Best Canadian Online Casino 2026: Why Document Checks Separate Real Sites From Noise
Picking the best Canadian online casino in 2026 is less about neon lobbies and more about how a brand handles your passport photo at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday. The market split itself years ago: Ontario runs a licensed open market under iGaming Ontario and the AGCO, while other provinces still mix provincial operators, First Nations licensing, and grey traffic. That split decides who can legally take your Interac deposit, who must freeze a withdrawal until KYC clears, and who disappears when a chargeback lands.
This guide ranks operators Canadians actually use, explains why strict identity checks protect both sides of the table, and walks through payouts, bonuses, game libraries, and the boring paperwork that decides whether you ever see a five-figure cashout. No cheerleading. No fairy-tale “free money.” Just the mechanics.
What “Best” Means for Canadian Players Right Now
Best is not a single jackpot screenshot from a forum. For a Canadian bankroll, best means four things working at once: lawful access in your province, payment rails that clear in CAD without mystery fees, game studios with published RTPs, and a verification desk that finishes before your patience does. Miss one, and the rest turns into theatre.
Licensing status is the first filter, not a footnote. In Ontario, only operators on the iGO list may offer real-money casino products to residents. Outside Ontario, the picture fragments: BCLC in British Columbia, AGLC-linked channels in Alberta, Loto-Québec properties in Quebec, and Kahnawake-licensed brands that still court national traffic. If a site cannot state its regulator in plain English, treat the silence as data.
Speed without compliance is a marketing slogan. The brands that keep showing up in Canadian player reports in 2026 — BetMGM, Jackpot City, Spin Casino, LeoVegas, 888 Casino, PlayOJO, Bet365, PokerStars Casino, Unibet, Party Casino, TonyBet, Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune, Zodiac Casino, Golden Nugget — differ in tone and bonus shape, yet the ones worth a deposit share one habit: they KYC early, not after you win.
How Canadian search intent actually breaks down
People typing best canadian online casino usually want a shortlist they can fund this week. Secondary intent stacks behind that: bonus value, Interac support, Ontario legality, and withdrawal times. Navigation queries (brand + login) sit nearby but do not need a pillar. Commercial comparison dominates. Pure research on statutes sits third. Build the page for the depositor first, the lawyer second.
The four scores that matter more than star graphics
Score a casino on access legality, banking friction, verification clarity, and game depth. Marketing design ranks fifth on a good day. A polished homepage with a 50x wagering welcome package loses to a plain site that pays Interac e-Transfer in under 12 hours after KYC. Canadians who track bank ledgers already know this; affiliate banners still pretend otherwise.
Canada’s Legal Map in 2026: Ontario Versus Everyone Else
Canada never adopted one federal casino licence for private operators. Criminal Code frameworks leave the provinces to run or permit gambling. That is why your postal code still changes the answer to “is this site allowed?” more than any banner claiming “Canada friendly.”
Ontario remains the clearest regulated open market. Since April 2022, iGaming Ontario has conducted the market under AGCO standards. Operators need registration, player-fund segregation rules, AML programs, and mandatory identity controls. By 2026 the roster is mature: sportsbook-casino hybrids and casino-led brands sit side by side, all answerable to the same audit culture.
Elsewhere, provincial crown corporations still dominate land-based and much of the online pie. OLG covers Ontario’s own branded vertical beside the private iGO market. BCLC, Loto-Québec, and Manitoba’s entities run closed or semi-closed models. Grey-market sites continue to advertise nationally; banks and schemes keep tightening rails against some of them. DNS and payment friction are ordinary tools now, not sci-fi.
Why Ontario players should start on the iGO list
If you live in Ontario, start with operators registered for the province. That single step removes the ugliest dispute patterns: voided winnings arguments, vanished support desks, and “your jurisdiction is restricted” emails after a big hit. It also aligns you with standardized responsible-gaming tools and complaint pathways that actually have an address in the province.
What players in BC, Alberta, and Quebec still face
Outside Ontario, many residents still land on either crown sites or offshore brands. Crown sites win on legal clarity and lose on game variety and bonus flexibility. Offshore brands reverse that trade. Neither side cancels the need for KYC when real money moves. Banks in Canada still file their own risk reports; a passport request is not optional cosplay.
