Ontario’s gambling scene

Canada’s gambling laws are some of the most relaxed in the world, with gambling in some form or other permitted across all 10 provinces and three territories.  However, regulation is on a provincial level, so what is allowed in one area may be illegal in another. Generally speaking, land (bricks-and-mortar) gambling is legal across all of Canada (except Newfoundland and Labrador), such as casinos, racetracks, bingo, slot machines and lotteries.

As a general rule, private betting houses, and non-government regulated casinos and lottery machines are illegal, and online gambling is tightly regulated. All online gambling has to be licenced or owned by a provincial government. There have been several high-profile cases involving illegal off-shore sites; British Colombia successfully sued a Delaware-based site for $4 million, and in 2013 the Ontario government forfeited £2 million dollars from an offshore gambling site. Therefore, it is key when gambling online in Canada, to use a Canadian-based, government licenced site or one licenced by a gaming authority such as the MGA (Malta Gaming Authority).

Gambling has steadily increased in popularity since it was decriminalized in 1969, growing from state-lotteries designed to raise money for worthy causes (including the Montreal Olympics 1976), to ticket lotteries, horse racing, bingo, casinos and video lottery terminals. Casino gambling is the most popular, with over 100 operating nationally attracting both locals and visitors. Some casinos are in quaint parts of the country, such as Manoir Richelieu, whereas others have taken inspiration from Vegas, with live shows, shopping and restaurants. There are also destination and resort-style casinos with on-site accommodation, restaurants, shopping centres and stunning scenery.

Some land casinos in Canada have taken inspiration from Las Vegas hosting their own ‘resort’ with a hotel and shopping centres.

As a popular form of entertainment for both locals and tourists alike, there are different types of casinos. In British Colombia, there is a beautiful, luxury hotel with casino and gold resort, as well as gourmet restaurants: a smaller casino, with just 240 slot machines and 4 tables, and not open 24/7, it attracts a different demographic of more casual gamblers.  In Alberta, River Cree Resort and Casino has over 1100 slot machines, 39 tables and a poker room, and works to attract locals with a membership scheme, awarding points for daily visits. Ontario has the most casinos in Canada, with 25, of which 4 are resort-style predominantly around Niagara Falls. Casino Niagara has over 13000 slot machines, 30 tables, a poker room and a sports section, as well as restaurants and live entertainment. The Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort has 3000 slots and 120 tables, as well as 374 luxury rooms.

Despite the popularity of land casinos in Canada, there has been a huge increase in the popularity of online casinos, and it is becoming the biggest sector in the gambling market. One of the key driving forces behind this is the technical boom seen over the last 20 years’, in particular over the last decade with the advent of smartphones. As technology has improved, casinos have been able to improve their digital offerings to customers, recreating the feel of the casino online.

Gamblers no longer have to go to a physical location and spend time going to tables, finding free machines and having to find a block of time to be able to gamble. With online gambling they can do this on the go, from the comfort of their own homes, and drop in and out throughout the day when they have breaks. There are many casino providers to choose from online all offering various casino games. An example of a casino site who offer a wide range of games is 888 casinos. On 888 casino games, players have the option to play games such as roulette, poker and baccarat to name a few.

Online gambling allows for anonymity, additional security, and allows gamblers to keep better track of their winnings and losses. Whilst some still prefer the atmosphere and social aspect of a casino, the online offering has become increasingly popular, and has attracted a new demographic of casual gamblers who have never set foot in a casino, as well as veteran gamblers who play online and on land.

Mobile phones have contributed to the success of online casinos with players being able to access games at their own convenience.

The boom of casinos, both land and online, has had huge benefits to Ontario’s and the wider Canadian economy. It is expected to increase revenue to around CA$500 billion by 2023, meaning about CA$31 billion is state revenue, and the gambling industry employs around 100,000 people. Other benefits to the economy include those employed in the software industry, and the tax revenues collected here, as well as increased development in technology, including supporting small start-ups.  In 2017, Ontario reported revenue of CA$7.445 billion from gambling, around CA$2.36 billion from online gambling.

Best Ways to Make Money from Gaming in 2020

Some people say you can make millions of dollars playing video games online. They say you can become famous while at it, buy your favourite sportscar and earn a massive following on social media.

