These days, you don’t have to look far to find a gambling house in Canada. There are lots oflocations dotted around the country, and the rise of the online casino industry has made iteasier than ever for Canadians to play. All you have to do is look online for the bestCanadian online casinos and sign up to start playing real money games. But it wasn’talways this way. Let’s take a look back at the history of gambling in Canada.ADVERTISING CHANCE ON HIGH QUALITY WEBSITES

A Brief History of Gambling in Canada

The history of gambling in Canada is quite complex, and there are entire books and essays dedicated to the topic. So, instead of covering this vast and deep subject in detail, let’s simply look at a brief overview of how gambling has evolved in the country over time:

As we can see, it’s been quite a journey for gambling in Canada, and it took years and years for rules to be relaxed enough to allow for the creation of the first gambling house. A similar situation happened in many other parts of the world, as attitudes towards gambling were once quite strict and dismissive but slowly changed over time. And as the attitudes eased and the first gambling houses became big successes, more of them started to open up all over the country. But what were those very first gambling houses in Canada? Let's take a look at five of them:

• Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall
• Cash Casino
• Treasure Cove Casino
• Billy Barker Casino
• Crystal Casino

Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall

Let's begin with a look at one of the most iconic institutions in the history of Canadian gambling houses: Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall. This casino is said by many to be the oldest in the country, as it officially opened its doors in 1971. It was founded by the Klondike Visitors Association, and it was situated at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Queen Street in Dawson City, Yukon.

Known to locals as "Gerties", this gambling house is actually the only one in the whole of Northern Canada. It's also the only casino in the country where guests can not only gamble and enjoy games but can also consume alcohol and enjoy live entertainment, all in the same space. Some of the games available here include blackjack, poker, and roulette, and there's also a unique game known as "Money Wheel".

And if you're wondering about the name, "Diamond Tooth Gertie" was actually a dance hall star during the Gold Rush days. Her full name was Gertie Lovejoy, and she was famed for having a diamond right between her two front teeth. Quick Stats:

• Year of opening: 1971;
• Owned by: Klondike Visitors Association;
• Location: Corner of Fourth Avenue and Queen Street, Dawson City, Yukon;
• Size: 8,000 square feet;
• Theming: Gold Rush;
• Games: Blackjack, poker, roulette, etc.

Cash Casino

Next up, we have the Cash Casino in Calgary. Situated at 4040 Blackfoot Trail SE in Calgary, this is another location that has had a huge impact on the gambling scene throughout Canadian history. It was actually the very first gambling house to be privately owned in the province of Alberta, and at the time of its opening, it was only allowed to offer charitable games or religious events, but that all changed over time.

As restrictions on gambling were gradually lifted, Cash Casino was allowed to evolve into something much more similar to the kinds of gambling houses we see today. And it's still going strong, hosting hundreds of slot machines, poker tables, roulette wheels, craps boards, and more for players to enjoy day and night. They learned how to manage money.

This gambling house also has live entertainment, and its "Blackjack Beauties" show is one of the longest-running live shows in the whole of Calgary, taking place every Friday and Saturday night. There are also poker championships held here regularly, and the casino has changed over time to become more modern and up-to-date. Quick Stats:

• Year of opening: 1980;
• Owned by: SM2 Capital;
• Location: 4040 Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary, AB T2G 4E6;
• Theming: Gold Rush;
• Games: Blackjack, poker, roulette, slots, etc.

Treasure Cove Casino

Treasure Cove Casino is another of the oldest gambling houses in Canada. Like most of the others on this list, it was founded in the 1980s - 1986, to be exact. It was set up in the city of Prince George in Northern British Columbia, and it stands out as one of the most impressive venues in the area, covering close to 40,000 square feet.

The Tuscan-style building of Treasure Cove Casino is truly a sight to behold, and many people will drive for hours from the surrounding area just to see this gambling house in person. When you step inside, the place becomes even more impressive, boasting the biggest bingo room in the province, huge numbers of slot machines, and all the other classic games. Despite the amazing interior, people didn’t have to worry about what to wear.

