Online Gambling in the Kahnawake Jurisdiction

As in most parts of the world these days, online gambling in Canada is a growing industry. However, whether online gambling in Canada is legal is actually still a bit of a grey zone. Luckily for Canadian players, however, online gambling licences are available in Kahnawake. The Kahnawake regard themselves as a separate, sovereign nation to Canada and so its laws are not applicable to them. This means that the debate about whether online gambling in Canada is legal or not, doesn't apply to them.

Kahnawake is an Indian reserve in Quebec and has its own Kahnawake Gaming Commission. In 1999, the Commission passed regulations to ensure that only suitable entities were allowed to operate, that games are fair to players and that winners are paid ... which can only be good news to the ears of Canadian players!

The Mohawk Internet Technologies (MIT) hosts and manages all sites and is regarded as the closest and fastest source of 'legally hosted' gambling websites for players from the US and Canada. The Kahnawake Mohawk Nation has actually operated its own online casino since 1999 and generates an impressive annual profit of $2 million.

How does Canada deal with online casinos?
Unsurprisingly, governments around the globe have adopted different approaches to online gaming. For example, the United Kingdom decided to regulate and tax online casinos whereas the United States headed the exact opposite direction and totally prohibited online gambling in an attempt to wipe it out altogether. Canada, however, has chosen until now at least, not to pass any regulatory legislation.

This lack of online gaming regulation in Canada means that not only that the government is missing the boat on millions of dollars of revenue in tax but that protection for Canadian gamblers questionable. So for now it's probably a safer bet to stick to online casinos hosted by the MIT.