Is it true? Should you quit your job to make money from gaming? Not so quickly. You can earn money in the gaming industry. You can even become a millionaire, as you might have heard. But there are some caveats:

  • It is not all fun and games
  • You might need to spend money
  • It takes the right personality
  • It asks for patience and hard work

With that in mind, here’s a list of the best ways to make money from gaming in 2020.

#1: Become a Pro-gamer

A pro-gamer is someone who plays video games professionally. He might do it online or join a team to travel around the world wherever competitions are available. There are various ways to become a Pro.

First, you can look up online adverts to discover who’ hiring new gamers. You might then be asked to participate in an online interview or buy tickets for a physical meeting in London, LA, New York or Beijing.

Another way to start a professional gaming career is to register for local competitions. You see, gaming doesn’t have to involve teams. Fortnite, PUBG, FIFA20, NBA2K and several more games accept solo competitors.

If you win local competitions regularly, you can sign up for bigger tournaments. In major cities such as London, LA and New York, video game competitions attract up to $3 million in prize money.

#2: Become a Streamer

Some of the world’s most successful gamers are streamers. We are talking about $10 million per year rich, 10+ million fans famous. And that means people such as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek.

Elite streamers make more money than pro-gamers for several reasons. First, they work mainly online, accumulating fans on all social media networks. With social media stardom comes opportunities to make money through adverts, affiliate marking, and influencer contracts.

Ninja, for example, earns up to $1 million to market new video games for a month. He’s also famous enough to have convinced Microsoft to pay him $50 million to leave Twitch for Mixer.

Against that backdrop, streaming pays a lot of money but only to the elite, extremely famous players. Beginners tend to struggle at the bottom, broadcasting games to fewer than ten people at a time. Those who persist eventually succeed, but it could take months or years to make decent money.

#3: Become a Casino Player

The online casino industry is an enormous $90 billion industry. It is bigger than Facebook, Hollywood and Valentine’s Day Combined in terms of annual gross revenues made. But why should you care?

You can earn some of this money. No, you don’t need to buy a casino. You can make hundreds or thousands of dollars playing casino games professionally. Before you say it, you can also lose a lot of cash.

To ensure you make profits consistently, get several things right. Choose a few games and become excellent at playing them. If you select poker, practice and until you’re the best card player in your group of friends.

Then join a trustworthy casino. In Canada, Dreamz.com ranks at the top of the best gaming websites to join. It’s a mobile-friendly platform jam-packed with 1500+ slots and card games. It’s also generous and welcomes you with up to $1000 in bonuses.

Once you become a decent player and have a great casino to use, next up is to perfect your gaming skills. Find the best slots to increase your chances of winning. Discover new card tricks to become a better player. Repeat these tips, and there’s a chance casino gaming could become profitable for you.

#4: Start a Video Game Reviewing Business

Of the seven billion people in the world, two billion identify as gamers. There are over 450 million people who play and watch video games yearly if you narrow down to enthusiasts. That translates to billions of dollars spent on games worldwide.

And guess what? Many video game fans won’t buy a game before reading reviews. That creates an opportunity you can utilize to make money. The best part is that there’s no specific way of doing it.

For starters, you could launch a video game reviewing blog. Or you could start a YouTube channel with the same goal. To take the message closer home, you can start a channel on Twitch—the most popular video game streaming platform.

You can also provide your reviews on social media, local TV stations or through DVDs you sell on eBay and Amazon. But get this, your business’s success will depend on your knowledge of these games and creating trust in buyers.

#5: Work for a Video Game Company

Who said you must play video games to make money in the industry? There are tons of different jobs you can do. Let’s start with journalism. You can become a reporter for a TV or online magazine that specializes in video game content.

Or you can become a video game developer, designer, and all the people that turn concepts into actual video games. Still, you can work for the front office: provide customer service, marketing or management.

The bottom line is to work in an industry you love. So, find job opportunities online or in your city. Avoid new companies unless you’re willing to get paid little and grow with the business. Otherwise, choose medium-sized and large businesses for better payments.

Summary

It’s true what they say—you can make money in the gaming industry. But here’s what they probably don’t reveal. It’s not all fun and games. No one becomes a famous pro-gamer overnight. And very people become successful enough to quit their day jobs.

If you want to work in the gaming industry, though, identify an opportunity. Work on your skills and do what it takes to make money in that sector.

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