Kahnawake and other non-provincial labels
Kahnawake Gaming Commission licensing appears on a long tail of brands marketed to Canadians. Some operators run clean technical shops. Others recycle skins. A Kahnawake mark is not a substitute for provincial permission in Ontario, and it does not freeze your bank’s fraud rules. Read it as a signal of who audits the platform — then still demand the same document trail you would on Bay Street.
KYC and Verification: The Uncomfortable Core of a Safe Casino
Know Your Customer rules exist because gambling sits next to money laundering, underage access, and stolen-card play. Casinos that skip early checks do not love you; they delay cost until a withdrawal forces the issue. Strict document checks are how legitimate operators keep banking partners and licences. Soft KYC is how weak shops buy conversion and sell headaches later.
For Canadian players, KYC usually means a government photo ID, a recent proof of address, and sometimes a payment-method match. Selfies with ID, utility bills under 90 days old, and screenshots of Interac confirmations show up constantly. Source-of-funds requests appear when deposits or wins cross internal thresholds. Annoying? Yes. Optional at a serious brand? No.
Why casinos ask before you feel “ready”
AML programs set trigger points. A CAD 20 spin-up might skate. A CAD 2,000 Interac deposit followed by a CAD 8,500 withdrawal will not. Operators time checks to risk, not to your mood. Completing verification at registration — or right after the first deposit — shortens the worst queue in gambling: the win that sits on hold for six business days while someone reviews a blurry hydro bill.
Documents Canadian cashiers request most often
Expect a passport, driver’s licence, or PR card; a utility bill, bank statement, or CRA mailer for address; and proof you control the Interac, Visa Debit, or crypto wallet you funded with. If the name on the Interac profile differs by a single character from the ID, assume a manual review. Married names, hyphens, and middle initials cause more delays than any slot RTP debate on Reddit.
Biometric checks and liveness tests in 2026
Many Ontario-facing brands now run liveness detection: turn your head, blink, hold the licence next to your face. The tech cuts stolen-ID rings that plagued softer markets in the late 2010s. Failures usually come from glare, cropped edges, or VPNs that flag the session. Fix lighting before you rage at live chat. The model does not care that you “always withdraw fine on other sites.”
Source of funds: when the questions get sharper
Hit a cumulative deposit band — often in the low five figures across a rolling window — and compliance may ask where the money came from. Pay stubs, business statements, and sale contracts answer that. This is not a loyalty quiz; it is a licence condition. Players who treat the email as optional discover that withdrawals freeze until the file closes. Answer once, completely, with legible PDFs.
How KYC ties to OASIS-style self-exclusion tools and RG files
Regulated Canadian frameworks require operators to respect self-exclusion and affordability signals. Identity assurance makes those tools real. Without solid KYC, a self-excluded player opens a second account with a typo email and a new bonus code. That loophole harms the person the rule was written for. Document friction is the price of making exclusion mean something beyond a checkbox.
Average verification timelines players actually see
Clean files at tier-one brands often clear in 15 minutes to 4 hours during business peaks. Messy scans drift to 24–72 hours. Weekend uploads sit longer at shops with thin compliance teams. Plan deposits around that reality if you intend to cash out before a trip. The best canadian online casino for you might be the one that emails “verified” before your coffee cools, not the one with the loudest 300% banner.
| KYC stage | What you send | Typical clear time | Common failure point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | Passport / driver’s licence | 15–120 minutes | Glare, cropped corners, expired ID |
| Address | Utility bill / bank PDF ≤90 days | 1–24 hours | Name mismatch, P.O. box only |
| Payment match | Interac confirmation / card crop | 1–12 hours | Third-party accounts |
| Source of funds | Payslip / accountant letter | 24–72 hours | Partial pages, no dates |
| Enhanced review | Video call / extra forms | 2–7 days | Ignoring the request email |
Shortlist: Canadian-Facing Casinos Worth a Serious Look
Rankings below weight licensing clarity for Canadians, Interac availability where offered, documented KYC process, game studios, and payout behaviour reported across 2024–2026 player channels. Bonuses influence order only after those gates. Brands appear because they matter in market share or search demand — not because anyone handed out a trophy.
