is probably the easier poker game to learn, ideal for beginner players who still need time getting used to card ranks and implementing strategy.

Razz

Razz is basically an upside-down poker game. Instead of looking for cards that are considered strong in other variants, Razz rewards players with low-value cards. So, if you generally have bad luck with poker cards, Razz might be just the right game for you.

Online Casino Poker Bonuses

Here are some of the bonuses and promotions that you might run into while playing on best online poker sites in Canada.

Jackpot City
9/ 10
Stable platform Great variety of games Numerous payment methods 24/7 live chat support Licensed and regulated site Exciting welcome bonus
Sign up bonus
100% Bonus Up To C$1,600
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First Deposit Cash Bonuses

This is the most common type of bonus, not just on poker sites, but gambling sites in general. Once you make an account and complete your first deposit, you will get a certain amount of bonus credits that you can use on cash games.

Most poker operators offer a 100% bonus, meaning that your deposit will be doubled. Of course, this extra cash you get can only be withdrawn once you play with it for a certain amount of times indicated by the wagering requirements.

No Deposit Bonuses

Some generous online poker sites will let you test their real-money games without having to deposit money. Namely, the no deposit bonuses reward you with a small amount of bonus cash for merely creating an account — no strings attached.

New Player Freerolls

Another benefit of being a new player on a poker site is that you will sometimes be allowed to enter a tournament without a buy-in. These tournaments are regarded as freerolls and they give you a chance to earn real money without risking any of your own.

Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses are similar to first deposit cash bonuses, only that they do not reward fist depositors, but regular players instead. Online poker sites have a habit of offering reload bonuses periodically, usually once every month.

Rakeback Bonuses

Online poker operators make money by imposing a rake on all winnings, or a percentage that all players must pay to the house, which is around 5% on average, and some poker sites will give you a certain refund on charged rake through a rakeback bonus. The cash you receive back, however, will not be withdrawable, at least not until you clear the wagering requirements.

How to Play Poker Online — Step-by-Step Protocol

Starting to play poker online takes only a few easy steps:

  1. Choose one of top online poker sites from our list.
  2. Sign up by filling out a registration form with your details.
  3. Follow the guidelines on how to activate your account and log in.
  4. Place a deposit by going to the operator’s cashier page and selecting a deposit method.
  5. Make sure to claim the website’s welcome offer.
  6. Start playing cash games or sign up for a tournament.

Free Online Casino Poker Card Games

Poker is a game heavily based on skill, which makes it fun and competitive even when you’re not playing for money. Even though we focus on real-money poker sites here, you should know that there are plenty of websites and apps where you can play various poker games for free.

While free poker can be entertaining on its own, it also serves another purpose. Namely, practicing poker for free will make you a better and more skilful player. You can brush up on your strategies without having to worry about any monetary risks and still having fun in the process.

FAQ

  • Where can I play the best online poker in Canada?
  • Are online poker sites legal in Canada?
  • Are Canadian poker sites safe?
  • Are there any poker bonuses for Canadian players?
  • Can I play poker on mobile?
  • How old must I be to play online poker in Canada?