Halifax, Nova Scotia is no Las Vegas and is thousands of miles away from what is arguably the world’s gambling capital, but the interest in gambling is just as strong.

Nova Scotia is the second smallest province in Canada, with close to one million people living there, but this is one of Canada’s gambling hotspots. It is also the second-most densely populated state, with the majority of citizens living in Halifax. The region comprises 4,000 coastal islands, making it a hive for tourism, which has helped sustain the gambling industry.

Residents of Halifax and Nova Scotia as a whole take part in many different forms of gambling, including online slots casino games like poker and roulette.

Sports betting and the lottery are also some of the main gambling activities you will find in the area.

Between 2018 and 2019, about $1,4 billion was wagered by at least 73% of the adult population in Nova Scotia. There are no deductions and taxes on slot machine winnings for all those who gamble for the sheer thrill of it. As long as you do not make a living from gambling, the government is not entitled to a share of the spoils.

The History Of Gambling In Halifax

Halifax has a great gambling history, and it is no surprise that they have taken well to online forms of gambling. And here is a quick lesson of how gambling got its fame.

Gambling was not always permissible in all states in Canada, even after a law in 1892 made some forms of gambling legal, especially lotteries which were also used to raise money for charities.

In 1970, the Canadian government changed the Criminal Code legalizing lotteries and gave power to the different states on how to govern gambling activities as they saw fit. Nova Scotia introduced its first lottery in 1976, and in 1991 Video Lottery Terminals (VLT) were legalized in the state together with the Gaming Control act.

1995 saw the establishment of the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation (NSGC), which was later rebranded to the Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries and Casino Corporation (NSPLCC) in 2012. It is the gambling regulatory body in the state.

Nova Scotia has nine casinos. The first two are in Halifax and Sydney. These were opened in 1998, although the Halifax branch was first an interim casino. It was reopened as the Halifax Casino Nova Scotia in 2000.

Both casinos are under the Greater Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) ownership. The two casinos are responsible for all the inland casino games, and at the Halifax location, you will find over 30 casino table games. There are also 500 slot machines, a poker room, and a racebook.

Online Casinos And Online Slot Games

Online gambling is legal in Nova Scotia, and like in many other regions of the world, it has grown exponentially.

The Atlantic Lottery Corporation offers online gambling through its sites. Here, players can choose from a variety of lottery games, bingo, and sports betting. It has received criticism from native citizens as traditional casino games are limited, including online slots.

Therefore many of the locals choose to play on offshore casinos, and there are few to no restrictions.

As a matter of fact, most of the top gambling sites across Europe and the US are available and legal for Nova Scotians to access. These have grown more popular than the government-run gambling sites.

Some of the most popular online casino sites in Halifax are:

• 888 Casino
• Leo Vegas Casino
• Genesis Casino
• Betway Casino
• Europa Casino
• Jackpot City Casino

Most Popular Online Slots In Halifax

There are many payment methods available for the residents of Halifax and the greater Nova Scotia region, which have made gambling online a lot easier. This has led to the growth of mobile gambling, which is now more popular than using a computer or laptop.

More online casinos are making their services easier to access on all mobile operating systems to meet the growing demand.

Game providers are also making a wider variety of online slot games accessible via your mobile phone.

Some of the online slot games that are making waves in Halifax are:

• Monopoly Megaways Slots
• Mega Jackpots Wheels of Fortune Slots
• Spartacus Gladiator of Rome Slots
• Book of Ra Deluxe Slots
• Cleopatra Slots
• Mega Moolah Slots

These are, and many more are available with demo versions that do not require any deposit to play. These are great if you are still learning the ropes and do not want to commit.

Conclusion

Photo by Nirmal Rajendharkumar on Unsplash

Halifax does not have the largest population, but the gambling community is one of the largest in Canada. The gambling industry also contributes to the revenue of the city and the state of Nova Scotia.

Thanks largely to gaming technology, the industry has seen a rise in online casino activity and online slot games. Another factor that has helped the growth of online gambling is that residents do not pay tax on online winnings gained.