Last updated March 2024

Best Live Poker Online Casinos In Canada 2024

Ramona Depares
Ramona Depares
Casino & Sportbooks Expert

Live poker is a game of complex strategy and skill. It takes a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. In this low-house edge casino game, you put your decision-making skills to the test against real dealers and see who can make the best hand! 

In this article, you will learn about the:

  • Best live poker casinos in Canada
  • How to find legit Canadian online casinos
  • Tips and strategies to turn you into a master live poker player!
Live Poker Casino Sites

Listing The Best Online Casinos With Live Poker 2024

Bingo Bonga Logo
Daily Cashback up to 20%
Skycrown Logo
C$3,000 + 350 FS Welcome Package
Thrillsy Logo
300% up to C$1,500 + 20 FS
Boomerang Logo
100% up to $500 + 200 Free Spins
Playzilla Logo
100% up to $1,500 + 500 FS
Select.Bet Logo
100% up to C$300 Welcome Bonus
Betonic Logo
300% up to C$1,500 +20 FS
HotBet Logo
100% up to 200€ Welcome Bonus
IceCasino Logo
Up to C$1,500 + 270 Free Spins
Slotimo Logo
300% up to C$1,500 Welcome Bonus
Spin City Logo
$2,500 Bonus + 500 Free Spins
GGBet Logo
Up to $2,000 + 500 Free Spins
BetiBet Logo
Daily Cashback up to 20%
N1 Casino Logo
Up to C$6,000 + 200 Free Spins
Slothunter Logo
Up to C$2,000 + 200 Free Spins
Bankonbet Logo
100% up to $750 + 200 Free Spins
Winawin Logo
Up to $6,375 + 1800 Free Spins
SpinsBro Logo
350% up to $3,200 + 650 FS

Top 9 Online Casinos With Live Poker In Canada 2024 Ranked

Do you want to play some hands of live poker right now but don’t have hours to spend researching the best sites? We have done the hard work for you! See our list of the top online casinos with live poker in Canada below:

Slotimo🥇 Best Overall Live Poker Casino in Canada
Betonic😍 Epic Range of Evolution Gaming Live Poker Tables
Bingo Bonga💸 20% Cashback for Live Poker
HotBet😎 Incredible Caribbean Stud Poker Action
Boomerang🔥 Try Out New Poker Variant – Side Bet City
Winawin⚡ 24/7 Live Poker Action
Thrillsy💎 Tons of Casino Hold’em Games
ICE Casino🤩 Exciting Three Card Poker Tables
Skycrown🃏 Live Poker Games from Playtech, Ezugi and Evolution Gaming

5 Amazing Canadian Online Live Poker Casinos 2024

Where do you find the best online live poker action in Canada? We have reviewed 50 + sites and listed the top 5 based on live poker offerings, bonuses, site design, customer support and payment methods. Check them out below!

Slotimo: Best For Casino Hold’em

Slotimo CA Homepage Desktop
  • Mobile optimized site which is super responsive with excellent navigation
  • Deposit instantly for free via crypto, bank transfer, e-wallets and credit/debit card
  • 97.84% RTP for live poker and a maximum payout of 100:1
  • Bet as little as $1 and as much as $10,000
  • 100% first deposit bonus up to $450, total welcome bonus up to $1500
  • Great live poker gaming studios with friendly and professional dealers
Slotimo Logo
300% up to C$1,500 Welcome Bonus

Betonic: Best For Evolution Gaming Live Poker

Betonic CA Homepage Desktop
  • 8 different types of live poker, including Three Card Poker and Texas Hold’em
  • Exciting Caribbean Stud Poker tables with low-house edge and fun side bets
  • Deposit and withdraw via crypto, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin
  • 100% first deposit bonus of up to $300 + 20 free spins
  • Can also play live roulette, baccarat, blackjack and game shows
  • Bet as much as $10,000 on a single live poker hand
Betonic Logo
300% up to C$1,500 +20 FS

Bingo Bonga: Best For Cashback On Live Poker

Bingo Bonga CA Homepage
  • Play Bet On Poker by Playtech and Quickfire
  • Have 20% of your losses refunded when playing Live Poker
  • Fast live poker action with high betting limits  ($10,000 max bet)
  • Professional and fun poker dealers who enjoy chatting
  • Well-designed mobile-optimized site featuring a cute beaver
  • Play thousands of other games, including live baccarat, blackjack and tons of slots
Bingo Bonga Logo
Daily Cashback up to 20%

