Understanding the Rules and Regulation of Mobile Gambling

Mobile gambling on tablet casinos is one of the fastest growing digital markets in the world right now. Millions of players from all over the globe are logging onto internet gaming websites through smartphones and tablets to play games for real money. Before you do, it’s important to understand the rules and regulations involved.

While online casinos are legal to play in most jurisdictions, the laws can vary from one region to the next. Age restrictions, operator restrictions, payment restrictions – they are all common issues faced by players.

Age Restrictions at Tablet Casinos

Some mobile gambling sites will enforce age restrictions based on the jurisdiction in which they operate. Others will not post a minimum age, but rather a notice that players must know and abide by the age restrictions in their own country.

For Canadians, the legal age to gamble is not static across the country. It depends on the province in which you reside.

If you happen to live in Alberta, Manitoba or Quebec, you can gamble at live or online casinos once you turn 18. All other provinces enforce an age restriction of 19 years.

Every reputable online gambling operator knows the laws of each jurisdiction from which they accept players, whether they specifically post them or not. Suffice to say, if an 18 year old Ontario resident tries to sign up at Royal Vegas, the registration will be rejected.

Operator Restrictions in Canada

In Canada, online casino operators are only restricted from accepting Canadian players if the business is physically located in Canada, and the operator does not have a regulatory licence to accept Canadian players. The laws currently state that only a province’s government-run lottery corporation can hold a licence to operate online gambling services.

In layman’s terms, this means Canadians can have two options. They can access their own province’s online gambling website, available in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. Alternatively, they can access any online gambling website located offshore. They can not, however, access sites like PokerStars, whose parent company, Amaya Gaming, is based in Montreal.

Manitoba residents are provided legal access to British Columbia’s online casino, PlayNow, via a partnership between Manitoba and BCLC.

Payment Restrictions for Tablet Casinos

Mobile gambling regulations do not specifically restrict what payment option Canadians can utilize. This feature will be determined by the operator at which you play.

Make certain that the available payment methods suit your needs before signing up an account. You’ll need access to a secure deposit method, such as credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, eChecks (ACH), or eWallets.

Also consider your withdrawal method. Credit cards and prepaid cards aren’t generally viable withdrawal options, so make sure you will have a reliable means of collecting winnings.

Player’s Responsibilities in Mobile Gambling

Since Canadians aren’t restricted from international mobile gambling sites, it’s the player’s responsibility to ensure s/he only signs up with reputable operators. For every distinguished gambling site, there are just as many tablet casinos that will take your money and run.

Your first job is to research the industry and find an operator that has a solid reputation and dependable regulatory licence. Royal Vegas is one such operator.

Established in 2000, the website and its software are licenced by the Malta Gaming Authority. Canadians are accepted (if old enough), and there are a multitude of payment methods to facilitate deposits and withdrawals in CAD.