Ontario Online Poker June 2023
All Ontario Online Poker Sites
BetMGM Ontario is live & accepting online casino and sports betting players! BetMGM Ontario is 100% legal & regulated by the AGCO. 19+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.
Ontarians have been waiting for online poker to launch for years!
Now that Ontario online casinos are legal, there are almost a dozen platforms hosting online poker games, too. 19+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.
Are you craving a little card action? We’ve got the best Ontario online poker sites and the best tips for navigating the world of online casino games. Even if you’ve never played at an online casino before, you’ll know exactly what to look for in a platform before opening an account.
Find out which online casinos are the best — and which ones you might want to avoid.
Ontario Online Poker
We can’t wait to start playing Ontario online poker this spring. Find out how to find legal, legit online poker rooms in the province (and how to avoid online casino scams).
Is online poker legal in Ontario?
Yes, as of April 2022, playing poker at an online casino is totally legal in Ontario!
Canada has allowed individual provinces to set online betting laws, and Ontario has hit the ground running, handing out nearly a dozen licenses for online casinos in the province. In other provinces, online betting is run by the province itself, while Ontario has asked large gambling platforms to partner with local casinos and sportsbooks to run online casino and sportsbook sites.
Back in 2021, Canada began loosening its Canadian sports betting laws, allowing for more betting types (previously, only parlay bets were allowed).
Find out who is eligible to play Canada online poker.
Ontario Legal Age of Betting
To legally place bets in Ontario, you must be at least 19 years old. In other provinces of Canada, such as Alberta, Calgary, Manitoba, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec, residents as young as 18 years old may place bets.
Before creating a casino account, you must verify your age (with a valid photo ID) to prove you are of legal gambling age.
You may also bet at any land-based casino in Ontario if you’re at least 19 years old.
Geo-Tracking Laws
Before placing your bets, you must also download geo-tracking software to prove you are located in Ontario.
Since the betting laws vary throughout Canada, you must be physically located within Ontario to play online poker. If you live in another province, you can’t just log onto an Ontario online poker room and start placing bets. You can only play at Canada online casinos in your province.
But if you happen to travel to Ontario, you can always place bets at Ontario online poker rooms (while you’re physically located within the province) and as long as you’re of legal betting age in Ontario.
To ensure you are physically within province boundaries, you need to download and activate geo-tracking software on your device. If you leave the province, you need to head back there before placing bets again.
How to find legit Ontario online poker sites
While Ontario online poker is now legal, it doesn’t mean that all online casinos are licensed and registered in Ontario.
If you’re placing bets at an online casino in Ontario, make sure you’re doing so at a legit casino that’s regulated by the gaming commission of Ontario (AGCO) and by iGaming Ontario, one of AGCO’s subsidiaries.
We recommend avoiding offshore poker sites, reading Ontario online poker reviews, and keeping your betting information private.
Avoid Offshore Poker Sites
Not all poker sites that market to Ontarians are licensed and registered in Canada.
Offshore poker sites have been marketing to Canadians since before online gambling was legalized. These sites operated in the gray areas of Canadian law, as they’re located “offshore” (thus the offshore in offshore poker) and were difficult to prosecute.
If funds are mishandled, you may end up losing your money altogether.
Read Ontario Online Poker Reviews
We’ve gone from virtually no online casinos in Ontario to almost a dozen! How does one choose between the poker sites available?
One way is to familiarize yourself with Ontario online poker sites by reading online casino reviews.
We review all the legit poker sites in Ontario, so you know which ones are verified, registered, and licensed in the province. We also give you the goods on the best platform experiences, game selections, and payouts — so you don’t need to try out a bunch of sites to find out yourself.
Keep Betting Information Private
It’s so obvious, but keeping your private betting info is super important. Plenty of people fall prey to scams or giving away their account information.
Ontario online poker sites that are legit will keep your info stored on secure servers, and their websites and apps follow strict encryption laws. You should also set up a password, PIN code, and bio-identification info (such as a fingerprint or facial ID) to access your app — and most legit apps require you to do so.
Never ever share your login or betting information with anyone.
Ontario Online Poker: How to find the best sites
You’ll notice that online casinos have wasted no time getting ready to open in Ontario!
Instead of getting inundated by the number of platforms (or blindly choosing a platform), we’ve got a few tips to help you choose the best Ontario online poker platform.
We’re pretty familiar with most of these sites, as some of the biggest names in the online casino industry are partnering with Ontario land-based casinos. Big names, like DraftKings, Caesars, MGM, and FanDuel. Which site to choose?
Before opening an account at the first big-name casino you see, check out our tips on how to find the best Ontario online poker sites.