HotBet: Best For Caribbean Stud Live Poker

HotBet CA Homepage
  • Almost 10 different types of live poker, including 2 Hand Casino Hold’em and Extreme Texas Hold’em
  • Deposit at least $30 and receive up to $300 in bonus cash!
  • Great low-edge Casino Hold’em from Ezugi
  • Enjoy juicy side ad bonus bets on live poker
  • Massive live casino with roulette, baccarat and blackjack
  • Has a fantastic sportsbook where you can bet live on all NHL, NBA and NFL games
HotBet Logo
100% up to 200€ Welcome Bonus

Boomerang: Best For Side Bet City Live Poker

Boomerang CA Homepage
  • So many different types of Live Poker, including Three Card Poker, Texas Hold’em and Caribbean Stud
  • Play exciting new poker games from Evolution Gaming, Side Bet City
  • Deposit match up to $750 + 200 free spins
  • Amazing immersive live gaming experience, you will swear you are at your local casino
  • Deposit instantly and cash out within 24 hours via Interac, crypto, e-wallets, credit and debit cards
  • Incredible game featuring 6,000 + titles, including slots, live roulette, blackjack and tons of table games
Boomerang Logo
100% up to $500 + 200 Free Spins

How To Find The Best Online Live Poker Casino To Play With Real Money

More and more casinos are now offering live poker. However, finding a legit site is still tricky as many casinos are unlicensed, have games from shady developers or offer unsecure payment methods. When looking for a top poker betting site, pay close attention to these factors:

  1. Choice of Live Poker Tables

    When looking for the best live poker casino, you need to open their game library and see the types of poker they offer. At top betting sites, you can play Casino Hold’em, Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, and Caribbean Stud Poker.

  2. Good Live Casino Bonus

    The best way to build a live poker bankroll is to claim the biggest bonus out there! Don’t settle for 50% deposit match offers. Our recommended live poker casinos offer 100% welcome offers.

  3. Fair Bonus Terms

    Before claiming any deal, head to the site’s promotions page and check the bonus has an extended expiry date and a low wagering requirement.

  4. Table Limits

    Are you a high roller, or are you a micro grinder trying to raise the stakes? Before you sign up to a live poker site, check that they have table limits that suit your bankroll.

  5. Customer Support

    You should be able to easily reach the site’s customer support team 24/7 and quickly get issues resolved. All our recommended live poker casinos offer excellent customer support 365 days a year via email and live chat.

  6. Payment Methods

    At our recommended sites, you can deposit immediately and cash out in under 24 hours for free. Our sites offer the following payment methods, crypto, credit/debit card, bank transfer and e-wallets.

  7. Licence & Security

    It is extremely important that you only play at licensed live poker casinos. This is because licensed casinos have a transparent ownership structure, are regularly audited by 3rd parties and must follow strict regulations enforced by gaming authorities.

  8. Mobile Play

    Thanks to mobile betting, you can play live poker whenever and wherever. At our top-rated Canadian casinos, you can play 10 + types of live poker directly on your phone.


How To Sign Up At A Top Casino And Play The Best Online Live Poker Games

Do you need help getting started playing live poker? Slotimo has created a super fast and easy sign-up process. If you follow our steps below, you can create your account in just a few minutes, deposit instantly and play your first hand of live poker in under 5 minutes!

Step 1: Create Account

Slotimo CA Registration 1 Desktop

Head to Slotimo.com and tap the green Register button in the right-hand corner. Enter your email and create a username and password before a new screen pops up. Type in your first and last name, currency, country, and mobile number before finally tapping the blue ‘Register Now‘ button.

Step 2: Deposit

Slotimo CA Deposit 1 Desktop

Sign back into your Slotimo account and tap the green ‘Deposit‘ button in the top right-hand corner. Now just enter your promo code to activate a bonus and select your deposit method. Then select your currency, type in your payment details, enter the amount you wish to deposit and click ‘Deposit’.

Step 3: Activate Bonus

Slotimo Visa Deposit

To activate your bonus, click on the ‘Deposit‘ button, then enter the promo code into the box. Finally, tap the blue Activate button. If you have any issues activating a bonus, contact customer support via live chat, and they will help you activate it.

Step 4: Start Playing Live Poker

Slotimo CA Live Casino Desktop

To play live poker, sign in to your Slotimo account, click on ‘Live Casino’ in the top left-hand corner and click on ‘Live Poker’ in the middle of your screen. Then tap on a particular poker game, pick a seat and make your first bet!

