British Columbia: 2024's Top Legal Poker Sites
Read on to discover the top sites for British Columbia players, as well as the legal status of online poker in the province. Enjoy the best bonuses in the market.
Population: | 4,648,055 |
Gambling Age: | 19 |
Online Poker: | Legal |
Online Gambling: | Legal |
Regulatory Body: | British Columbia Lottery Corporation |
This page is dedicated to all poker fans who are living in or passing through British Columbia and want to play their favourite casino poker game in a tried and tested environment.
British Columbia is widely regarded as the most liberal province in Canada. With a population of over 5 million, there are a lot of passionate gamblers living in the Pacific Province, many of whom love to play poker.
I also happen to be an avid poker player who loves to play the game at every chance I get. Now, when it comes to traditional or ‘land-based’ poker, you don’t really need my advice on where to play, but online poker is a whole new ball game.
Ideally, you could play at a state-regulated online poker room with a peace of mind, knowing that the government has your back should something goes wrong. But the Canadian framework for online gambling is still in a rebuilding phase, so there aren’t any viable options as far as online poker at Canada-based online poker rooms is concerned.
This means that you have to turn to offshore poker sites for help. And since there are so many offshore gambling sites offering their services to Canadians, it can be tricky to tell apart between a legit poker platform and a rogue poker room — one that wants to scam you.
That’s where my guidance kicks in. I know the online gambling industry inside out and can spot a shady poker site a mile off. With this in mind, I can tell you which poker rooms are worth your time. But before we go there, I would like to say a few words about the online poker laws in British Columbia.
Once you read this page from cover to cover, you should be able to get a better understanding of the following:
There’s a lot of work to be done, so we better get moving.
Best Online Poker Sites in British Columbia
For quite some time now I’ve been collecting valuable information on poker rooms across the globe, different software providers powering these virtual establishments, as well as all other significant aspects that might be relevant to players.
After countless hours of analysis, I’ve compiled a list of all the sites I consider worth playing at. The list consists only of poker rooms that have passed my extremely high standards on this site. All the information is up-to-date since I check it quite regularly, as I want my readers to stay informed on all the latest bonuses offered by these online venues.
Ladies, and gentlemen — here’s the list.
My list of the best poker sites which I consider to be the best rooms to play in 2024:
- 100% Legal & Licensed
- Verified Bonus
- Mobile Friendly
- Advertiser Disclosure
Kindly be aware that some links on Top 10 Poker Sites are affiliate links, for which we may earn a commission. Find out more on our terms & conditions
- Must be 18+ to participate.
- A reputable platform in the industry
- First-Class Software
- Good Player Traffic
- Great Selection of Games & Tournaments
Exclusive bonus
100% upto $1000
Bonus Offer
UK new players only • £20 free bonus: Full T&C apply BeGambleAware• Bonus will be granted in Tournament Tickets gradually over 7 days after the claim date • Each Tournament Ticket will expire 24 hours after it was granted • Deposit bonus: Full T&C’s apply BeGambleAware • First deposit only • Min. deposit $10 • The bonus will be granted in $10 chunks subject to wagering restrictions of 100 Bonus Points per chunk • Bonus wins are capped at $500 • Valid for selected games only, when playing Casino • Wagering req. vary by game • Bonus expires in 90 days •
Displayed 3 of 6 rooms
Is Online Poker Legal in British Columbia?
Canada has a well-balanced approach to online gambling, and the land-based casino industry is incredibly well run. The gambling laws are mandated on a bilateral platform. On the federal, highest level, the government determines what constitutes gambling. However, each province regulates gambling activities in their respective territories.
Nowadays, almost every province in Canada has opened its online gambling markets. As for British Columbia, it currently operates a number of gambling websites. The online lottery was established in 2004, and then other forms of gambling went online soon after.
In 2009, internet poker sites became available in BC. Over the past few years, the province also began to spread online casino games and sports betting.
What’s interesting is that lawmakers in BC haven’t yet created a licensing organization for foreign gambling websites to operate in the province. Fortunately, players are allowed to gamble at offshore casinos and poker rooms.
Some of the world-renowned online gambling operators offer their services to BC-based players What’s even better is that they are completely legal in the eyes of the British Columbia authorities.
Long story short — yes, online poker is legal in British Columbia. But since the province’s online gambling industry is still in its infancy, you have to play in poker rooms that are based in other countries.
I would advise caution, though, as many offshore sites are not to be trusted. There have been many documented cases where poker players got scammed on some second-rate poker platforms and lost thousands of dollars. If you don’t want to get into such unpleasant situations, I suggest that you check out the section below.
Top Three Poker Sites in British Columbia
Since the Canadian market is open to pretty much every poker operator out there, you can imagine how difficult it was to narrow the list all the way down to ‘Top 3’. So, all the operators that I’m going to talk about are crème de la crème of gaming platforms, with a longstanding reputation in the poker industry. Let’s take a sneak peek, shall we?
100% upto $1000
+ $88/£20 Free NO DEPOSIT BONUS, No Deposit Required (T&Cs apply)
Bonus Offer
UK new players only • £20 free bonus: Full T&C apply BeGambleAware• Bonus will be granted in Tournament Tickets gradually over 7 days after the claim date • Each Tournament Ticket will expire 24 hours after it was granted • Deposit bonus: Full T&C’s apply BeGambleAware • First deposit only • Min. deposit $10 • The bonus will be granted in $10 chunks subject to wagering restrictions of 100 Bonus Points per chunk • Bonus wins are capped at $500 • Valid for selected games only, when playing Casino • Wagering req. vary by game • Bonus expires in 90 days •
- One of the most heavily regulated online gambling platforms
- Wide range of poker games
- $88 no deposit bonus + $888 welcome deposit bonus
- Accepts players from British Columbia
100% up to $1000
$100,000
in Guaranteed Tournaments
(T&Cs/wagering requirements apply)
- Cutting-edge software
- Supports cryptocurrencies like Litecoin and Ethereum
- Rewarding bonus scheme
- Accepts players from British Columbia
100% upto $1000
(T&Cs/wagering requirements apply)
- Outstanding selection of tournaments
- Generous welcome bonus
- Well-organized lobby
- Accepts players from British Columbia
Best Land-Based Poker Room in British Columbia
British Columbia is home to a great number of elite poker venues that are spread throughout the province.