BetMGM Casino — Ontario muscle with retail DNA
BetMGM entered Ontario with brand recognition from land-based partners and built a full casino vertical beside sports. KYC mirrors North American sportsbook standards: ID early, payment match required, withdrawals gated until the file is clean. Slots from big studios sit next to live tables where permitted. If you already hold a BetMGM sports account, casino verification often reuses the same profile. That reuse is a practical edge, not romance.
Jackpot City Casino — long memory in the Canadian affiliate lane
Jackpot City has courted Canadian traffic for years with Microgaming heritage shelves and progressive networks. Expect classic account reviews on larger cashouts and a bonus structure built around high wagering by modern Ontario standards when offers appear. The brand’s longevity helps on trust optics; it does not cancel document checks. Treat welcome packages as priced products, not gifts.
Spin Casino — sibling stack, similar rails
Spin Casino shares DNA with other Magellan-class brands many Canadians already tried in the 2010s. The lobby leans slots-first. Verification follows the same AML logic: prove who you are before large outs. Players who bounced between Spin, Jackpot City, and related skins should not expect a second full welcome after multi-accounting detection. Databases talk.
LeoVegas — mobile-first cashier habits
LeoVegas built its name on phone play and still designs flows that keep deposit and KYC steps thumb-friendly. Ontario presence matters for legality inside that province. Live chat response quality fluctuates with volume, yet compliance tickets tend to be structured. Upload sharp images; the mobile crop tool fails when you photograph ID on a bedsheet at night.
888 Casino — legacy global brand, local paperwork
888 brings a deep tables-and-slots catalogue and long operational history. Canadian players still meet standard identity gates. The useful angle is product breadth: RNG tables, slots, and branded experiences under one login when the jurisdiction build allows. Withdrawal clocks start after KYC, not after your first support nudge.
PlayOJO — no-wagering positioning with adult rules
PlayOJO markets clearer bonus maths than most of the field, including approaches that avoid classic wagering on certain promotions. Clearer maths does not mean absent KYC. You still prove identity, and you still face checks on payment ownership. For players tired of 40x loops, the value story is structural honesty — paired with the same passport upload as everyone else.
Bet365 Casino — sports giant extending the sideline
Bet365’s casino vertical rides a massive sports account base. In markets where the casino product is offered to Canadians under proper permission, verification often begins on the sports side. Expect ruthless consistency on payment names. Try funding from a spouse’s Interac and enjoy the manual review. House rules beat your household convenience.
PokerStars Casino — cards heritage, slots reality
PokerStars still means MTT traffic to older players, yet the casino lobby is the growth story. Shared wallet convenience is real when poker and casino sit together. So is shared compliance. A starsCloud-era account with outdated address data will stall a casino cashout just as fast as a poker bounty withdrawal.
Unibet — Kindred lineage, catalogue depth
Unibet’s casino offering hangs on a wide supplier list and a brand Canadians meet through sports. KYC sits inside a mature group AML stack. Useful for players who want one operator across verticals without hopping skins. Watch bonus eligibility across products; wagering contributions from non-slots can lag.
Party Casino — tables culture with modern cashiering
Party Casino still signals blackjack and roulette culture even when slots pay the bills. Identity checks match group standards. If live dealer access is your main session style, confirm provincial rules first — product availability is not uniform across Canada in 2026.
TonyBet, Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune, Zodiac Casino, Golden Nugget
This cluster covers varied licensing paths and bonus temperatures. TonyBet often courts multi-market players with broad bet types. Royal Vegas and Ruby Fortune carry older Canadian CRM histories. Zodiac leans colourful UX and long-running promotions. Golden Nugget imports US brand weight where available. None of them cancel CAD banking reality or document matching. Compare each against your province before the first dollar moves.
