Newfoundland & Labrador might not have any real land-based casinos, but many people living in this province are keen gamblers. The lack of real casinos means that most have to confine their gambling activities to the internet world, such as online poker sites and online casinos.
But are there any places at all where gamblers can place bets offline? You'll find out the answers to these questions, as well as much more, including:
The history of gambling in Newfoundland & Labrador isn't a particularly long or complex one, and the general attitude of the government has been that the introduction of gambling to the province is not something they want. Whether the province has a large enough population to support a casino remains to be seen. The result of all this is that, at the moment, there are no land-based casinos in the province.
Online gambling is popular with a large portion of the 500,000 people living in the province and online poker is perhaps the most commonly played game by residents. Online casinos are also very popular. Many also like to place bets on sports online, particularly ice hockey, which is as popular in Newfoundland & Labrador as it is in the rest of the country.
When looking at gambling laws, it is useful to divide the subject into two sections: offline and online gambling. The laws in this state prohibit land-based casinos from being opened in Newfoundland & Labrador, although one smaller scale operation is permitted, the St. John's Racing and Entertainment Centre, which offers a small selection of video lottery machines. Attitudes to gambling are changing in Newfoundland & Labrador though, with the finance minister stating that the ban on casinos could be lifted. Due to current laws, Newfoundland & Labrador is one of only two Canadian provinces without a land-based casino within its borders, the other being Nunavut.
But what about the world of online gambling? Well, online gambling in Canada has traditionally been something of a grey area. Essentially, the law in Newfoundland & Labrador – as well as the rest of Canada – is that online gambling sites are not allowed to be based within the country, but citizens can play at sites located outside of the country.
This venue, as the name suggests, is primarily a racetrack, and it is found in Goulds, which is to the south of St. John's. It does offer gambling fans the chance to supplement their enjoyment of the racing by playing a few video lottery machines though, all of which are fully regulated by Service NL. It also regularly holds poker nights, and these generally take place on Tuesdays and Fridays. The St. John's Racing and Entertainment Centre is open from noon until 1am.
If you live in Newfoundland & Labrador and are looking for the best places to play online, you've certainly come to the right place! This is because we review nearly all of the online casinos available to players in this province, assessing every important aspect of them. What's more, we're not owned by any online casino, so we'll let you know exactly what we think, regardless of whether we love a casino, or really don't recommend it.
To find your perfect place to play online, simply look through the reviews on this site, before then heading to the one that's best for you. You'll then be able to make a deposit and cash in a great welcome bonus, before playing one of the many exciting online casino games on offer.
Enjoy online casinos in Newfoundland & Labrador today!