Ontario Online Casino Deposits and Withdrawals
Most online casinos offer the same (or similar) payment options, including debit, credit, ACH bank transfer or e-check, digital wallet, Play+ card, and cash deposits.
Debit and credit cards may be used to make a payment or deposit money into your casino account but can’t be used to withdraw your winnings.
Withdraws can be made by ACH transfer or e-checks, digital wallets (such as PayPal or Skrill), Play+ cards, or cash at the casino cage. Most withdrawals take up to a few business days to complete (except for ones made by the Play+ card or cash at the casino cage).
If you plan on depositing and withdrawing money by check, it may take up to a few weeks for your funds to hit your casino account and to receive your winnings by mail.
Types of Ontario Online Poker Games
Ontario online poker rooms offer plenty of ways to play poker. From Texas Hold’em to live poker and video poker, you should have your pick of poker games at these online casinos.
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is possibly one of the most popular types of poker in the world. You’ll find this version of poker in every online casino in Canada and the U.S.
Play against a computer, other players, or live dealers. Get information on odds and typical payouts before entering the virtual poker room.
Live Poker
Live poker has become increasingly popular since the inception of online casinos. The biggest downfall to online poker rooms is the feeling that you’re playing against a computer (even if you’re playing against another person).
Live poker rooms take your poker experience to the next level.
Watch a live dealer in a casino, place your bets (via messenger), and turn up the sound on your device to hear the dealer speaking — as if you were at a live poker game.
Video Poker
Of course, video poker is just as popular in Ontario online poker rooms as it is in land-based casinos. Video poker is much easier than playing a poker game, and games are over much faster than during a regular poker game.
UX/Design and Functionality
We bet you don’t usually consider a casino’s graphics or user experience when browsing online poker sites.
But you probably do notice when a site lags during your bet, the colors are so blinding you can’t focus on your bets, or when you can’t find your favorite games.
We always consider user experience, design, and functionality in all of our Ontario online poker reviews. We’ll let you know which ones we love the most, but you may also need to try out a few sites for yourself to find the ones that you enjoy the most.
Ontario Online Poker Apps
Pretty much every online casino we review also offers an app. Players can choose to place bets from their desktop, laptop, or mobile browsers. Or, they can place bets on the app.
Apps create a seamless experience for bettors. You don’t need to log in each time you enter the app (you may need to use facial or fingerprint recognition software or a PIN code), and you can place one-touch bets.
Yet, just as not all Ontario online poker sites are the same, neither are their apps.
An app should help simplify your betting experience — not make it more complicated. You should be able to do everything from the app that you can do from the website. Information should be easy to access but also be kept secure.
Above all, there should be no serious bugs or lags in any app. Most casinos offer apps for both Apple and Android phones.
Best Ontario Online Poker Sites
Are you ready to play poker yet? Here are our picks for the best Ontario online poker sites. We review each platform and compare their apps, user experience, and payment and withdrawal options — so you don’t have to!
BetMGM Casino
Yes, MGM is finally coming to Canada! We’ve been excited about this move since the casino started scoping out spots for a possible Calgary casino location back in 2017.
As you might expect, BetMGM has one of the best online poker rooms in Ontario. There is a large selection of games, and there are even plenty of live dealer poker games, too.
Web/App UX
We’re just as happy with the app as we are with the website. We didn’t have any issues finding the poker games we wanted to play, and we love that you can download the app directly from both the Apple Store and Google Play Store.
Payment/Withdrawals
Make a deposit into your casino account via e-check, credit or debit card, online banking transfer, PayNearMe, Play+, Skrill, or cash at the casino cage. The minimum deposit is $10 and your funds will be available instantly.
Golden Nugget
Another one of the big names in land-based casinos is making its way to Ontario, and we have to say, we can’t wait to play some serious poker at the Golden Nugget. We love the unparalleled web and app experiences and convenient payment and withdrawal options.
Web/App UX
The Golden Nugget app is available on both the Google Play Store and Apple Store. We were happy with our experiences on the website and the app. We had no issues finding a few dozen different types of poker games — within the first few minutes of browsing.
Payment/Withdrawals
This online casino accepts payments in the form of credit and debit cards, ACH bank transfer and e-check, PayPal, Neteller, bank wire transfer, check by mail, and cash at the casino cage.
DraftKings Casino
Haven’t heard of DraftKings yet? It happens to be one of the biggest names in online Ontario sports betting apps. The good news is that they’re also now one of the biggest names in online poker, too.