| Casino | Canadian fit angle | KYC posture | Banking note | Lobby bias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | Strong Ontario recognition | Early, sports-linked | Cards + wallet mix | Slots + live |
| Jackpot City | Long CA marketing history | Standard + large-out reviews | Interac where offered | Slots / jackpots |
| Spin Casino | Familiar sibling brand | Full ID before big outs | E-wallets / Interac vary | Slots-first |
| LeoVegas | Mobile UX strength | App-friendly uploads | Fast deposits, KYC-gated outs | Mobile slots |
| 888 Casino | Global catalogue | Mature AML stack | Multi-rail | Tables + slots |
| PlayOJO | Clearer bonus maths | Full ID still required | Region-dependent | Slots |
| Bet365 | Sports crossover | Strict name match | Established cashier | Mixed |
| PokerStars Casino | Shared poker wallet | Legacy account clean-up | Known rails | Slots + tables |
| Unibet | Multi-vertical | Group compliance | CAD options vary | Broad |
| Zodiac Casino | Promo-heavy CRM | Document gate on withdrawal | Check method list | Slots |
Bonuses at Canadian Casinos: Maths Before Confetti
A welcome package is a priced acquisition tool. The operator buys your deposit attention; you buy turnover obligations. In 2026, Ontario-facing offers often look calmer than offshore screenshots with 300 free spins and a mystery CAD 1,500 match. Calm can be healthier. Always read wagering, game weighting, max bet while wagering, and withdrawal caps before you opt in.
Example maths without fantasy RTPs: take a CAD 100 deposit with a 100% match and 35x playthrough on deposit+bonus. Turnover target equals CAD 7,000. On slots with a 96% RTP, expected house edge on that turnover sits near 4%, so theoretical loss before variance is about CAD 280. Variance can gift a win or torch the balance faster. Either way, the “match” was never a gift basket.
No deposit hooks and why they still demand KYC
Even small no deposit bonuses and free spin bundles trip verification when you try to cash a residual CAD 50. Operators block risk paths where a bot farm snags codes, hits a feature, and exits through Interac. If a brand pays a no deposit win without any ID, ask what else they skip. Charity is not the business model.
Wagering ranges Canadians should treat as normal
For regulated Ontario products, wagering on deposit bonuses commonly lands in a moderate band relative to historic grey-market excess — think structures players can finish without turning the week into a second job, though exact numbers move by campaign. Offshore pages still flash 45x–60x on bonus-only counters. Cap on max cashout from no deposit residues often sits in the CAD 50–100 zone when such promos exist. Verify inside the cashier; public blogs lag.
Free spins valuation in plain CAD
Fifty spins at CAD 0.10 average stake equal CAD 5 of theoretical action. At 96% RTP, expected return hovers near CAD 4.80 before the feature gods intervene. Marketing counts spins; cashiers count dollars. Weight offers by stake size and eligible games (Book of Dead, Sweet Bonanza, Gates of Olympus, Starburst clones) rather than the headline integer alone.
Payments: Interac, Cards, Open Banking, and Crypto Edges
Interac remains the cultural default for Canadian depositors who dislike typing card numbers into new sites. E-Transfer and Interac Online variants appear across licensed cashiers. Speed on the way in is usually instant or near-instant. Speed on the way out depends on KYC status and the operator’s banking stack more than on Interac’s brand glow.
Visa Debit and credit routes still work at many brands, sometimes with issuer friction when MCC codes scream gambling. Paysafecard-type prepaid options show up for deposit-only use cases. Crypto rails exist at multi-market brands; they do not erase identity law. Converting to coin does not make you anonymous to a regulated cashier.
Withdrawal sequencing that avoids self-inflicted delays
Deposit, finish KYC, play, then withdraw to the same method when rules allow. Mixing four methods in one week creates review noise. Request outs during staffed hours if you need human compliance eyes. Keep PDF copies of everything you upload so a second request does not send you hunting through email from 2024.
Fees and minimums in practical ranges
Many licensed cashiers advertise CAD 10–20 deposit minimums and withdrawal minimums in a similar band. Operator-side withdrawal fees are often zero; intermediary banks may still apply their own. FX fees hit hard when a site displays CAD but settles in EUR behind the curtain. Prefer true CAD wallets. Hidden conversion is a tax on laziness.
Games and Providers Behind the Lobby Tiles
Canadian lobbies in 2026 lean on Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Microgaming, Evolution, Hacksaw Gaming, Play’n GO, Red Tiger, and a rotating cast of mid-tier studios. Book of Dead still traffics heavily; Big Bass titles and sweet-candy slots pull evening sessions; Evolution keeps live rooms sticky where provincial rules allow the product.
RTP labels deserve a cold read. A studio may ship Book of Dead at 96.21% in one build and 94.25% in another. The cashier’s help file or game info panel beats memory. Progressive jackpots, when available, pull a contribution from each spin; your long-run slot EV is not the headline RTP on the base game alone.
