Ontario’s iGaming market surges 32%: Is it Canada’s gold standard?

Ontario became the first province in Canada to launch a regulated iGaming market in April 2022. With a 32% year-on-year growth rate for 2024-25 and an increase of 129% in GGR compared to the opening year, Ontario has clearly laid the groundwork for a booming iGaming market across the country.

With access to over 80 websites managed by 49 operators, Ontarians have a wide range of choices in the iGaming space. iGaming Ontario chair Heidi Reinhart has praised the current condition of the market:

“These results show Ontario is home to a truly dynamic igaming market with a strong roster of operators, and a world-class list of games available for players.”

“Ontario’s regulated market continues to grow by offering a safer environment for Ontarians to play.”

How has Ontario been so successful?

Competition is key to success in the Ontario iGaming market. Due to the range of choice, operators must provide quality to attract players to one of their sites. This includes providing diverse gaming options as well as consumer protection measures.

Paul Burns, CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association, has also praised the success of the regulated Ontario market:

“One of the things Ontario did [well] was build a market that invited the grey market operators and made it advantageous.”

With several grey market operators already providing their services, Ontario just had to enforce a legal framework for them to operate in. This allowed for a swift transition and aided the choice for Ontarians.

Where has the year-on-year growth come from?

C$2.4 billion of GGR has come from casino gambling, which is up 36% year-on-year. Consumer spending has increased overall, with online wagers reaching C$82.7 billion. This is up from 31% compared to the previous year, meaning more people are gambling, particularly at casinos.

Casino revenues hit C$240.3 million in March 2025 alone. This is likely due to the 1.1 million active accounts for March, which proves how popular gambling is in Canada.

Are consumers still being protected?

While the increase in the number of people gambling and total wagers may be considered negative, it’s encouraging to see that players are turning to the regulated market.

This is because it can help better protect players through responsible gambling tools, such as deposit, loss, time, and wager limits and self-exclusion. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) sets strict responsible gambling standards.

Operators who fail to adhere to regulations are subject to fines. For example, AGCO fined Great Canadian Entertainment C$151,000 for allowing minors onto the casino floor and participating in underage gambling.

84% of Ontarian gamblers play on online gambling sites regulated by iGaming Ontario. However, according to AGCO, 20.2% of players who use regulated sites also dip into the unregulated market. Those who engage in the unregulated market may be at risk of unsafe gambling and won’t be protected by AGCO regulations.

Alberta following Ontario’s footsteps

With the passing of Alberta’s iGaming Act, Alberta will become the second province in Canada to launch a regulated online gambling market. Expected to begin in the first half of 2026, Alberta will look to Ontario as the gold standard.

As a result, fewer people will be gambling in the grey market. This means regulations and responsible gambling tools can protect more players.

Following Ontario's success, it has already initiated a blueprint for Alberta. However, they aim to improve player safety further by introducing a centralized self-exclusion programme.

More provinces are expected to regulate the iGaming market. Quebec and British Columbia are next in line, and Ontario has led the way for success.