Why Canadians Cannot Access PokerStars For Real Money Poker

At the moment, Canadians can’t access PokerStars, unfortunately. You could always use a sophisticated VPN and lie about your location on the registration form, but Canadians who play there are taking a legal risk. In this article, we will explain exactly why this is so and give links to alternative online poker sites that are completely legal for Canadians.

The reason for our repetition of this fact—and for devoting a full page to it—is owing to a lengthy article I read this morning that contradicts it. Normally, I would not give their claims any weight. 99% of the ‘poker site review’ pages on the internet today do not hold any weight with us. These kinds of articles are typically published by people who do not even play online poker. And most of them only want to make money through poker affiliate networks. However, this post was on one of the most well-known poker news websites.

Needless to say that it was shocking for us.

We are not going to mention any names or publish any precise quotes because we have more class than that. However, it was a surprise for us to read a recent article praising the real money PokerStars mobile app as the greatest option for Canadian players. The 888Poker mobile app was the second option. That one we can agree with, albeit it should have been at the top of the list instead of PokerStars.

Let us explain… Hopefully for the final time!

Why Can’t Canadians Access PokerStars?

Canadians should stay away from PokerStars for one simple reason. At the moment, they can’t operate in Canada and you can’t access Pokerstars. Don’t get too worked up over it—online poker is legal in Canada. Without breaking any regulations, you can visit the majority of globally regulated poker sites and hurl chips to your heart’s desire. PokerStars isn’t one of them.

The issue is that The Stars Group, the site’s parent company, is based in Toronto, Ontario. Any entity with a physical presence in Canada is prohibited from conducting a gambling business unless it has been granted a license by the relevant provincial regulatory gaming authority.

In other words, because PokerStars is not authorized in any Canadian province, inviting Canadian players is illegal. Why would the world’s largest and most profitable online poker site put its multibillion-dollar business on the line just so Canadians may play?

This law does not apply to 888Poker and other reputable poker sites that are based and licensed outside of Canada. They do not have a physical presence in the country. As a result, neither they nor any of the Canadian players that play real money poker on those websites are breaking any laws. They are completely legal.

However, it is important for us to mention that as soon as PokerStars get the correct licensing, or the Canadians laws change, making PokerStars legal, We will let you know as soon as this happens and include PokerStars in our listings as well.

Reviews of Legitimate Canadian Poker Sites

Finally, iBet Network provides you with true, unbiased reviews of very respected poker sites that allow Canadian players legally. Our evaluations are in-depth and completely objective. We do not just look into their qualities superficially. We are the ones who play the games.

Please keep in mind that there is no such thing as a “perfect poker site” for everyone. Your preferences will play a significant part in determining which operator is appropriate for you. Many factors play a role here. It could be your preferred desktop or mobile operating system, available banking choices, favored cash games, tournaments, and personal skill sets, and so on. Our purpose is not to direct you to a certain Canadian poker site. We rather want to provide you with the resources you need to choose your ideal operator.

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