Before we look at how we review each casino listed at The Casino Heat here are our current Top 3 casinos, with a short review of each giving you the low down on the bonuses, games and software, cashier options and licensing. For more detailed information, just click through to our full and comprehensive review page.
The writing team at The Casino Heat have many years of experience playing online casinos and working in support and promotions teams, so we know a thing or two about how they work. We also understand what we look for as players when we are choosing a new casino to join.
That is why our comprehensive review articles go in depth to examine all aspects of the player experience. For each casino we review you will find the following information.
- Casino and Operator Profile
- Is A Casino Legit?
- Bonus and Free Spins
- Games and Software
- Cashier Options
- Customer Support and Reputation
And here is more detail about what we look at in each area:
When it comes to security and trust it’s really important to understand who the operator is behind any casino site that you choose to play at. This is the first point we look for when writing a review and we will only recommend fully licensed and legal casinos.
All operators at Canada casinos are licensed in Khanawake or in one of the big European jurisdictions like Malta or Gibraltar. To be issued with a license by any of these regulators then a casino must have passed strict tests on fairness and security, including 3rd party audits to ensure all game outcomes are completely random, your balance is held securely in a ring-fenced account, and responsible gambling features like deposit and wager limits are available.
Respected and licensed gambling operators will often run more than one casino brand from the same license. Popular operators include Genesis Global Ltd who own Casino Casoola and Casino Lab, White Hat Gaming who run numerous casino sites including Temple Nile, Captain Spins and Jonny Jackpot, and Rootz Limited who run Wildz Casino and Caxino.
If you are familiar with one brand in the family then it is likely that you will enjoy a similar experience at others which is why many gamblers look to play at site is the same group. You can find a list of the latest White Hat Gaming casinos here.
It’s a common set of questions around any real money online casino in Canada – is this brand legit? Is this casino a scam? Unfortunately, the online gambling industry can be a hunting ground for those seeking to gain profit from nefarious activities or unscrupulous business practices. So it is always important to make sure any site you play at isn’t running rigged games, or putting their customers’ data or account balances at risk.
But how do you know?
To help answer this question we have put together a short 5-point check list that all casinos that we review must go through. This covers on a top level the main areas of concern for new customers wanting to ensure the legitimacy of an operator. They are as follows:
- License – Does a casino carry an appropriate license?
- Games – Are the games provided by fully-licensed and reputable suppliers?
- Terms – Are all the promotional and general site terms clear and easily accessible?
- Support – Is there a professional and well-trained support team on hand at all times to answer any queries you may have?
- Payments – Are payments carried out over a secure and protected connection and is your data stored safely and securely?
These are the key points in any review of the standards and legitimacy of a casino and all of the sites recommended by The Casino Heat Canada are covered for each one.
Of course, the stand-out feature of any new online casino that you check out will probably be the welcome package made up of deposit matches and free spins. In detail, our Canadian casino reviews break down the sign up offer and all future loyalty promotions to show you what you get, how the bonus is delivered, and what kind of restrictions you can expect to deal with when you come to wager the money.
Important points to look out for here include:
- Qualification Requirements – how much do you need to deposit in order to qualify for the bonus. Usually the value will be set to $10, though sometimes it may be $20 or higher. On rare occasions you can claim a no deposit bonus, in which case we will publish any relevant bonus codes with the reviews.
- Maximum Bonus – for those looking to max out their bonus you should always check to see how much you can claim. The limits are usually around $100 per bonus, but some operators offer much more.
- Wagering Requirements – these are really important as they can vary a lot. Wagering requirements specify how much you must wager from the bonus before it is transferred onto your cash balance and becomes withdrawable. At some online casinos it is also not possible to withdraw your winnings before you have met these requirements either.
- Maximum Wins – look out as well for the maximum amount you can win with any bonus. This will usually be capped at around $500, though sometimes more or less. Our casino reviews cover this too so you can pick a bonus that gives you the ultimate value you are looking for.
