We cover an interview between Global News and the Better Business Bureau in Canada discussing the current online gambling grey market in the country. (Image courtesy of globalnews.ca)
Global News Morning Edmonton featured a timely discussion this week as anchor Vinesh Pratap sat down with Wes LaFortune, Media & Communications Specialist at the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay.
The interview highlighted the growing risks of grey market and overseas gambling sites as complaints from Canadian players continue to surge. Also, Vinesh Pratap mentioned that complaints to the BBB have double in size. He then handed over the interview to Wes LaFortune.
LaFortune revealed that the BBB has received more than 10,000 reports about overseas gambling sites since mid-2022. Many of these complaints involve frozen accounts when players win, unclear rules, and a lack of protection for consumers. He warned that some sites are outright scams, while others operate in the legal ‘grey market,’ where regulation is weak or absent.
Two Out of Three Canadians Gamble, According to StatCan
According to Statistics Canada, two out of three Canadians gamble, and over 300,000 people struggle with gambling addiction. LaFortune said that while many players know the risks, they are still drawn to grey market casinos because of their flashy designs and promises of big wins. Just to interrupt, we also covered a news report specific to Alberta that said that 90% of players in the province gamble on overseas gaming sites.
Moving on and Mr LaFortune said that one of the reasons people sign up to overseas online gambling sites is because a “The sites look great, which can fool people. But at grey sites, there is absolutely no protection,” he warned, while also implying that even at regulated sites, players should remember the house always has the advantage. However, he said the issue is that some people feel they are going to beat the house. I have to agree with him because if we all won playing at online casinos, then they wouldn’t exist, so you should always be prepared to lose, while gambling itself should be treated as a hobby.
Mr LaFortune in Play Aberta
He said that Play Alberta remains the province’s only regulated online casino. However, Alberta is expected to follow Ontario’s lead in introducing a broader licensing system. LaFortune noted that across North America, there are many regulatory authorities, and he believes Alberta’s new regulator will help address consumer concerns.
Vinesh Pratap asks How Should Canada Regulate?
When asked whether Canada should regulate gambling nationally or province by province, LaFortune stressed that Alberta’s provincial model is developing but cautioned players in the meantime: “I would not recommend giving over credit card and other personal information to these grey market sites.”
Source used for this news story: The interview is available on video via the BBB issues new gambling and gaming study gambling news report on the Global News website.
How can you tell if an online casino is safe or a scam?
The reality is that fraudulent casino sites do exist, and players need to do their due diligence before signing up.
- Tip 1: Most scam sites do not hold valid licensing from any authority in Canada or from any global licensing bodies. Therefore, you should avoid these sites altogether.
- Tip 2: Check sites like Trustpilot Canada for player reviews, which can help you quickly identify whether an online gambling website is scamming players.
- Tip 3: Read casino reviews from trusted sources where the reviewers have logged on and played at these casinos.
Malta Gaming Authority Offers the Highest Level of Protection for Canadian Players
For the highest level of protection, we recommend casinos licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). These platforms accept players from Canada and allow you to deposit in CAD. There are also stringent rules in place, some as recent as 2025, that ensure operators must operate in positive equity, which is a rule put in place to prevent players from losing their funds when operators become insolvent.
Just to make a point here, if you are in Ontario, then online casinos operating under the Alchol and Gaming of Ontario licensing authority, which uses iGaming Ontario as the licensing body is going to offer you the highest level protection over MGA casinos.
Staying Safe Playing on Cryptocurrency Sites Available to Canadian Players
Players looking for crypto options will also find that Curacao-licensed casinos provide a good balance of oversight and innovation. You also have the option of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) and Anjouan Gaming authority; however, I tend to feel that Curacao offers the best oversight, but that’s just my opinion.
Tips to stay safe when playing in overseas crypto casinos
Some of the best tips I have from personal experience when playing using crypto at overseas online casinos, or as Wes LaFortune, grey market iGaming sites are in the bullet list below.
- Only play at licensed casinos (Curacao, Kahnawake or Anjouan).
- Check independent casino reviews and player feedback.
- Test small deposits and withdrawals before committing larger funds.
- Always withdraw all your funds at the end of a session.
- If you are a high roller, choose a fast crypto for deposits and withdrawals and add funds as you need them during your session.
- Avoid giving credit card details to unknown or unlicensed operators.
- Use responsible gambling tools and set limits to stay in control.
To avoid giving credit card details, that would mean avoiding any fiat on-ramps advertising card-to-crypto payments offered by crypto sites. However, the most important point to note is that you should only play at casinos that have great player feedback.
Casinoplusbonus Canadian Casino Reviews: You can find a list of iGambling platforms we’ve reviewed here on our website. We’ve logged in, deposited, played games and withdrawn from these sites successfully. Take a look at our Canadian casino reviews page for more info.
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