Video Slots in Canada: A Showcase of Digital Entertainment

Online video slots are the digital version of traditional or mechanical slots commonly found in casino gambling halls. These games require little skill to play and have quickly become a favourite among many online casino enthusiasts.

In Canada, you can play video slots on any online casino as long as the site is licensed and regulated by a recognized body. Despite their popularity, not everyone is familiar with how these games work, which is why I’ve curated this guide. Read on to learn everything there is to know about video slots in Canada. 

Top Video Slots in Canada

How do Video Slots Work?

If you’re familiar with traditional slots, you already know how to play video slots. To start a round, you first need to launch a slot game, set your bet, and choose the number of paylines to play. Next, you spin the reels by clicking on a spin button on your screen and wait for the reels to come to rest. You win the round if the symbols on the screen form a winning combination on a payline, and if not, you can keep spinning until you do. 

Online casino video slots utilize random number generators (RNGs) to maintain fairness through randomness. These RNGs are responsible for the outcome of each spin of the reel. To assure you of fairness, top slot providers allow independent testers to assess their RNGs and are also open to audits from regulatory bodies. 

Types of Video Slots

There are different types of video slots available in online casinos. You have unique options like the 3D and progressive slots, but these are the general categories of online slots: 

Classic Slots

These are simple slot machines that usually feature three reels. They don’t include bonus rounds, and most have only five paylines. 

Modern Video Slots

Many of the slots available today are modern video slots. These slots generally have better designs and animations, bonus rounds, and special symbols for improved gameplay, and they have five or more reels.

Themed video slots 

Themed video slots feature a theme that provides a backstory or narrative for the game. Popular themes for online casino video slots include fantasy, adventure, fruits, mythology, Asian, pirate, and Halloween. However, you can also find movie-themed slots whose entire design is based on a TV series or movie. 

Popular Video Slot Providers

The rapid growth of the online casino gaming sector can be attributed to the increase in video slot developers whose unique innovations push the industry ahead. I’m talking about innovations like the Megaways mechanic by Big Time Gaming, Hold and Win, 3D video slots, cluster pays, and more. In today’s market, these are some of the best video slots developers and why they stand out: 

• 💎 NetEnt: Known for progressive jackpots and excellent animations.
• 💎 Evolution Gaming: Top live casino game developer
• 💎 Microgaming: Popular for its Link & Win feature, branded slots, and being one of the oldest in the business. 
• 💎 Pragmatic Play: Excellent 3D slots developer and games with bonus buy feature. 

Key Features of Video Slots

Modern video slots all have several features that influence their maximum payout and gameplay experience. Here are some of the most beneficial: 

Paylines, reels, and rows

A payline is a line on video slot games showing the exact positions you must land a winning combination to receive a payout. These lines typically pay from left to right, but some new video slots are “win both ways,” meaning they pay from left to right and right to left.  

The reels on a slot refer to its columns or vertical positions. Many slots have five reels, but you can find some games with up to eight reels. The rows are the horizontal positions of a slot. The most common slot games have three rows, but you can find slots with four, five, or eight rows. 

Bonus Features

The top video slots all have bonus features that enhance your gameplay experience and boost your potential payout. These bonus features include the wild and scatter symbols, but the free spins and multipliers are two of the most crucial: 

Free Spins

This feature gives you the option to spin the slot reel for free. Some online casino video slots have special reels for the free spins round, with improved chances for you to land a payout. 

Multipliers

A slot multiplier is a feature that boosts your payout by a specific multiple. For instance, if your initial win on a slot is C$10 and you get a 10x multiplier, your final payout will be C$100.

RTP and Variance in Video Slots

The Return to Player (RTP) of casino video slots refers to its potential payout over a long period. A slot’s RTP information appears as a percentage, so if it has a 97.3% RTP, this means that for every C$100 wager, it will return C$97.3 as winnings. It is important to note that the RTP is tested over a long gaming session, so don’t expect to win back the same amount when playing for 10 or 20 minutes. 