- Loyalty and VIP Rewards – Every casino runs a loyalty program of some kind, generally featuring different levels with increasing rewards at each and exclusive bonuses and account management at the very top VIP levels. In our review articles you will find a breakdown of what you can expect at each of our listed casinos. Make sure you choose one which offers a good return for your wagering and time spent on the site. You can also find out more in our guide to VIP casinos.
Once you have been hooked in by a casino’s welcome package then the games and software are your next biggest concern (or maybe your first, depending on your view on bonuses). So, The Casino Heat team, no strangers to gambling on every kind of casino game from online slots and progressive jackpots to live dealer and gameshow games, have profiled the games and suppliers of every casino we review so you can see at a glance what to expect when you start browsing the catalogue.
At the top of each casino review you will be able to see how many games are available in total and how they are broken down by slots and table games. You will also see a list of the biggest suppliers.
In the review text we highlight some of our favourite games and show what you can look for if you are a fan of high variance, or super-sized jackpots, or traditional table games, or some of the new live dealer ones. In short, you get a comprehensive review of the games catalogue so you can decide for yourself if a casino can deliver what you want from it.
Note that some casino operators have signed exclusively with a particular supplier so you will see only their games on offer. One example is the Casino Rewards Group brands like Grand Mondial, who work exclusively with Microgaming for slots and RNG games. So always make sure you check our listings to make sure you are going to be able to play the slots you want at your chosen site.
Making a payment into your new casino account is the first step towards real money gambling and you’ll want to be sure that your chosen operator offers the payment service you prefer. There are now many more options available to casino players than there used to be. Whilst bank cards and credit cards remain the preferred option for most, alternatives like eWallets, cryptocurrencies, and SMS payments are becoming more popular ever year.
Our reviews of Canadian casinos will take you into the cashier and show you which deposit mechanisms you can use, how much the minimum deposit is and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Remember that almost all deposits are free of charge, as they should be, so don’t play at casinos that whack a fee onto the payment.
When it comes to withdrawals you should also look for a casino that will provide the level of service you need – usually that means fast and free withdrawals. Some operators will look to hold back your withdrawal for longer than others. Whilst the standard pending time is 24 hours, sometimes you will have to wait up to 72 hours for a withdrawal to be processed. Our reviewers have checked this information out and we publish withdrawal times so that you are in the clear about what to expect when you want to access your winnings. And of course, we also let you know how much the minimum withdrawal is at each casino in our listings.
Want to know more about deposit and withdrawal options? Check out this guide to Casino Payment Services.
It may not be the first thing you look for when you sign up at a new online casino, but the customer support service is integral to your experience when gambling online. All of us have at one time or another had a complaint to raise or a question to ask regarding our deposits and withdrawals, a game, a responsible gambling feature, or bonuses and loyalty points.
Getting a quick and efficient response to your query affects how much enjoyment you get out of your casino experience, so our casino reviews provide you with a profile of the customer support set-up provided. This answers questions like, how can I contact an agent? are they available on live chat? and is the support centre open 24/7 or only during business hours? Most operators now provide a 24/7 live chat set-up so you can open the app on your browser and start chatting and getting answers instantly. We’ll let you know if this is the case at each of our recommended sites.
In this section we also briefly discuss the reputation of each casino and it’s operator – many of the casinos we feature have been operating in Europe for many years before opening up in Canada, and a strong reputation in those territories is a good indicator that they will provide a good service here too.
At the end of each casino site review our expert writers provide you with a summary of all the information we have covered so you can make your mind up about whether you wish to sign up and deposit real money into an account before you start stake money on their slots and live dealer tables. We only review and recommend sites that we would feel completely comfortable playing at ourselves, and we provide this comprehensive review service so that you will feel the same way too!
Choosing a new site to play at is a big deal, so choose carefully and take the time to read our reviews in full first. And if you have any questions, feel free to send an email to [email protected].
Good luck and have fun!
