Are online casinos in Sarnia, Ontario legal?
Yes, they are. The legal igaming market in the province of Ontario launched in April 2022, allowing players aged 19 and older all over Ontario to legally access online sportsbooks and casinos. As a result, you can now access and play at online casinos in Peterborough, Sarnia, Toronto and every city in the province.
Regulation
The legal online gambling market in Ontario is overseen by iGaming Ontario (iGO) an offshoot of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). There are now more than 60 legal online sportsbooks and casinos available in the province, meaning that you no longer need to go to the overseas “grey” market.
Top online casinos to check out
Online casino Sarnia - The key facts
In the table below, you can check out some of the key facts and information about the legal online gambling market in Sarnia, Ontario:
| Regulation: | AGCO & iGO |
| Minimum age: | 19+ |
| Province population: | 14.7 million |
| Tax on winnings: | No* |
| Online casinos: | Yes |
| Online sportsbooks: | Yes |
| Online poker: | Yes |
*Winnings from legal gambling are non-taxable in the whole of Canada. However, gamblers deemed to be “professional” will be taxed.
Legal online casinos in Sarnia vs the grey market
Previously, it was the case that players in Sarnia and the rest of Canada could access and register with overseas-based casinos. While there was nothing in the law specifically legalising such practices, there was nothing to prohibit it either.
As a result, this was given the term the “grey market”, as it was neither black (illegal) nor “green” legal and regulated. However, when this was the only way to play online casinos in Sault Ste Marie and Sarnia there were more risks involved, including a lack of regulation.
Ontario “cleaned up” some grey market operators
Many of the operators that were previously popular with users of the grey market, were “cleaned up” and brought into the green when online gambling became legal in Ontario. Websites such as Bet365 and Casumo were quickly given iGaming Ontario licences following the April 2022 launch.
As well as benefiting players with better homegrown regulations, this also meant that the government of Ontario was now benefiting by taxing the income from these gambling operators. Previously, they were missing out on billions of potential revenue as Sarnian players’ money contributed to overseas economies.
Online casino Sarnia - Pros and cons
Naturally, fully legalisation has brought with it a number if advantages, which we have summarised below:
Pros
- Better regulation - By regulating its own gambling market, Ontario can ensure that all its players are getting an experience that is up to the same standard. Some overseas gambling licences are stricter than others, meanwhile, there are some that border on being as good as having no regulation at all.
- Safer experience - As a result of online casinos being regulated by the AGCO and iGO, you can be sure that you are going to have a safer and more enjoyable experience when gambling online.
- Higher quality of operator - The iGO has quite a strict set of criteria that an operator must meet in order to legally be able to offer their products in the province. You can therefore be sure that only the best quality online casinos are going to make it to the market in Sarnia.
- More money for public spending - The city of Sarnia itself has even benefited some the legalisation of online gambling in Ontario. By bringing online casinos into the green, Ontario is now seeing billions of dollars more in tax revenue that it can allocate to public spending.
Cons
- Slightly higher age limit - For most overseas sites, the age limit is 18, this is slightly higher for Ontarian players at 19. However, it’s definitely worth the wait for a safer and better experience.
- Smaller choice of operators (but not by much) - With the grey market, it is true to say that there was a much larger choice available, but finding good and reputable casinos was tricker. Moreover, there are now over 60 legal online betting sites in Ontario, so you aren’t really that limited in terms of choice and quality.
How to play at an online casino in Sarnia - Step by step
Now that we’ve covered the legal ins and outs of online casinos in Ontario, let’s take a look at how you can get started, Our experts have put together this handy step-by-step walkthrough guide below:
First of all, you will need to choose your ideal operator, which is where we come in. On this site, you can check out our experts’ reviews of the top online casinos in Sarnia and Ontario to find the ideal one for you.
Once you have found your ideal Ontario online casino, you just need to register your new account. To do this, you will need to create a username, and password and enter a few details.
After signing up, you will have to verify your account with your ID and proof of address at some stage. You can wait until just before your first withdrawal to do this, but we recommend getting it out of the way ASAP as it can take up to 24 hours.
Now that you have a fully open and verified account, you just need to deposit funds for the first time to get started. Most Ontario online casinos offer a decent selection of options, including Visa, Mastercard (credit and debit), PayPal, Instadebit, iDebit, Trustly and more.
That’s it, once you have a fully funded online casino account you can start playing slots and other games wherever you are in Sarnia for the chance to win real money.
Land-based casinos in Sarnia
As well as 60+ online gambling sites, you still have the option to kick it old school and head to one of the land-based casinos in and around the Sarnia area. There are three casinos in the area to choose from:
- Gateway Casinos Sarnia
- Starlight Casino Point Edward
- Jackpot Time
How we rate Ontario online casinos
As we said above, one of the best ways to find your ideal online casino in Sarnia is to compare operators using the reviews here at BallisLife. But how do you know you can trust us?
All of our experts test out each and every site we rate, with reviews of new online casinos going up on our site soon after they reach the market. We base our reviews and final ratings on a number of different criteria, including:
- Usability, look and feel
- Mobile app
- Payments
- Licence and security
- Customer service
- Software
- Games
- Live casino
- Bet limits
Conclusion - Find your ideal online casino in Sarnia and start playing today
The main thing to take away from this article is that online casinos are now legal in the whole of Ontario for players aged 19+. You just have to make sure that you register with a regulated operator - so always look for the AGCO and a valid iGaming Ontario licence.
To ensure that you sign up to a site that is 100% legit, register with one of the top recommended operators from our experts. As we have said throughout this article, you can see our currency ratings and access our reviews directly from this page.
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Online casino Sarnia FAQ
🎰 Can you play at an online casino in Sarnia?
Yes, online casinos in Ottawa, Sarnia and the whole of Ontario have been legal since April 2022. As long as you register with an operator that is licensed by the AGCO and iGaming Ontario, you can play games for real money legally and wager on sports. Head to Ballislife.com to check out reviews of the best online casinos in Ontario today.
🏆 What is the best online casino in Sarnia?
Bet365 and Casumo Casino are two operators that spring to mind when we think about online casinos in Ontario. However, there are plenty of other legal sites in the province - over 60 and counting to be exact. If you want to find the right site for you, we recommend using the comparison tool at Ballislife.com.
🔞 What is the minimum age to play at an online casino in Sarnia?
You have to be aged at least 19 in order to be able to play games legally at a licensed online casino anywhere in Ontario. For more information, check out this guide to online gambling in Sarnia here at Ballislife.com.
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