Players can enjoy a range of games here, including various forms of poker, roulette, blackjack, bingo, and more. The venue has also hosted various live events over the years, including everything from stand-up comedy shows to musical performances. Quick Stats:

• Year of opening: 1986;
• Owned by: John Major;
• Location: 2003 BC-97, Prince George, BC V2N 7A3;
• Size: 37,000 square feet;
• Theming: Tuscan-style;
• Games: Blackjack, poker, roulette, bingo, etc.

Billy Barker Casino

Next up on our list of the oldest gambling houses across Canada we have the Billy Barker Casino. Although, that's not the name it launched with. When it first opened its doors, this gambling house was actually known as the Royal Casino, and like many others at the time, it was purely a charitable club that couldn't host anything but charitable games and events.

Of course, when the rules around gambling started to ease off, this historic gambling house evolved into something different. Based in Quesnel, British Columbia, the Billy Barker Casino is a family-owned establishment that was named after a local miner who founded a nearby town called Barkerville during the 1800s.

And as for the gambling club itself, it's designed to look like an old steamboat, complete with multiple decks, balconies, and other fun features. The place has undergone a lot of remodelling and renovation over the years, and it's still going strong today, with a convention centre, hundreds of games to play, its own hotel, and more. Quick Stats:

• Year of opening: 1987;
• Owned by: Fort St. James Ventures Ltd.;
• Location: 308 McLean St, Quesnel, BC V2J 2N9;
• Size: 9,000 square feet;
• Theming: Steamboat;
• Games: Blackjack, poker, roulette, etc.

Crystal Casino

The Crystal Casino is another interesting example of one of the earliest gambling houses in Canada. It was actually the first permanent government-owned casino in the whole of the Western Hemisphere and the first commercial gambling club to open up on Canadian soil. It was officially established in 1989 in Winnipeg, Canada, but opened its doors for the first time the following year, 1990.

This gambling house is often cited in lists of the oldest gambling houses in Canada due to the fact that the others before it were mainly focused on charitable games and owned by non-profit organisations, like the Klondike Visitors Association. Crystal Casino was different, and it was run by the Manitoba Lottery Foundation. However, it didn't last too long and was not a major success story in the history of Canadian gambling houses.

Crystal Casino actually closed its doors in May of 1997. This was mainly due to saturation, as two other gaming centres in the area - McPhillips Street Station Casino and the Club Regent Casino - opened in the early 90s and took a lot of business away from this place. Quick Stats:

• Year of opening: 1990;
• Operated by: Manitoba Lottery Foundation;
• Location: Hotel Fort Garry, 222 Broadway, Winnipeg, Manitoba;
• Games: Blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, etc.

The First Online Casino in Canada

These days, online gambling sites are plentiful in Canada. It’s easy to log on to a site or app and play online slots or look up the best payout online casino operating in your province. Countless Canadians are enjoying mobile slots, casino bonus promotions and real money games at the best online casino sites and no deposit bonus apps. On newcasinos-ca, users can check out the latest gambling sites to launch, find out about the best promos and new user bonuses, and more. There are also dozens of filters you can use to find the best mobile casinos and the casinos with the best payout rates, too.

The Surge of Online Casinos

The online gambling industry these days is worth a fortune, growing bigger and more valuable all the time, but when did this actually begin? When could Canadians play the first real money games on their computers?

Well, it actually happened a little earlier than you might think. A lot of people believe that dollar deposit casinos online are a pretty recent invention. But the truth is that the first online gambling sites were set up in the early days of the Internet in the 1990s. It was in 1994, to be specific, that players got their first glimpse at an online gambling website. Of course, it wasn’t much when compared to the best online gambling sites of today. It didn’t have fancy free slot games or no deposit bonus offers, nor did it have amazing graphics or thousands of games, but it was still functional.

And since that first site was formed, many more gambling sites and apps have become available in Canada. Now, it’s possible to find a no deposit bonus casino in seconds, make your own account in minutes, and start playing with free spins at virtual slot machines in no time at all, with online gambling in Canada bigger and better than ever and more than 19 million active players nationwide. In short, casinos have come a long way over the years, and there’s still even more room for them to grow and evolve in the future.