Slotimo Logo
300% up to C$1,500 Welcome Bonus

Live Poker Variations

online poker #2

Poker is not a single game. In fact, there are over 10 different types, each with its own set of rules. In all these games, you are dealt cards and try to make the best hand possible while wagering against the dealer or other players. Here are the most common types of live poker you can play at our recommended casinos:

Live Poker

Live Poker refers to any type of online poker where you play against the casino rather than other players and a real dealer runs the action via live stream. You get to play with a real deck of cards and interact with the dealers from the comfort of your own home. Live poker is a blend of brick-and-mortar casino play and online gaming. Popular forms of live poker include Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud.

Three Card Poker

Three Card Poker is played heads-up against the dealer. The player has to bet ante then both the dealer and player are dealt three cards. The player receives double the ante if the dealer has nothing above a Queen high. But, if the dealer has a Queen high or better, the player can fold or place a bet. If a bet is placed, the player and dealer both reveal their cards. The player wins double the ante and bet if they have a better hand.

Texas Hold’em

In Texas Hold’em, you compete against other players at your table. 2 cards are dealt before the first betting round takes place, where you can either call, raise or fold. Three community cards are then dealt after the first round, followed by another one during the 3rd betting round. The final card is then dealt, and the final round of betting commences. If the players agree to a showdown, the cards are revealed, and the strongest 5 card hand wins. In Texas Hold’em, bluffing, playing a specific range of hands, and hand reading are vital skills!

Caribbean Stud Poker

This is a form of casino poker based on five-card stud poker. If the player makes an ante bet, the dealer and player each receive 5 cards face down. The dealer turns over 1 card whilst the player checks theirs. The player can now either raise or fold. If the player raises, the dealer reveals their cards. The dealer’s hand only qualifies if it is an ace, king, or better, and if the player has a stronger hand, they win the raise and the ante. However, if the dealer’s hand doesn’t qualify, the player only wins the ante.

Texas Hold’em Bonus

In Texas Hold’em Bonus, players start with an ante bet and can make a bonus bet. The player and dealer are each dealt 2 cards, and the player can either raise or fold. After raising, 3 community cards are dealt face up, and the player can check or bet. A final card is dealt before the last round and reveal. If the player has a pair, A-K, A-Q, or A-J, they’ll win the bonus bet. However, if the player has a better hand, they win the flop and turn bets, but they’ll need to have a straight or better to win the ante bet.

Ultimate Texas Hold’em

In Ultimate Texas Hold’em, the player must make an ante and blind bet. The player and dealer are then dealt two cards each, and the player can either check or make a Play bet which is 4x the ante. Then 3 community cards are dealt. If the player previously checked, they can make a Play bet, but if they already placed one, they are barred from betting further. Then 2 more community cards are dealt, and the players reveal their hands where the person with the best 5-card poker hand wins. You can win 500 to 1 on your blind bet if you make a royal flush!

VariationRTPLimitBest Casino
Live Poker97.55%$0.50 – $15,000Slotimo
Three Card Poker97.52%$0.50 – $10,000Boomerang
Texas Hold’em97.50%$0.50 – $4,000Bingo Bonga
Caribbean Stud Poker97.44%$0.50 – $2,000Thrillsy
Texas Hold’em Bonus97.35%$0.50 – $5,000Betonic
Ultimate Texas Hold’em97.40%$0.50 – $1,000Boomerang

Best Live Poker Bonuses

Live poker bonuses come in all shapes and sizes! The two most common forms of live poker promos are bonus cash and cashback. Bonus cash is typically credited to your account when you make a deposit. For example, if you deposit $100, the casino might give you another $100 in bonus cash. You can use this cash to play your favourite live poker variant. However, to cash it out, you need to meet the wagering requirement. 

A wagering requirement indicates the number of times you need to bet your bonus cash before you can withdraw it. If your $100 bonus money comes with a 35x wagering requirement, you need to make bets totalling $3,500 before you can cash it out.

The other popular live poker bonus is cashback. With cashback, the casino will refund a percentage of your live poker losses in the form of bonus funds or withdrawable cash. For example, if you claim a 20% cashback promo and lose $1,000 playing Caribbean Stud, your account will be credited with $200.


Top Live Poker Game Developers

game providers online casino

Even though there are tons of game developers out there, most of them specialize in online games, particularly slots. This is because online games require little maintenance while running live games is similar to running an offline casino, you need a physical location and to hire and manage croupiers. The most well-known live poker game developers are Playtech, Evolution Gaming, Ezugi, and Vivo Gaming. These companies produce all kinds of exciting types of live poker and always have luxurious gaming studios that rival anything you can find in Las Vegas!

