In much of the western world, bingo is considered a recreational activity rather than being included in the same bracket as sports betting and casinos. Bingo is usually played for small stakes, so in those other countries it is seen as less harmful than full-on gambling much in the same way that scratch off lottery tickets are viewed in Canada.

Because of this difference in perception, bingo halls are not as common in America as they are in places such as the United Kingdom and Asia.

That doesn’t mean that Bingo is unpopular in Canada, however – a loophole in the law means that churches and charity organisations are regularly able to offer bingo nights. Church and charity bingo are extremely popular in Canada, and with takings from these events alongside regular halls the overall Canadian bingo market was worth $10 billion last year alone.

The numbers are enormous – it is estimated that 60 million Canadians play bingo at least once each year. It’s no surprise then that online gaming companies are keen to find ways to offer online bingo within Canada! Unfortunately for them, the legal situation regarding all forms of online gambling is fraught with complexity making things unnecessarily complicated for players.

Bingo players from Canada might only be familiar with 75-ball bingo, as this is the variant that is by far the most popular throughout North America.

If you’re new to playing online then you might be surprised to find a host of different variations of the game on offer, as there are several other variants that are popular in other parts of the world.

A hybrid variant using 80 balls can be found frequently online which lacks the free square found in 75-ball bingo but adds prizes for scoring a diagonal line or all four corners of the card.

The exact rules for this game can vary from one site to another, so be sure to check the rules before you begin to play for real money. Another common type of online bingo is a super-fast variant played using tiny 3×3 cards.

Known as 30-ball bingo, this game has found something of a following in the online market thanks to its speed and simplicity. In this game, there is just one prize, given to the first person to complete all of the numbers on their card.

Online bingo websites do their best to recreate the atmosphere and action of in-person bingo. This is because, for many players, the social aspect of playing bingo is just as important as the opportunity to win money.

When playing online the computer will cross off each number that is called on all of your cards automatically (unless you instruct it not to) which makes it much easier to keep up with multiple cards. Even if you turn this function off, the game will still alert you if you have won a prize, so you won’t miss out on any winnings if you fall behind with the game.

Live chat facilities are usually provided to enable the players of each game to chat with each other during play. Real-time video is sometimes used to show a real person calling out the numbers, similar to how a live casino game works, though this is normally only used for larger stakes games.

When visiting a bingo hall, you will often find slot or fruit machines available for extra entertainment. Similar games are usually provided online as well, and you also have the added advantage that the computer is looking after your bingo tickets for you.

This leaves you free to engage in these side games at the same time that the bingo games are running. There are usually more options for side games online too, such as blackjack, baccarat and roulette.

Of course, none of these things can fully replace the experience of hanging out and playing bingo with friends at a church or bingo hall. As a result, online bingo sites usually offer higher stakes than you might find in local games, in an effort to further increase their attractiveness.

Yes, as long as you choose a licensed and regulated website on which to play. If you would prefer that we did the hard work for you, jump back up to the top of this page where you can find our top picks for online bingo sites accepting Canadian players.