Slots session design that respects a bankroll
Pick a stake that survives 100–200 spins at your volatility comfort, not a stake that “feels worthy” of a bonus. High-volatility Hacksaw titles can flatten a CAD 50 balance before a feature lands. Low-volatility NetEnt classics grind slower. Neither pattern is moral. Both are math. Session caps beat revenge spins after a bonus buy fantasy — and note that bonus buy availability itself depends on jurisdiction rules.
Live casino access is provincial reality, not a skin theme
Evolution lobbies look identical in screenshots worldwide. Legal access does not. Confirm whether your operator’s Canadian build includes live blackjack, roulette, and game shows. If the tile is missing, it is often regulation, not a bug. Chasing the same table on an unlicensed mirror site reintroduces every banking and recourse problem this article flags.
Payout Speed: What “Fast” Means After KYC
Marketing clocks start at “pending cleared.” Real clocks start when compliance clicks approve. E-wallets and Interac outs at efficient brands can land same day after approval. Cards take longer. Bank wires lag further. A site quoting “0–24 hours” without mentioning verification is selling a stopwatch without batteries.
Track your own median. After three withdrawals you know a brand’s true pace better than any blog table frozen in 2023. If pending stretches past the stated window with silence, escalate once with ticket ID, then use regulator complaint channels when licensed. Spamming new live chat agents with caps-lock does not reorder the AML queue.
Hold periods and bonus locks
Active wagering requirements pause real withdrawal rights on bonus-tainted balances. Some cashiers split cash and bonus wallets; others muddy them. Read which funds are withdrawable. Cancelling a bonus to unlock a cashout can forfeit remaining bonus funds — sometimes the correct trade when a chance win already sits in the cash layer.
Mobile Play Without the App-Store Fairy Tale
Browser-based casinos dominate serious play. iOS restrictions and Android sideload risk make progressive web apps and mobile sites the sane default. LeoVegas-style app heritage still influences UX patterns, yet a home-screen bookmark to an HTTPS lobby often matches native performance on slots.
Upload KYC from the phone only if the camera can deliver sharp, even light. Many delays begin as mobile photos with moiré on the licence hologram. A cheap desk lamp fixes more “verification hell” threads than any VPN myth.
Methodology: How This Shortlist Was Filtered
Operators named above appear in Canadian player traffic patterns, Ontario registration conversations, or long-running CAD brand memory. Filters applied: transparent regulator story, functional CAD banking narrative, visible KYC process, recognizable suppliers, and public footprint older than a single bonus season. No brand paid for placement in this text.
Exclusions matter too. Fresh skins with mirrored WordPress lobbies, cloned Pragmatic tiles, and anonymous Telegram support fail the filter even if a 200% banner looks loud. Multi-account factories fail. Brands that only process crypto and boast about skipping ID fail for Canadian real-money advice purposes.
Signals that drop a casino from “best” contention
Change of licence every quarter, withdrawal complaints clustering around document rejection loops, fake celebrity endorsements, and bonus terms that ban the games used to advertise the bonus. Also fatal: refusing to state whether Ontario residents are accepted while running Ontario ads. Ambiguity is a choice.
Signals that keep a casino on the watchlist
Stable ownership, published RG tools, consistent Interac performance, predictable KYC emails, and game RTP info accessible inside the client. Add human support that can quote your verification status without reading a script that denies the ticket exists. Boring reliability outranks new year fireworks.
Common Mistakes That Make “Best” Irrelevant
First mistake: depositing before reading whether your province is accepted. Second: using a payment account in another person’s name. Third: grinding a 40x bonus on 1% contribution tables and blaming the casino for maths you skipped. Fourth: delaying KYC until a win. Fifth: chasing losses across three brands in one night to “get even” with the industry.
A quieter mistake sits under them: treating VIP hosts as friends. Hosts optimize lifetime value. When your pattern trips risk, the same friendly inbox goes formal. Keep copies, keep limits, keep your own spreadsheet of deposits and outs. The house already has one.
Bonus abuse versus ordinary smart play
Clearing a promotion inside the rules is ordinary. Opening five accounts with variations of your address is abuse. Using VPNs to look like another province is abuse. The best canadian online casino for clean players becomes a closed door once risk scores stack. You do not need that arc.