Playtech

Playtech is one of the biggest gaming software companies in the world. The British developer was founded in 1999 and now offers everything from live dealer games to slots to bingo to sports betting. Playtech has annual revenue of over $1 billion. They currently offer one type of live poker, Casino Hold’em. Their live poker games feature hand-shuffled decks, high betting limits and expert poker dealers.

Evolution Gaming

Evolution Gaming is the king of live poker! The company was founded in 2006 and immediately revolutionized online live casino games. They have over 100 live games and have luxurious gaming studios throughout Europe, including in Malta, Latvia, Belgium and the US. They have 6 types of live poker, including Casino Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Caribbean Stud, 2 Hand Casino Hold’em, Side Bet City, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. They have low-limit and high-roller tables, and their dealers are always fun to chat with.

Ezugi

Ezugi was founded in Romania in 2012 and specializes in live dealer games, including poker. The Romanian developer quickly built a reputation for offering innovative and exciting live games with excellent gaming studios. Ezugi offers classic Casino Hold’em and some unique poker variants such as 32 Cards and Royal Poker. The company was acquired by Evolution Gaming in 2018.

Vivo Gaming

Vivo Gaming is premium live casino software provided based in Israel. They were founded in 2004 and are one of the pioneers of live casino games. Vivo Gaming is famous for its well-trained dealers who are fluent in over 10 languages and luxurious casino locations. They currently offer 9 live games, including mobile-optimized Casino Hold’em featuring exciting side bets and jackpots.


Tips For Winning Live Poker

Live poker is a strategic game, and your actions directly impact your win rate. If you want to become a winning player, you need to be aggressive, bluff frequently, use optimal bet sizing, become a savant at guessing your opponent’s hand and master the art of extracting the most value from your opponent. Follow these tips to become the next Phil Hellmuth!

  • Play Aggressively: You can’t just sit back and wait for pocket aces and expect to emerge a winner. You need to play at least 20% of hands and get in the streets and battle. It is important you bet draws and check raise strong hands to maximize your equity.
  • Don’t be scared to be bluff: As the saying goes, scared money doesn’t make money. If you don’t have a strong hand, you need to turn it into a bluff; otherwise, you are just giving away money to your opponent. It is extremely difficult to play against someone who frequently bluffs because they put you in tough decisions with marginal hands.
  • Size your bets optimally: If you bet too big, it becomes too expensive to bluff, and you can scare away people from calling when you do have a strong hand. If you bet too small, your bluffs will be called often, and you aren’t making enough money when your opponent calls and you have the winning hand. You need to find a happy medium, often 40 to 60% of the pot is optimal.
  • Learn how to hand read: Hand reading is not some magic trick. You can reliably put your opponent on a range of hands based on their actions. For example, if a strong player raises as the first player to act, you can expect them to have a pair or two connected high cards like AK.
  • Learn the act of value betting:  When you have the best hand, it is critical that you get your opponent to put as much of their money in the pot as possible. This is known as value betting. To effectively bet, size your wagers so you can get all of your opponent’s chips in on the river. For example, bet 60% of the pot on the flop, turn and river.

Live Poker Tips For Experts And Beginners

Do you have dreams of going pro, or are you looking for ways to increase your edge? Then it is time to master the art of bluffing, money management and table/seat selection. If you get these 3 things right, you significantly increase your poker prowess!

Bluffing

In poker, you don’t always have the best hand, but as your opponent can’t see your hand, you can convince them you do! This is the art of bluffing. The key to a successful bluff is it has to make sense with how you played the hand. If you are representing a certain range of hands, you should only bluff if the community hands help the hand you are representing. For example, if you are representing a hand like AK and then the flop comes 6,7,8, this isn’t the best spot to bluff, especially if this flop helps your opponent’s range.

Money Management

Poker is a game with high variance, and even pros go through massive swings where they can lose multiple buy-ins in a single night. To ensure you can handle the ups and downs of live poker, you should have a minimum of 100 buy-ins. So if you are buying into a game for $20, you need a bankroll of $2,000. As you win, you can increase your stakes. For example, if you build your bankroll up to $3,000, you can now buy in for $30. But if your bankroll starts to shrink, you need to step down in stakes.