Vancouver, in particular, is packed with superb poker rooms, capable of catering for every poker taste. If you’re a fan of world-class poker events, the WSOP makes a stop at the RiverRock Casino Resort in Richmond.
This upscale casino is located only 5 km from the Vancouver International Airport and 8 km from the Oakridge Centre.
The 24-hour casino features over 1,000 slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, and a plethora of baccarat games.
River Rock’s poker rooms have tables for Texas Hold’em, Find Four Card Poker and Omaha. No-Limit Hold’em games have buy-ins starting from $100, with all tables qualifying for the Super Bad Beat Jackpot. River Rock has also been the host of the WSOP series for two consecutive years between 2012–2014.
The establishment also runs an elite VIP programme called Encore Rewards. For every dollar you spend in the venue, you gain points. Once you accumulate a certain amount of points, you’ll gain access to exclusive offers and VIP contests.
Site: | riverrock.com |
Address: | 8811 River Rd, Richmond, BC V6X 3P8 |
Opened: | 2004 |
Poker Games Available: | Texas Hold’em, Omaha |
How I Selected the Best Poker Sites in BC?
Playing poker online can be thrilling, exciting, and fun. Yet you only get the best experience if you choose a top poker room to play at. Considering that there are literally thousands of operators to choose from, how can you be sure that you pick only the best? Well, it takes a lot of time and effort — I can tell you that.
The criteria I use to track down the best poker sites include:
Legitimacy and Trustworthiness
Safety always comes first. That’s why the first thing I check when reviewing a poker is its reputation. If I notice that a platform is highly praised in the poker industry, it goes to my ‘to consider’ list.But since I’m almost overly cautious, I also check whether the site has proper licenses. If the site is certified by reputable licensing jurisdictions, then, and only then I start evaluating other aspects.
Software
All the sites from my list run on reliable software that’s both easy to download and straightforward to use. The visuals and usability are also a big plus. All the tables should be easily resizable and, when compressed, it shouldn’t affect the quality of the graphics.Also, mobile optimization is a must, and all the sites need to be accessible on all popular devices to potentially deserve a spot on my list. Again, functionality is a primary focus — standard features should be easily laid out, while players should experience easy navigation, regardless of the device they play from.
Games
You can expect to see all the standard poker variants at any of the poker rooms from this page. These include the irrepressibly popular Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Five-Card — to name but a few.One important factor I also take into consideration is a poker room’s limits range. Poker sites with a balanced competition rank high on my list. Soft players can always find a plethora of tables with lower limits, while high rollers can try their luck in higher-stake games where competition is suitably stiffer.
Bonuses and Promotions
The best poker sites always provide fantastic incentives for newcomers and ongoing players. I always pick operators that offer a massive sign up bonus that players can claim after playing for a certain amount of time. These venues also feature some kind of a loyalty scheme through which they constantly reward returning players.Customer Support
Efficient and resourceful customer support is key to the success of every online gambling operator. New players often can’t find their way around the platform, which is why it’s essential to have a 24/7 support at your disposal. Even if you’re an experienced poker player, you’ll maybe need assistance with finding a particular feature or a payment method.The key thing is to have reliable customer support by your side. I always test the support agents myself and see how fast they solve player inquiries and how helpful they actually are.
Payment Methods
While it’s true that all top-tier poker sites support a wide range of payment methods, not all these methods are universally used. Naturally, I only choose poker operators that offer a number of deposit and withdrawal options for Canadian players. These options usually include Interac, e-wallets, credit/debit cards, cryptocurrencies, and more.Are Poker Sites in British Columbia Safe?
Security is something I never take for granted. All the poker companies from this page are well regulated and utilize top-notch security measures like firewalls and SSL encryption. These measures create an impregnable wall against hacker attacks and safeguard your personal and financial data at all times. To answer the question — yes, poker sites in British Columbia are 100% safe, at least the ones I listed on my page.
Final Thoughts
Gambling industry in British Columbia is flourishing. Poker fans living here are spoilt for choice, as they can choose among a vast number of poker rooms, in both land-based and online format. However, you have to be extra cautious when choosing an online poker room because you might end up losing all the winnings you worked on for months. This article will point you in the right direction, revealing the best online poker options.
Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information on this topic. There’s a comment section below — don’t hesitate to use it.
FAQ
Is online poker in British Columbia legal?
Yes, all forms of online gambling are legal in British Columbia. However, since there are no province-regulated poker rooms in BC, you have to play at casinos that are based offshore.
Is playing poker on offshore sites safe?
I personally vouch for all the sites that are presented on this page. I’ve played in all these poker rooms and tested their security measures firsthand.
Are there any tournaments I can take part in?
Of course! These establishments frequently organize tournaments for poker players of all preferences.
How can I withdraw my winnings?
These sites support a solid range of Canada-friendly payment options — these are the same methods you use to pay for goods in everyday life.
What is the minimum gambling age in British Columbia?
You have to be at least 19 to register, play, and withdraw money from poker rooms that accept players from British Columbia.