Web/App UX
We happen to think that DraftKings has one of the best user experiences in the online betting industry. We also love that it’s just as easy to find poker games here as it is to bet on our favorite sporting events.
Payment/Withdrawals
DraftKings Sportsbook offers the following deposit methods:
- PayPal
- Credit/debit
- Prepaid card
- Wire transfer
- e-check/ACH transfer
- Cash at the casino cage
DraftKings Sportsbook offers the following withdrawal methods:
- PayPal
- e-check/ACH transfer
- Cash at the casino cage
FanDuel Casino
Like DraftKings, FanDuel Casino has become a major player in sports betting in the U.S. — though it’s also known for its extensive list of casino games (including poker!).
Web/App UX
Like its major competitor, DraftKings, FanDuel offers a seamless betting experience from start to finish. Both its website and app are easy to navigate, and we love that we can play poker and other casino games on the same platform where we place sports bets.
Payment/Withdrawals
FanDuel offers the following payment options:
- Visa/ Mastercard
- eCheck
- PayPal
- Prepaid card
- Online Transfer
- PayNearMe
Withdrawals may be made by:
- Prepaid card
- ACH
- PayPal
BetRivers Casino
BetRivers has become one of the most popular online casinos in the U.S., and we’re so excited to share this platform with Ontario online poker players, too! It offers a long list of payment and withdrawal options, and an easy-to-use site and app.
Web/App UX
For a site that’s competing with some of the biggest names in online poker, BetRivers can hold its own. The app is available for iOS in the Apple Store and for Android on the BetRivers website.
Payment/Withdrawals
Make a payment to your BetRivers account with:
- Credit card/debit card
- Visa
- Mastercard
- PayPal
- Online banking (ACH)
- Cash at the casino cage
- BetRivers Play+ card
Withdrawals can be made by:
- Cash at the casino cage
- BetRivers Prepaid Card
- Check by mail
- ACH
Stars Casino
Stars Casino is the only poker-specific site on this list! If you’re looking for poker (and only poker) games, Stars may be the site for you. Yet, despite being one of the biggest names in poker championships, the site isn’t as big as some of the other platforms on this list.
Web/App UX
We love that Stars Casino specializes in online poker — but it doesn’t pigeonhole itself. Stars also has a decent list of slots, roulette, blackjack, and other casino games. The app offers a streamlined design, it’s easy to navigate, and you can find all your favorite games easily in the menus.
The only downside for Android users is that you’ll need to download the app directly from the Stars site, as the Google Play Store doesn’t carry all casino apps.
Payment/Withdrawals
Stars accepts payments via:
- E-Checks
- Credit cards
- Bank transfers
- PayPal
- PayNearMe
- Skrill
Withdrawals can be made by:
- E-checks
- Skrill
- PayPal
Caesars Casino
Caesars Casino has been around since the 1960s. And now, this poker powerhouse is bringing its world-class experience to Ontarians, too.
Web/App UX
We love the Caesars Casino app. It’s so easy to use (and easy on the eyes!). We think the colors are both enticing — yet classy — and we’ve never had any difficulty finding the games we love to play.
Payment/Withdrawals
Caesars offers plenty of payment methods, including debit, credit, PayPal, bank transfer, Play+ card, PayNearMe, e-check, Neteller, and cash at the casino cage. The minimum deposit amount is $10.
Withdrawal methods include credit and debit, wire or bank transfer, Play+ card, Skrill, PayPal, and cash at the casino cage. The minimum withdrawal amount is $5 for credit, debit, and Play+ cards; $25 for wire and bank transfers; and $10 for PayPal. There is no minimum withdrawal amount for Skrill.
888 Casino
888 Casino is probably the least-known casino on this list. But that doesn’t mean they can’t hang with the others. The only downside? 888 Casino specializes in online slot machines.
This platform does have a decent selection of poker games, though, including 13 variants, such as Casino Holdem, Texas Hold'Em, and Three Card Poker.
Web/App UX
We love 888’s app and website. But while the website is very responsive on our smart devices, we did notice that the app lagged just a little. Not a big enough reason to stop playing here altogether, but it is worth mentioning.
You also need to download the app for the iPhone and Android directly from the 888 Casino site, as they’re not available in the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
Payment/Withdrawals
Payments can be made by Visa or MasterCard, Neteller, e-check, or cash at the casino cage. Withdrawals can be made by bank transfer or cash at the casino cage.
About the author
Frank Weber is a sports & gaming writer with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and years of experience in the gambling world. He loves baseball, football, basketball, soccer, and the UFC - he even collects sports cards and memorabilia! In his free time, you could find Frank either out at a concert with friends, or at home sweating out all his (soon to be won) bets!