Responsible Play Tools Canadians Should Actually Use
Set deposit limits inside the cashier on day one — CAD 50 weekly teaches more discipline than a CAD 1,000 monthly cap you always hit by Friday. Session reminders and loss limits belong in the same setup pass. If play stops being entertainment, stop funding it. Self-exclusion exists for a reason; use it early rather than after debt piles up.
Provincial resources and national help lines remain the correct escalation path when control slips. Operator tools pause an account; counselling addresses the habit. Mixing alcohol with high-volatility slots is a classic way to turn a planned CAD 40 session into an overdraft story. Boring advice. Still correct.
Affordability checks are coming for more profiles
Regulated markets tighten affordability reviews as global AML and consumer-protection standards rise. Expect more questions, not fewer, through 2026. Players with stable documentation will barely notice. Players funding play from credit cards against unpaid balances will notice first. Adjust habits before a formal letter forces the issue.
FAQ
What is the best Canadian online casino for beginners in 2026?
The best starting point is a provincially permitted brand with Interac, plain-English KYC, and modest deposit limits you control. Ontario residents should begin on iGO-registered operators such as BetMGM or other listed casinos rather than offshore mirrors. Finish verification on day one, ignore maxed welcome packages, and treat the first month as a process test, not a profit plan.
Why do Canadian casinos require KYC before withdrawal?
KYC proves you are of legal age, live where the product is offered, and own the payment method. It also satisfies AML duties tied to licences and banking partners. Without those checks, stolen IDs and mule accounts would drain cashier rails. Strict verification slows fraud more than it slows honest players who upload clear documents early.
How long does verification take at regulated Canadian sites?
Clean submissions often clear within a few hours; complex source-of-funds reviews can take several days. Delays cluster around blurry images, name mismatches, and third-party Interac accounts. Submit ID, address proof, and payment proof together to avoid serial tickets. Weekend uploads may wait for weekday compliance staff.
Are online casinos legal for all Canadians?
Legality depends on province and operator permission. Ontario runs a licensed private market under iGaming Ontario and AGCO rules. Other provinces rely more on crown corporations or different frameworks, while unlicensed sites still advertise. Players should confirm that a brand is allowed to accept them specifically, not merely that the homepage mentions Canada.
Do Interac deposits guarantee fast cashouts?
No. Interac speeds deposits; cashouts still pass fraud and KYC gates. Once approved, Interac withdrawals can be quick relative to cards, yet approval is the real bottleneck. Matching the withdrawal method to the deposit method reduces reviews. Unverified accounts do not become fast accounts because the deposit rail is Interac.
Can I use the same documents at multiple casinos?
Yes. Your passport and utility bill are yours to reuse. Each operator runs a separate compliance file, so you still upload per brand. Multi-accounting to reclaim welcome bonuses across sister skins risks closure. Reusing documents for legitimate single accounts at unrelated brands is normal and expected.
What RTP should I look for on popular slots?
Prefer builds near the mid-96% range when the info panel shows them, and note that some titles ship lower settings. Book of Dead, for example, exists in more than one RTP configuration depending on operator setup. Check the in-game help on the specific site rather than a generic wiki number burned into memory from 2019.
Should I chase no deposit bonuses to find the best site?
Use no deposit offers as low-cost product tests, not as income. Wagering and max-cashout caps usually contain them. You will still face KYC if you win. A clean cashier experience on a CAD 20 deposit teaches more about whether a brand deserves a larger bankroll than a maze of promo codes from expired forum threads.
Final Take: Choose Process Over Paint
The best Canadian online casino in 2026 is the one that can legally take you, verify you without drama, and return funds through a rail you already use — while offering studios you actually play. BetMGM, Jackpot City, Spin Casino, LeoVegas, 888 Casino, PlayOJO, Bet365, PokerStars Casino, Unibet, Party Casino, and steadier names like Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune, Zodiac Casino, TonyBet, and Golden Nugget only belong on a shortlist after those gates.
Lead with KYC readiness. Photograph documents like a banker would. Cap deposits before the first spin. Read wagering as a price tag. If a site sells “VIP luxury” but cannot explain its regulator or verification steps, keep your Interac balance. The house already ran the numbers on your bonus. Running yours is how you stay in the game on purpose — not by accident.