In addition to the RTP, the variance of a slot is another piece of information worth noting. On many video slots, you’ll find the variance as the volatility. The variance tells you how often a slot will payout and how large the potential payout will be. Video slots in a casino can have one of these three variances:

1. High-variance slots (high-risk): These slots rarely pay but offer huge winnings when they do. 
2. Medium-variance slots: These are slots with payout sizes and frequencies that lie between the high and low variance options. 
3. Low-variance slots (low risk): These are great for new players because they pay out very often, although with low win amounts. 

The best video slots for new players are those with low variance and high RTP. Generally, any slot with an RTP above 96% is a great option. 

Progressive Video Slots

Standard video slot games can have a fixed jackpot that you can win when you get matching symbols on the payline. However, a few games are advertised as progressive video slots, and they feature what is known as a progressive jackpot. 

A progressive jackpot is a unique jackpot whose pool value increases as more players play the game. To grow the progressive jackpot, top online video slots developers design these games to set aside a part of each wager to add it to the jackpot pool. The value of the progressive jackpot will continue to increase until a lucky player hits the jackpot. For a quick look at progressive slots, some of the best options are: 

• 🎭 Joker Millions by Yggdrasil
• 🦁 Mega Moolah by Microgaming
• 🏖️ Beach Invaders by NetEnt
• 💰 Mega Fortune by NetEnt
• 🗿 Jackpot Giant by Playtech

Video Slots on Mobile Devices

Mobile video slots games are casino games that you can play on a tablet or smartphone. Top casinos that let you play video slots for real money on mobile will have their sites optimized for mobile browsers or offer a downloadable app. Many of the best mobile slots are designed using HTML5 technology to deal with compatibility issues, enabling the games to adjust automatically to various screen sizes and resolutions.  

Free vs. Real Money Video Slots

Gone are the days when you had to spend real money to learn about slots. Nowadays, you can play the best video slots for free on various casino and review sites. 

As a Canadian, you can also access social casinos that allow you to play free video slots with coins. You don’t need to spend money to get these coins, so they’re like demo games. However, a premium game mode is available on some social casinos, allowing you to redeem winnings for cash prizes at no cost. These free slots offer several benefits, including: 

1. It is a safe option for new players to learn the mechanics of different games. 
2. There is no need for real money commitments. 
3. There is no pressure to chase losses. 

Although these benefits of free slot games are great, they create some issues for new players when it’s time to transition to real money video slots. Since free games don’t require you to spend real money, many players experience issues sticking to a budget when they move from free to real money slots.

Tips for Playing Video Slots

It doesn’t matter if you choose to play classic video slots online for free or with real money; you must try to grow your bankroll and play responsibly. As a new player or veteran, here are some tips to help you get the best results: 

Managing Your Bankroll

The best way to extend your gaming session is to manage your bankroll effectively. You can do this by breaking down your total bankroll into smaller amounts so you don’t lose it all in one go. 

Choosing the Right RTP and Variance

Your risk appetite and your pocket will determine the right variance for you. Many high rollers prefer high-variance slots, but I recommend you start with low-variance slots to grow your bankroll slowly. Combine low variance with high RTP slots, and you have a winner. 

Learn Gameplay Mechanics for Free

Playing free video slots is a great idea to get crucial gameplay details. You don’t need to risk your funds with these options; they let you determine if a game is worth spending your money on. 

Use Responsible Gaming Tools

Online casinos have handy tools for responsible gaming, such as deposit limits, loss limits, and self-exclusion. Learning to use these tools can help secure your bankroll and avoid developing an addiction. 

Legal Considerations for Playing Video Slots in Canada 

Playing online casino video slots is legal in Canada, but the laws governing online gambling vary from province to province. Generally, Canadian companies cannot offer online casino services, so most individuals must rely on offshore casinos to try out video card slots. 

In some provinces, government-regulated online casinos are available. These include the Play Alberta site in Alberta and PlayNow in British Columbia. Ontario is the only province where operators can obtain a license to provide online gambling services to residents. 

I recommend only playing at a regulated and licensed online casino to stay safe. If you’re visiting an offshore site, look for operators with licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority, Curacao Gaming Authority, or UK Gambling Commission, as these are some of the industry’s recognized regulators. 

Recommended Casinos

Finding a trustworthy online casino in Canada can be time-consuming for new players. To help you save time and give you an idea of what to look out for, these are some casinos we recommend: 

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