The iGaming industry is global, which means players in Canada might be tempted to sign up for sites that target other parts of the world and play in foreign currencies as a result.
While you might assume that there’s no issue with this approach, the reality is that it can have all sorts of unexpected ramifications. Top of the list is the impact on expected value (EV) for progressive jackpots.
So, why is it wise to choose games that pay out in CAD if you’re a Canadian slots fan, and what exactly does EV mean in this context to begin with?
By RealMoneyGames – Steve Cross : Published 10th February 2026
The Basics of EV and Progressive Jackpots
Expected value is a concept that’s common not only in a gambling context, but also for financial decision-making. It’s basically a way to calculate the average outcome of a given event if it were repeated endlessly.
EV is important for slots because it points to the typical expected payout that each game’s RNG algorithms are tuned to hit. In other words, the EV isn’t a measure of how much you’ll win with each spin. Instead, it’s what the slot will pay to players over a more extended period of operation.
Progressive jackpots are a good way for slot makers to both solidify the EV and showcase it transparently to players. For instance, some progressives will have a ‘must hit by’ condition, which guarantees a payout once an upper limit is reached. In this case, the chances of hitting the jackpot improve as the pot grows.
Why this Matters from a Currency Perspective
Anyone who wants to play games with progressive jackpots and who has a grasp of why EV matters must also consider that choosing a slots site that operates in their region is the most sensible move.
Say you’re a resident in Canada, and make deposits and withdrawals in Canadian dollars. The easiest way to manage your bankroll and calculate the EV of the slots you play is if both are expressed in your local currency.
Plenty of games do translate deposited cash into ‘credits’ for convenience when different denominations are selected. However, many also let you change the settings so your preferred currency is used instead.
Aside from the usability angle, this affects the progressive jackpot value because currency markets are, by their nature, volatile. The value of CAD rises and falls from moment to moment, as is the case with every other currency type, from fiat to crypto. So every time you add, win, and withdraw funds to an online casino that doesn’t use the currency of your home country as a default option, you’re at the mercy of the broader market.
It follows that you’ll get a better EV, or at least a more consistent one, from platforms and slots they host which support progressive jackpots in CAD for Canadian players, Euros for European players, and USD for American players.
Essentially, it’s a way of removing one more variable from a process that’s already exposed to a lot of volatility by design.
The Bottom Line
The benefits of playing on a casino site that natively accepts CAD and even uses it for progressive jackpots don’t stop at improving EV for Canadian players. All sorts of other aspects, like service reliability and transaction speed, stem from this.
It’s also worth remembering that players must look into the EV of individual games, if the data is available, because slots have become more volatile in recent years, making big payouts less frequent regardless of your currency. Knowledge is power, particularly when games of chance are your pastime of choice.