Table & Seat Selection

To make money playing poker, you need to play against players who are weaker than you. If you don’t have an edge over at least some of the players at the table, you can’t win over the long term and have a negative expected value (EV).

You not only need to find a table with weak players but also choose the correct seat. Pro poker players print money by sitting to the left of inexperienced players, dubbed fish. This is because there is a big advantage in poker of acting last. Also, by being directly to the left of the fish, the pro can raise and isolate the fish creating a heads-up hand.


Top 10 Poker Hands Ranked

Does your hand belong in the muck, or do you have a winner? Before you step on the felt, you need to know all the different poker hand rankings. The rankings are based on the rarity of the hand, a royal flush (0.000154%) is the most uncommon hand, and a pair is the most common (43.8%). Here is a full breakdown of the different poker hands:

HandDescription
Royal FlushThe 5 highest value cards in sequential order (ace, king, queen, jack and ten ) and of the same suit.
Straight Flush5 cards of the same suit that are also in sequential order. For example, three, four, five, six, and seven of spades.
Four of a KindFour cards of the same rank. For example, four jacks.
Full HouseThis hand contains a three-of-a-kind and a pair. For example, three tens and a pair of queens.
FlushThis hand features 5 cards that share the same suit but aren’t in sequential order. For example, deuce, four, jack, queen of diamonds
StraightA straight includes 5 cards that are in sequential order but have different suits. For example, nine, ten, jack, queen and king.
Three of a kindThree cards of the same rank. For example, three nines.
Two pairTwo distinct pairs. For example, a pair of deuces and a pair of sevens.
One pairTwo cards of the same rank. For example, a pair of aces.
High cardWhen you don’t have a pair or better, your hand rank is based on the highest card based on the 5 community cards and your 2 hole cards. Ace is the highest card, and deuce is the lowest.

Is Playing Online Live Poker Legal In Canada?

Canadians are legally able to play at online live poker casinos. There is zero legislation that prohibits you from online betting even though offshore sites are technically operating in a grey market, the Canadian government has decided to tolerate them. All of our recommended casinos are licensed and available to Canadians. You can play all kinds of poker, such as Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, Side Bet City and Three Card Poker. They have low, mid and high roller tables and games run by industry legends, including Evolution Gaming.

Benefits Of Live Poker Vs Classical Online Poker

Should you play live poker or stick to the online poker tables? Consider these pros and cons of each type before you hit the virtual felt! 

Pros Of Live Poker

  • Compete against real dealers
  • Amazing gaming studios
  • Chat with dealers
  • Unique gameplay that blends offline and online

Cons Of Live Poker

  • Slower action compared to online poker
  • No demo mode

Pros Of Classical Online Poker

  • Fast gameplay
  • Lots of variants
  • Never have to wait for a seat

Cons Of Classical Online Poker

  • No dealers
  • Not played with a real deck of cards
  • Lack of human interaction

Conclusion: Play Live Poker For Excitement And Casino Flair

Live Poker is a fun strategic game that will test your decision making under pressure and gives you a chance to beat the dealer. It blends the best elements of online and offline gaming to create a unique experience. Use our recommended list of online casinos offering the best live poker experiences with low house edges, both low and high betting action that’s crypto-friendly!

Slotimo Logo
300% up to C$1,500 Welcome Bonus

FAQs: Best Live Poker Online Casinos In Canada 2024

Is there real money Live Poker?

You can play live poker for real money at any of our recommended casinos, including Slotimo, Boomerang,  and Thrillsy. These casinos offer Casino Hold’em, Texas Hold’em, and Caribbean Stud Poker, and you can bet anywhere from $0.5 to $10,000 on a single hand.

Can I play Live Poker for free?

Unfortunately, there are no free live poker games. However, at the low-stakes tables, the min bet is just $0.5, so you can play a few hands for a few dollars.

What to consider when playing Live Poker?

When playing live poker, you need to know the different hand rankings and the probability of making a certain hand. For example, the odds of making a pair is 43.8%. If you don’t know the difference between a flush and a full house, you need to do a little more studying!

How do you win when playing Live Poker?

When playing live poker, the casino has a 2% house edge which means they will win over the long term. However, you can increase your chance of winning by using a live poker calculator. Simply enter your hole cards and the community cards, and the calculator will tell you the optimal play.

Can you legally play live poker in Canada?

You can legally play live poker in Canada; there are no laws which prevent Canadians from playing at online casinos. To ensure your poker experience is safe, we recommend only playing at licensed sites that have a lot of positive reviews from real players.