OGCA’s verdict
PlayNow offers an enjoyably simple online casino experience featuring 500+ top games, with a clear emphasis on providing an easy to navigate interface and unrivalled selection of progressive jackpot slots. While the casino is not yet legal in Ontario, we’re hoping it will be made available to players in the province soon.
Areas of improvement include the mobile app, which only features poker games and lottery numbers, and the slow withdrawal times, as players are expected to wait between 3-4 working days to receive their winnings. That being said, we believe PlayNow’s ease of use and inviting minimum deposit and withdrawal limits would make it a popular option if it was to expand into Ontario. Continue reading our in-depth PlayNow casino review to see why.
What we like
What we don’t like
What PlayNow Casino Ontario offers
What casino games you’ll play
PlayNow Casino Ontario key info
📅 Established | 2004 |
🎲 No. of games | 500+ |
🏆 Best for | Progressive jackpots |
💲 Min. deposit | $5 |
📱 Mobile app | Yes |
💳 Payment methods | Amex, Credit/debit card, Interac, Mastercard, Visa, Wire transfer, Web cash |
💸 Withdrawal time | 3-4 working days |
💰 Payout percentage | 90% |
🔎 Legal status | Not legal in Ontario |
🎰 Launch date | Yet to launch in Ontario |
🔞 Who is eligible? | 19+ players residing in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan |
⚖️ Licensed by | BCLC, MBLL, SIGA |
Who owns PlayNow Casino Ontario?
PlayNow casino is owned and operated by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC). Profits earned by PlayNow in BC are put back into public initiatives in the province, such as education, healthcare and community programs.
If PlayNow were to launch in Ontario, its casino offering would be owned by the government and regulated by iGaming Ontario. At present, there are no public plans for PlayNow to expand into Ontario.
How PlayNow Casino Ontario compares
Online casino | Casino games | Win rate | Withdrawal time |
---|---|---|---|
PlayNow Casino | 500+ | 90.00% | 3-4 working days |
JackpotCity Casino Ontario | 400+ | 98.46% | 1 working day |
Spin Casino Ontario | 800+ | 98.65% | 1 working day |
Ruby Fortune Ontario | 900+ | 97.00% | 1 working day |
PartyCasino | 1,000+ | 97.55% | 0-2 working day |
Who is eligible to register with PlayNow Casino Ontario?
In Ontario, PlayNow casino is currently unavailable. PlayNow is available to anyone who is aged 19 years or older in British Columbia and Saskatchewan and 18 years or older in Manitoba, provided they have a valid government-issued ID and are a permanent resident within the limits of their own province.
What games are available at PlayNow Casino Ontario?
PlayNow casino’s 500+ strong games collection is spearheaded by online slots, progressive jackpots with eye-catching payouts and fun and fast-paced instant win games. The selection of games is regularly updated, with the likes of Live Mega Ball and Lightning Box Keno taking pride of place in the ‘New Games’ tab at the time of our review.
For ease and convenience, games have been organized into easy to navigate tabs, such as ‘Slots’, ‘Live Casino’, ‘Jackpots’ and ‘Table Games’. PlayNow has partnered with software giants to provide its eclectic mix of titles, most notably IGT, Bally and Big Time Gaming.
Slot games
PlayNow casino has 350+ slots, including plenty of popular titles that slots fans will know and love. You can spin the reels on classics such as Cleopatra, Golden Goddess and 88 Fortunes. While PlayNow’s slots collection features titles from renowned producers such as Bally and IGT, unfortunately the RTP percentages on offer are slightly lower than what you’ll find at other online casinos.
Slot game | RTP | Progressive jackpot |
---|---|---|
Rich Girl | 96.18% | No |
Bonanza | 96.00% | No |
88 Fortunes | 96.00% | No |
Cleopatra | 95.70% | No |
Cats | 94.93% | No |
Jackpot games
Among PlayNow casino’s strengths is its appealing collection of progressive jackpot games. The platform boasts 53 jackpot titles featuring numerous exclusives, which are conveniently listed in order of their current jackpot in the ‘Jackpots’ tab, so you can immediately see where the biggest payouts lie. The casino also frequently updates its jackpot games, with recent releases including Ancient Temple Riches Jackpots.
In addition, there are also often several seven-figure jackpots up for grabs at any time. The range of jackpot games available to play cover multiple themes, but our favourites include PowerBucks Arctic Gems, MegaJackpots Siberian Storm and Medusa II Jackpots.
Jackpot game | RTP |
---|---|
Prospector’s Gold Jackpots | 96.43% |
Snake Rattle & Roll | 95.04% |
Bar King Deluxe | 95.00% |
Diamond Cash Mighty Sevens | 95.00% |
MegaJackpots Cleopatra | 92.48% |
Table games
Table games form only a small part of PlayNow casino’s overall games selection. There are 40 different table titles covering blackjack, baccarat and roulette, developed by providers Evolution and SG Gaming. These are divided between classic versions and entertaining variants, as well as games specifically tailored to both low budget bettors (such as Euro Roulette Low Limit) and players more willing to stake big (e.g. Multihand Blackjack).
Some of the best table games available to enjoy at PlayNow casino include Three Card Poker, Dragon Bonus Baccarat and Super Fun 21 Extreme. While these are all great games, there is capacity for PlayNow casino to expand its table game offerings.
Instant win games
PlayNow casino caters for instant win fans with a large range of enticing keno and scratch card games. The keno titles on offer come with many exciting tie-ins, including TV show Deal or No Deal and NHL team the Vancouver Canucks, as well as top prizes that frequently reach five figures.
