According to Blask Report USA and Canada iGaming landscape 2025 from February 2026, Canada’s total online gambling market hit a value of roughly $9.5 billion in 2025. It’s the third-largest globally after the UK and US.
Some years ago, the market was nowhere close to those numbers, as it had an estimated valuation of $2.55 billion in 2021, as reported by H2 Gambling Capital. Back then, a typical casino serving Canadian players operated an offshore site with no domestic oversight, beyond the reach of any national regulator. That changed after Bill C-218 amended the Criminal Code in August 2021, allowing provinces to license and directly oversee private operators for the first time.
This article covers how new policies and consumer behaviour have turned the Canadian gambling space into one of the largest in the world.
Factors Driving the Growth of Canada’s Online Casino Markets
These are detailed insights into what changed in the past decade.
High Number of Canadians’ Gambling
Gambling has been common in Canada for decades. A 1998 study reported by Ipsos, revealed that 60% of the Canadian population gamble. Granted a smaller portion of the people actually spent money on gambling, but enough of them do to account for the budding market.
A November 2025 report by Mental Health Research Canada, based on a survey of over 9,200 Canadians aged 16 and older, found that 73.1% had participated in some form of gambling. It remains a majority; however, there was a mass migration from unregulated sites to licensed ones after 2022.
Mobile access has also reshaped how Canadians gamble. A spring 2025 survey conducted by Forum Research for CBC/Radio-Canada’s Media Technology Monitor found that 95% of Canadian adults own a cellphone, removing the physical distance that once separated a bettor from a casino or sportsbook.
Ontario and Alberta iGaming Market Launch
Ontario was the first to leverage Bill C-218. The province opened a competitive, multi-operator market in April 2022 under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and its delegated Crown agency, iGaming Ontario (iGO).
Its competitive framework allowed private operators who met licensing and regulatory requirements to participate alongside the existing government-operated system. The logic was simple: Ontarians were already gambling online through offshore sites paying no Canadian tax, so why not bring that money onshore?
Wagers in the province’s first year reached $35.5 billion, generating $1.4 billion in gaming revenue. By its third full fiscal year, wagers had climbed to $82.7 billion, a 133% jump, across 49 operators running 84 gaming websites. Those numbers are according to the available information published on the official website of iGaming Ontario.
2025 revenue alone topped roughly $2.95 billion, up about 34% year over year. Ontario’s framework also requires operators to support province-wide consumer protection measures, including BetGuard, iGaming Ontario’s centralized self-exclusion tool launched in 2026.
Alberta became the second Canadian province to open a competitive iGaming market on July 13, 2026. Under the province’s framework, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) regulates the market, while a newly created Crown corporation, the Alberta iGaming Corporation, manages the commercial agreements operators must sign before launching.
Increase in Technology Accessibility
High levels of internet connectivity and mobile access provide the technical foundation required for digital gambling platforms, electronic payments, and online account management. Provincial regulators rely on Canada’s telecommunications infrastructure to support requirements such as real-time age verification and location checks.
The CRTC’s 2026 report puts 5G population coverage at 94%, a level of connectivity that serves as the basis for these compliance functions for licensed operators in Ontario and Alberta.
The Future of iGaming in Canada
There’s still more room for growth in the market.
iGaming Expert Projections
Industry forecasts for Canada’s online gambling market generally point towards further expansion of online gambling. However, estimates vary considerably.
- Grand View Research projects 14.8% annual growth from 2026 through 2033, reaching an estimated US$5.7 billion
- Statista’s separate model estimates the casino-specific segment at US$7.2 billion by 2030.
- Bonafide Research’s analysis predicts about $2.41 billion in additional market value 2034.
These are projections, not measured outcomes, and each firm defines its market boundaries somewhat differently.
Other Provinces
Ontario and Alberta are currently the only provinces operating competitive, multi-operator markets. Other provinces continue to operate primarily on government-operated lottery platforms without private-operator licensing.
The structure could also be influenced by a pending Supreme Court of Canada case in which four provincial lottery corporations, including Loto-Québec, are challenging an Ontario Court of Appeal ruling on the province’s proposed international liquidity model for online gaming.
Possible Threats
Market expansion also presents regulatory and consumer-protection challenges. Public pressure over advertising is another, particularly as operators become more visible around major sporting events. Canada’s role as a co-host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has added to this discussion. Officials in Ontario reviewed restrictions on gambling advertising ahead of the World Cup amid growing concerns about gambling-related harm.
A national poll conducted by Angus Reid Institute found that 69% of Canadian respondents expected problem gambling to increase as the industry grows, and 28% said they were concerned about someone they knew. Unregulated offshore activity is also a major factor.
Canada Built a Leading iGaming Market
Canada didn’t stumble into becoming a top global iGaming market. It was developed through a combination of regulatory reform, digital infrastructure, and sustained consumer participation. Alberta’s 2026 market launch represents important developments, and we’re yet to see if other provinces will follow.