Montreal-based startup PlayOnline launched today, a site that provides players with reviews and current information about online gambling companies and websites in Canada. While sites in the online gambling ecosystem seem to garner a little less respect than companies in more traditional tech spaces, this one is dedicated to providing information while promoting enjoyable and moderate gambling.
The cofounders at PlayOnline each possess more than eight years of experience in the online gambling industry. They provide research and review online casinos, poker rooms and sportsbooks, listing top five companies in each gambling website category. The cofounders call it “Canada’s most trusted guide to online casino games, online sports betting and online poker rooms”.
“We’re excited and proud to put our years of experience to work helping our fellow Canadians discover and enjoy the world of online gambling without having to take unnecessary risks,” wrote the company. “In the short time that PlayOnline.ca has been operating, the website has already become the most trusted guide to online gambling companies in the nation. Our goal is to provide new players with the tools they require to make sound decisions, and as we publish the latest reviews, we only expect to continue to grow.”
Each gambling website reviewed by PlayOnline must meet several criteria before receiving a place on one of the three top five lists, and is removed when it can’t meet those requirements.
The site distinguishes between the three most popular types of gaming websites: online casino, online poker and online sportsbook. Most similar sites simply review an entire company, while PlayOnline said it understands how gaming platforms can vary within a single organization. Criteria used to conduct an “honest and respectable review” is slightly different with each one and the site seeks to differentiate.
“Each company has exciting games, unique features and powerful software platforms to make online gaming fun,” wrote PlayOnline. “In addition, they offer bonuses to all new players that range from $200 to $5,000 just for registering an account and making an initial deposit. However, choosing a company as the best is often a subjective experience…prospective players are free to read the details of each review and determine which one is best for his or her particular taste and situation.”
The site also emphasizes player security and protection of personal information, while promoting itself as a place of education, particularly for first-time online gamblers. “When first entering the world of online gaming, it is easy to make mistakes, approach the games from the wrong angles or commit to risky wagering, and this only distracts from all of the fun. We can set new players down the right path to maximize their enjoyment and increase the chances of becoming a winner quickly.”