Similarly, you can play scratch cards themed on Monopoly, The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune, on top of plenty with generous payouts.
Can I play games for free?
Yes, you can play all 500+ games at PlayNow casino for free in demo mode, without a time limit or need to make a deposit. However, you need to be signed into your account to do so, meaning this feature isn’t available for players in Ontario.
The good news is you can enjoy thousands of free casino games right here at OGCA, including the most popular at PlayNow casino. Check out some of the best below:
Sports betting
If you fancy a break from hitting the slots or taking on the dealer, you can also check out the PlayNow sportsbook. It has odds and markets for 19 sports, allowing you to bet on hundreds of popular leagues including the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB. There is also a dedicated live betting platform if you prefer to wager on the action as it unfolds.
You can access all of this from the same account that you use to play at PlayNow casino. Similarly to the casino it doesn't have a dedicated app, but its mobile site is fully optimized if you want to bet on the move.
Live casino
PlayNow casino has a small selection of nine live casino titles and game shows, predominantly produced by Evolution Gaming, which all come with professional hosts that you can interact with in real time. The site’s live casino collection is divided between classic table games including baccarat, blackjack and roulette, and flashy game shows such as Dream Wheeler and Mega Ball.
While PlayNow’s live casino games selection is limited, the individual titles within it are certainly fun to play and come with generous staking limits of up to $2,000 per round to heighten your chances of big wins. Many also feature high RTP percentages, most notably Infinite Blackjack (99.47%) and Ultimate Texas Hold’em (97.82%).
PlayNow Casino Ontario mobile & app
PlayNow casino currently has two dedicated mobile apps available to download on both iOS and Android, but you can only use them to play poker games and check lottery numbers respectively. If you want access to the casino’s full range of games on mobile, you need to do so via its mobile-optimised site.
Thankfully, the PlayNow casino mobile site is quick and easy to use, and retains the straightforward interface and extensive customer support. However, it would still be great if PlayNow Ontario introduced a dedicated app for its mobile games.
What are PlayNow Casino Ontario’s banking options?
As a casino that exclusively operates in Canada, PlayNow’s banking options feature several methods popular with players in Ontario. These include Amex, credit or debit card, Interac, Mastercard and Visa. Sadly, e-wallets such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller are not currently available to use at Canadian online casinos.
Compared to many other online casinos, PlayNow has particularly low minimum deposit and withdrawal limits, and you can even withdraw as little as a single dollar using certain payment methods. Furthermore, PlayNow does not charge fees on any deposits and withdrawals.
Payment method | Min.deposit | Min.withdrawal | Payout speed |
---|---|---|---|
Amex | $5 | $5 | 3-4 working days |
Credit / Debit card | $5 | $1 | 3-4 working days |
Interac | $5 | $1 | 3-4 working days |
Mastercard | $5 | $5 | 3-4 working days |
Visa | $5 | $5 | 3-4 working days |
Wire Transfer | $5 | $5 | 3-4 working days |
Web Cash | $25 | N/A | N/A |
Withdrawal times & limits
Withdrawals from PlayNow casino can take anywhere from 3-4 working days. This is a fairly slow waiting time given many casinos today offer 24-hour withdrawals, although it’s also offset by the generous minimum withdrawal limits. Most options require a minimum withdrawal of only $5, while you can withdraw just $1 at a time via credit or debit card and Interac.
How to deposit at PlayNow Casino Ontario
Depositing money into your PlayNow casino account is very easy. You can do so with the steps below:
- Sign into your PlayNow account.
- Click on your account balance.
- Choose your deposit method.
- Select the amount you would like to deposit and confirm the transaction.
- Wait for your funds to appear (this is mostly instant, but can take up to 35 minutes).
How to withdraw winnings from PlayNow Casino Ontario
To withdraw money from your PlayNow casino account, simply follow the below instructions:
- Sign into your PlayNow account.
- Click on your account balance.
- Choose your payment method.
- Select the amount you would like to withdraw.
- Wait 3-4 working days for your funds to arrive.
Security & responsible gambling
PlayNow casino is certified by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation (MBLL) and Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA). This means that as a government-backed casino, it employs stringent security and responsible gaming measures.
These include SSL technology along with 128-bit encryption, file integrity monitoring and auditing to provide a multi-layered defence for protecting players’ data and transactions. Players at PlayNow casino can also access responsible gaming tools, such as deposit and time limits and short-term account lockouts.
Live chat & customer support
Customer support is one of the best features at PlayNow casino, and is easily available via phone support, live chat, email and FAQs. The support team can be reached by phone between 7am and midnight (PT) every day, while live chat is available 24/7. The FAQs section is equally helpful and extensive, and covers different categories to assist with a variety of potential inquiries and concerns.
Overall, PlayNow casino’s customer support is consistently reliable, and offers no shortage of options for getting any issue or question you may need resolved in a timely and friendly manner. The one downside is that it is only available in English.
- Live chat
- FAQs
FAQs
No, PlayNow casino is not yet legal in Ontario. If it ever wants to be, it will require licensing from iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
About the writer
Luke Garrison is an Ontario native and a diehard fan of all professional Toronto teams – especially the Leafs, Raptors and Jays. After graduating from the University of Guelph with a bachelor’s degree in English, he earned a post-graduate certificate in Sports Journalism from Centennial College. He has been writing about sports for over 14 years and contributed to outlets such as FanSided, Full Press Coverage and the Canada Press.