By Mark Wadie

Basic Craps Guide

Canada’s crowded real money casino market is stacked with 100s of brands competing for your dollars. With so much choice it can be a daunting task deciding where to bet. Which is why many of us return to the well-known and trusted brands that we recognise time and again. Names like 888 Casino, Bet365, Jackpot City and Spin Casino have all been in the game for at least 20 years and offer us a reliably good experience.

But next time you look for somewhere different to play you might want to test your luck with one of the sites in our list of new online casinos where you will find a selection of slick modern brands, high value bonuses, up to date game catalogues and the latest payment services all feature at these sites. The operators behind these sites are working harder than ever to produce the best casino experience on the market because they don’t have the brand name to fall back on.

So, if you are prepared to take a risk on a name you might not have heard of before, you might find it pays off. Here in more detail are some of the key reasons to try new casino sites this year.

KEY FEATURES OF NEW ONLINE CASINOS

GOOD VALUE WELCOME BONUSES

What you get from your welcome package at new casinos: 

  • Bigger bonuses
  • More free spins
  • Lower wagering requirements
  • Higher win limits

Next to the casino name, the casino bonus is the biggest draw for most of us – we want big bucks, lots of free spins and the chance to win on our favourite games. Established brands vary in what they offer, and whilst some are generous, others often fall back on bringing players through the door based on their reputation which is why their welcome packages don’t compete with those at new casinos. They are often tired and restricted by the same terms and conditions that were implemented 5 or 10 years ago, which means they don’t reflect a newer, more competitive and generous market.

If you browse our own list of new options then you’ll find it is not uncommon for the operator behind a new site launch to offer free spins on registration with no deposit needed. That could be as many as 20 or 50 spins on a popular slot like Starburst or Book of Dead. And if you deposit you are likely to receive further free spins – as many as 200 in some cases – and match bonuses on as many as four or five of your first transactions.

But it’s not just the size of the bonuses and free spins that are better at new casinos. It is not uncommon for the wagering requirements to be lower, giving you better value and more chance of taking away some winnings once they are met. You can find out more about picking the best bonuses in this guide.

Finally, remember that bonuses are usually restricted to specific games. In our experience the free spins at new casinos are more likely to be eligible to try the latest slot games too.

THE LATEST SLOTS AND LIVE DEALER GAMES

What you can expect from the best new casinos:

  • 1,000 + slots from 50 or more providers
  • The latest live dealer formats
  • Bonus offers tied into the newest slots

Once again, where the latest casino brands are competing with traditional names they will do everything they can to achieve an edge, including ensuring their game catalogues are stacked with all the latest titles and formats from cutting edge studios.

Every site you visit, new and old, will including the classic NetEnt and Microgaming titles including favourites like Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune Jackpots, Starburst and Thunderstruck 2. But how many of the established brands will have partnered-up with the best young studios creating the most out-there content like No Limit City – responsible for titles like Tombstone RIP and San Quentin xWays – and Relax Gaming – who’s new The Great Pigsby Megapays™ is a sophisticated new progressive format? Not so many … that is your answer!

Some of the oldest operators are not prepared to rock the boat and risk contracts they have with established game suppliers to get competitors onboard. Whereas the new operators will sign deals with every supplier they can. That is why operators like White Hat Gaming have over 2,000 slots in their catalogue from more than 50 suppliers.

You will also notice how new casinos will utilise the latest games in their promotions – you will be invited to try the latest Push Gaming slots with 20 free spins one week for example.

And it’s not just the slots that are cutting edge. You will always find a long list of top-quality live dealer tables at newer sites in keeping with their desire to offer the very best new game formats. All the casinos in our lists offer bespoke table game and gameshow titles from Evolution Gaming like Ultimate Blackjack, Lightning Roulette, Dream Catcher and Crazy Time.

SOPHISTICATED LOYALTY PROGRAMS

If you are looking for good loyalty programs that genuinely reward customers for their casino play, then newer brands are often a better bet.

The market has changed significantly since the first online casinos were launched in the late 1990s and early 2000s and modern players ask for more. That is why you will regularly find brands that have integrated their loyalty program with the theme of their site, utilising gamification techniques to do so.

Perhaps the best example of this is Casumo, a fully immersive casino experience that has been around for close to a decade but has set the tone for many new casinos since. Their loyalty progam includes:

  • Loyalty points awarded for all activity including wagering, deposits, wins and more
  • Level-ups when enough points are collected
  • Improved rewards at each new level including better bonuses and better points conversions
  • Exclusive tournament at top levels
  • VIP level rewards for top spenders including non-cash gifts

The ‘level-up’ model has been used by countless casinos since including Play OJO and Rizk Casino. And you will also find better terms and conditions including free spins with no wagering requirements where your winning are paid in cash, or free spins with low wagering requirements where winnings are paid in bonuses but with a low turnover requirement before they become withdrawable.

THE LATEST PAYMENT SERVICES

New casino cashier services include the following:

  • Apple Pay
  • Paypal
  • Bitcoin
  • Skrill

Just as they are ready to partner up with the most exciting new game studios, so our new casinos are also going to make sure they offer the widest range of new digital payment services alongside the traditional bank and credit cards.

You can find out why eWallets are such a great alternative to Visa and Mastercard in this guide and you will find a good range of these payment options at all new casinos. Many of us are now turning to options like Paypal, Apple Pay, Google Pay and even Bitcoin as a secure and anonymous way to fund a gambling site account. And in the interests of offering the best service, operators with a new brand to market will make sure all these services are available in their cashier pages.

It’s fair to say that many established brands will also offer a good choice of payment options through their cashier, but this is a standard feature of new casinos.

EXCITING BRANDS

The best new brands recommended by us include:

  • Wildz Casino
  • Casoola Casino

One thing you will notice about traditional online casinos like 888 and Bet365 is that their brands and themes are unimaginative, usually involving traditional casino or sportsbook images and colors. Compare this with the ideas and colors thrown together at some of the best new online casinos like Wildz Casino, Caxino or Casoola.

In an effort to gain your attention and also because they do not need to be tied to any historical brand identity, new sites can be more creative. This just makes them more fun and exciting places to gamble. The creative edge is also noticeable in the site designs and every email you receive from them.

CUTTING EDGE MOBILE SITE AND GAME TECHNOLOGIES

Finally, in many cases you will find that newer casinos provide a better website, app and in-game experience. This is because they are built on the latest technology platforms unlike their established competitors whose technologies are often older and in need of upgrading which can be an expensive and difficult undertaking.

We have found that online casinos built in the last 5 years load faster and offer a better responsive experience to your screen size on mobile, making them easier to use.

Whether you play at new or older casinos the standard of games should always be the same as in the 2020s all slots and live dealer formats utilise HTML5 technology to make them responsive to screen size and operating system.

IN SUMMARY- CHOOSING THE BEST NEW CASINOS

As the Canadian gambling market opens up in 2022 we can expect a lot of new casinos to launch. And if you are looking for the very best the online gambling world has to offer then it is worth considering spending your dollars with one of the latest brands. Established names offer trust and reliability but they are often tired and do not always offer the most cutting edge experience. That is why for the latest games and best value bonuses we strongly recommend taking a chance on one of the new sites recommended by our editorial team.

Good luck and have fun!

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