All You Need to Know About Soccer Betting in Canada

By Awais Dar.

Nevertheless, the popularity of soccer in Canada has been on the rise in the past several years. With that increase in popularity, Canadians have also started to explore their options regarding soccer betting.

But is sports betting in Canada legal? Do online sportsbooks exist in the Great White North, and does it matter in which province or territory you’re located when trying to bet online? These are some of the questions we’ll try to answer in the article below!

Is Sports Betting in Canada Legal?

Canada legalized sports betting in the 1990s, although the legalization came with some restrictions. Namely, Canadians could only place parlay bets, as single-game betting was outlawed. Also, players could only bet on sporting events offered by their retail sportsbook, and soccer was often excluded from the available betting markets.

However, it seems that new propositions will result in Canadians finally being able to place single-game bets. The wave of sports betting legalization in the US has made Canadian gambling authorities rethink their strategies, as they saw massive financial potential in giving their residents a less restrictive sports betting experience.

Like in the US, the federal authorities have given provinces the right to decide whether they want this form of gambling legalized within their borders, and all ten provinces legalized parlay betting by 2012.

What About Online Soccer Betting?

According to GamblingNews.com online sports betting in Canada is closer to being legalised. Namely, every province’s residents are free to place wagers online, as long as they do it on a provincial-run website that received the green light to offer sports wagering over the internet.

At first, this seems like good news, but the local sports betting platforms are not exactly on par with other reputable betting sites worldwide. They usually don’t have a lot to offer in terms of sports and market variety, single-game betting is still mostly prohibited, and sports betting bonuses are few and far between. Also, soccer not being that popular in Canada often means you won’t find any soccer games to bet on.

This is why, regardless of legal and official online sportsbooks existing, many Canadians opt to place their bets on offshore betting sites. Offshore sites are much more versatile in their offers, and they cover all the most famous soccer events, not to mention that they allow single-game betting.

Another benefit of offshore betting sites is that they are technically not illegal. Since there are no laws that expressly prohibit Canadians from accessing those sites, using offshore sportsbooks won’t get you into any legal trouble.

The minimum gambling age for sports betting in Canada is either 18 or 19, depending on the province.

Most Popular Soccer Betting Events in Canada

Canadian sports bettors are very keen on both domestic and foreign soccer events. MLS is among the most sought-after soccer betting competitions in the country, as it features three Canadian teams located in three of the most populous cities (Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver).

Die-hard Canadian soccer fans also regularly pursue sportsbooks where they can place bets on the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and the Canadian Soccer League (CSL).

Among the most popular foreign competitions are the UEFA Champions League, several high-quality European national leagues (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, etc.), and international competitions like the FIFA World Cup, CONCACAF Gold Cup, UEFA Euro, and others.

How to Bet on Soccer in Canada?

To bet on soccer in Canada, you need to search for retail sportsbooks in your province or choose one of many online betting sites available to Canadian bettors. Most provinces provide their residents with an official sports betting site or a sportsbook app, but if you want to have more options when betting online, you should consider finding a trusted offshore sportsbook.

If you’ve never bet on soccer online, don’t worry, as the process is straightforward. Just go to the website of your choice, create an account, deposit money into it using the accepted payment methods, and browse the available soccer betting markets to create your betting slip.

You can choose anything from betting on the winner of an individual match to predicting the champion of a given competition. Most betting sites will also allow you to bet live.