What are the best online casinos according to Liam Blackley of Casino.ca?
Liam Blackley from Casino.ca goes into detail about how the review site picks its top-recommended online casinos, and what players can expect from the rapidly growing Canadian iGaming market. Stick around for more info on the best online casinos in Alberta according to Liam Blackley.
Q: You’re an expert online casino reviewer for Casino.ca. What do your reviews have to offer readers?
Liam: My reviews on Casino.ca are designed to offer first-hand insight into the player experience. I spend hours exploring every nook and cranny of an online gambling site, testing the sign-up process, deposit and withdrawal methods, technical performance, digital security, and more. The idea is to approach the casino as if I was a regular player and detail everything players might like to know ahead of time.
I’ll also contact customer support, download any mobile apps, and try toggling responsible gambling tools. All to produce the most in-depth review possible.
Casino.ca as a whole focuses on player-centric reviews. That means I have the power to caution players away from a certain casino if I think security is lax or if the casino hasn’t met industry standards for trustworthiness. Canada has more than enough online casinos that are worth wagering at, so players shouldn’t waste their time with sketchy sites, and my reviews exist to steer players towards those top-quality casinos.
Q: Casino.ca specializes in Canadian online casinos. What is your experience in the Canadian market and what trends have you observed?
Liam: I’m Canadian myself, living in Toronto, Ontario. That’s given me a front-row seat to the province’s regulated iGaming market, the first of its kind in Canada. Trends like Canada’s preferences for sports betting and slick mobile casino apps are easy to spot for a local like me.
The Canadian iGaming market is leaning more and more towards heavy regulation at a provincial level. All provinces have crown corporation lotteries that offer safe betting options where wagers are reinvested in government programs. But the demand for variety among online casinos has led to a bubble of offshore gambling sites that accept Canadian players.
To try and crack down on these “grey market” sites as they’re known, legislation is coming down the pipe that requires online casinos to be licensed before operating in a particular province. Alberta is the newest market implementing these sorts of regulations.
Q: What’s unique about the Alberta online casino market?
Liam: Alberta is just beginning to launch a regulated provincial market. The Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) is a new crown corporation that will oversee the market and issue licences, while Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) lays down regulations that all local online casinos must follow.
The Alberta market is modeled on the existing Ontario iGaming market, taking inspiration in places like limiting how casinos can promote bonuses and requiring casinos to use vetted payment methods such as Interac.
Soon, Albertans will only be legally allowed to play in online casinos with a local Alberta-facing site that meets provincial regulations. All other online casinos that accept players from across Canada but haven’t gone through the process of obtaining an Albertan licence will be off the table.
I think Alberta and Ontario are implementing reasonable limits so their citizens only have access to trustworthy online casinos. But even if you disagree on the regulations, other Canadian provinces like Quebec are taking notice and developing their own regulated iGaming markets on the same model; it’s only a matter of time before each province has a similar iGaming policy. The Canadian casino industry must be ready to adapt to provincial licensing and regulation no matter what.
Q: Where would you recommend Albertans play? Any favourite online casinos available in the province?
Liam: Caesar’s Alberta is a great casino. With a recognizable brand that’s been around for decades, plus cheap $5 deposits and fast withdrawals that can even arrive same-day, it’s a reliable choice with a fabulous user experience.
I also think Jackpot City is tons of fun, particularly thanks to its mobile casino app that lets you play all the same games as on desktop, but from the convenience of your smartphone or tablet. The Ontario market has hot competition for casino apps, but Jackpot City is my top pick for mobile play, and the same applies to Alberta.
And don’t miss out on PlayOJO Alberta. The library of 4,700+ online casino games offers unparalleled selection, including a notable live casino category of 550+ live dealer titles like blackjack and roulette. Other games include virtual penny slots to play on a budget.
But again, the beauty of a regulated iGaming market is that any online casino which goes through the process of getting a valid Alberta casino licence will be a solid pick. The province is committed to safety as well as quality. Only casinos that deliver a top-notch player experience will soon be available to Albertans.
The views and opinions expressed by the writers and columnists of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Casinocenter.com do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine’s management. All content is intended solely for entertainment and informational purposes. Gambling may be illegal in some jurisdictions—it is the responsibility of each visitor to check and comply with local laws before participating in online gaming. Always read the terms and conditions, and gamble responsibly.
