BC Canadians, you may have see the ads on tv, online, at the bus stop, or at your local lotto retailer for PlayNow.com casino. It is basically the British Columbia government run online gambling and lotto website. Below are the reasons we believe you should avoid it at all costs.
The Bonuses Are Horrible
I almost hit the floor when I read it on PlayNow: a measly $20 bonus for depositing? $20? That might sound great to some people, hey its free $20 right?
No, it’s horrible. SIA Casino offers up to $1,000 in bonuses. Bodog offers $600 in deposit bonus, and 5Dimes $550, just for a few examples. $20 is basically an insult honestly.
No Cryptocurrency Deposit Options
I realize not everyone cares about cryptocurrency as a deposit and withdraw option, but let me make a case for this. First of all, any of the casinos we’ve listed all accept crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc). It is secure and it is private. No personal information is needed. As well do you really want “PlayNow.com” all over your bank or credit card statement? Lastly, crypto deposits have ZERO FEES unlike cards. Crypto is really the way all online casinos are going, so PlayNow is far behind.
Game Selection Is Thin
I wasn’t impressed at all with both the game selection, whether its slots, live dealer or automated tables, and the quality of the interfaces. Again, PlayNow looks like it’s a decade behind most other online casinos. Why gamble online if it’s not going to be as enjoyable as possible? There’s far too many better options.
Delays In Deposits
It says right on their site deposits can take up to 35 minutes to appear. Wow. Again, just wow. Horrible user experience. Any other reputable site your deposit is available seconds after you make it. Do you really want to sit around for 30+ minutes waiting for your deposit to hit so you can play slots or table games? What if you are betting on sports and the game is starting soon?
Visa & Mastercards Debit/Credit Often Blocked
Again right on their site in the FAQs they say that some Visa and Mastercards will be blocked. Sounds super fun. Again, a case for why cryptocurrency aka Bitcoin would be a better option. As well, if you do get your deposit through, you’ll have the honour of showing PlayNow.com on your bank or credit card statement. Any other online casino uses a generic company name so its not blatantly in your face on your statements. Think about having to show someone or a spouse your statement.
The Sports Betting Payouts Are Ridiculously Bad
If you are a sports bettor, I plead with you, don’t use PlayNow. First of all, notice how you have to make several bets, parlays, and you can’t just bet on a single game like on any other casino or sports book? That’s one way they get more people to lose, forcing you to make multiple bets where you can win all but 1, and you lose them all.
Second, the odds they do give are HORRIBLE. Basically half of what any reputable casino or Las Vegas sports book would give you. It’s disguised in the way they present odds, but if you do the math on your bets, IF you win you get about half of what you would get on another site. So that $20 3 game combo you put together that pays $140, well on somewhere like Bodog it would have paid closer to $300.
Recommended Online Casinos for Canadians
Luckily there are plenty of far better options for BC residents to gamble online. We have a full list of our Recommended Canadian Online Casinos here, but below are even some additional reasons. All of the casinos below are improvements on the above issues listed! Crypto accepted, Visa & Mastercard accepted, huge game selections, no delays on deposits or withdraws and much more. And best of all, HUGE BONUSES!
Bodog Casino – Bodog has been in business over 20 years. They have a worldwide presence, $600 bonus for new users, and is our #1 recommended casino where we also spend the most time. Easy to deposit and withdraw, great customer service, the list goes on of great reasons.
SIA Casino – SIA has some innovative slot machines. For example their new Justice League series is DC Comics based. They also have a $1,000 deposit bonus and often offer free slot spins on top of that.
5Dimes – 5Dimes is not as flashy we’ll admit. What they do have is very high limits, and they are known as one of the biggest sports betting sites in the world. If you like to bet some NHL, NBA, MLB along with your slots and table games give 5Dimes a try!
It’s free to sign up at any of the casinos we recommend, and several give you free spins and bonuses without you even needing to deposit! Check out our list of the very top Online Casinos in Canada!