Short answer: use a structured checklist and test each site against the same measurable criteria — with special attention to licensing and provincial rules, payout speed/odds fairness, payment methods & fees, and responsible‑gambling protections. Below I give a practical step‑by‑step comparison method, the concrete criteria to check, how to score them, and a sample spreadsheet layout you can copy.

Important context (Canada-specific)

• Online gambling in Canada is regulated by the provinces/territories, so legal availability, licensed operators and rules vary by province (Ontario has a large regulated market run through iGaming Ontario and overseen by the AGCO; other provinces use provincial operators or lotteries). Confirm whether a site is licensed for your province before depositing. (Mondaq.com)
• Responsible‑gambling tools (deposit limits, timeouts, self‑exclusion) and minimum age (18 or 19, depending on province) are expected for licensed operators — check each operator’s RG policy. (OLG.ca)

Step‑by‑step method to compare platforms

1. Make a shortlist
   • Start with 4–8 platforms you’re considering (include provincial government sites if available and major private sportsbooks/casinos that accept players from your province).
2. Verify license & legal status (must be first)
   • Look for explicit licensing info on the operator site (which regulator: iGaming Ontario / AGCO, OLG, GPEB, MLGA, Loto‑Québec, etc.) and cross‑check on the regulator’s site or provincial list. If a site is offshore and unlicensed, treat it as higher risk. (Mondaq.com)
3. Use the same sample bets/games to measure economics
   • For sportsbooks: compare the same market (e.g., NHL moneyline, spread or total) and record the odds across sites. Convert odds to implied probability to see the effective house edge (vig). Prefer the site consistently offering better (higher) payouts on the markets you use.
   • For casino games: check RTPs for specific games (slots/blackjack) and note whether the overall RTPs are published or audited.
4. Check payment options, limits, fees and speed
   • Record deposit & withdrawal methods (Interac e‑transfer, Visa/Mastercard, e‑wallets, prepaid cards, crypto, wire), minimum/maximums, fees, and typical withdrawal processing times. Interac is commonly supported in Canada; some provinces restrict payment types. (TalkSport.com)
5. Responsible‑gambling & account controls
   • Record whether deposit limits, loss limits, wager limits, timeouts, and self‑exclusion are offered and whether they are adjustable instantly or subject to cooling‑off periods. Licensed providers usually provide robust tools; check policy pages. (OLG.ca)
6. Bonuses, wagering requirements & fairness
   • Note bonus amounts, wagering requirements, bet‑type exclusions and maximum bet rules. Convert the bonus into an effective expected value assuming typical wagering — high bonuses with onerous rollover can be worth much less.
7. Market depth & features
   • For sportsbooks: number of sports, live betting, streaming, in‑play markets, prop markets, odds boosts, cash‑out.
   • For casinos: number of games, live dealer availability, mobile apps, tournaments, loyalty program.
8. Security, audit and dispute resolution
   • Check for SSL/TLS, independent audits or RNG certificates (if casino), fair play statements, and published dispute/appeals process. Prefer operators with local/regulator contact details.
9. Customer support & user experience
   • Test live chat response time, availability (24/7?), email ticketing and phone support. Evaluate mobile site/app and UX.
10. Track real experience for a trial period

• Deposit a small test amount and track deposit/withdrawal times, customer service interactions, and whether any wagering or withdrawal restrictions appear during play.

How to score & weigh the criteria

• Create a scorecard with weighted categories (example):
  • Licensing & legal compliance — 20%
  • Odds / RTP / pricing — 20%
  • Payments (methods, fees, speed) — 15%
  • Responsible gambling & safety — 15%
  • Bonuses (value & fairness) — 10%
  • Markets / features & UX — 10%
  • Customer support — 10%
• Rate each category 1–10 for each operator, multiply by weight, and sum to get a comparable score.

Practical spreadsheet columns (copy/paste)

• Operator | Licensed? (Regulator) | Available in my province? | Age min | Markets (sports/games) | Sample market odds (e.g., NHL moneyline) | Vig / Edge (%) | Casino RTPs published? | Deposit methods | Withdrawal methods | Withdrawal time (typical) | Fees? | Min/Max withdrawal | Deposit/ loss/ wager limits (yes/no + details) | Self‑exclusion options | Bonus (amount) | Wagering req | Bonus restrictions | Mobile app (Y/N) | Live betting/streaming (Y/N) | SSL / Audits (cert) | Support channels & response time | Score

Quick tips and red flags

• Red flags: no clear licence information, no physical company address, only offshore licence (Curaçao etc.) with no Canadian provincial registration, very slow/blocked withdrawals, opaque bonus T&Cs, no RG tools or KYC that’s inconsistent.
• Good signs: provincial regulator listed, published policies for responsible gambling, transparent payout/withdrawal times, independent audits (for casinos), clear dispute process and accessible customer support.
• Odds comparison tools / aggregator sites can speed price comparison for sportsbooks; but always verify odds live before placing large bets.

Where to look for authoritative info

• Provincial regulator / operator sites (iGaming Ontario / AGCO, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, provincial lottery operator pages) for licensing and RG rules. (Mondaq.com)
• Operator responsible‑gambling pages for deposit limits, self‑exclusion and timeouts. (Spinz.com)
• Independent review sites and recent legal updates for grey‑market enforcement actions and new provincial initiatives (these help track which offshore operators are being challenged). (BLG.com)

If you want, I can:

• Build a downloadable spreadsheet template prefilled with the column headers above, or
• Compare 4 specific platforms you tell me (I’ll verify licensing and list the scores and supporting citations).

Which would you prefer?