According to a recent report, as of March 2025, there are 1.1 million active iGamer accounts in Ontario. This will be the reason why Ontario iGaming revenue hit $3.20 billion between 2024 and 2025, highlighting the rapid growth of the province’s online gaming sector. But what makes the province such an iGaming success, and can Ontario’s model be replicated across other Canadian provinces?
How Ontario Became Canada’s Fastest-Growing iGaming Market
To start with, online gaming in Ontario took a huge leap forward when iGO – iGaming Ontario – was formed in July 2021 as a subsidiary of the AGCO. The regulated, commercial iGaming market officially opened in April 2022, making Ontario the first Canadian province to establish an open market where private operators could legally offer online casino and sports betting – prior to this, of course, most online gambling in Ontario either occurred via provincially-run platforms or through unregulated channels.
But just because it was fully legalised and regulated, it doesn’t necessarily mean it was destined to catch on. Yes, an open, competitive market structure has helped, but one of the main factors behind the fast growth is the emphasis on both safety and quality.
When it comes to safety, many of the best casinos operate under strict licensing requirements and responsible gaming measures, ensuring that players can gamble without having to worry about fraud or unfair practices. Transaction security, data protection, and clear dispute resolution channels have also worked to reinforce player trust, which is crucial for attracting both new and experienced iGamers alike.
When it comes to quality, it’s both about the variety of games and the promotions that attract players towards them. Bonuses are important for engagement, of course, and loyalty rewards, specifically, are needed to keep players invested – Casino.org rate the best ones available in Canada, with most offering welcome packages, free spins, and loyalty perks alike.
Bonuses are an important element of the user experience, but beyond this, it’s all about the overall player experience. What is navigation like? How fast-loading are the games? How good is the customer support? These are the key elements that Ontario iGaming platforms have sought to optimise, ensuring that they combine each element effectively and create a gaming environment where players feel valued and confident enough to engage.
What the 1.1 Million Active Player Milestone Tells Us About Demand
It’s clear that this has happened, because 1.1 million active players don’t suggest that only casual or occasional players are participating. On the contrary, it tells us there is demand, with a substantial portion of the population actively engaging in online gaming and seeking regulated, high-quality platforms.
In the same report, for instance, it was noted that, out of those 1.1 million players, the average revenue per account was $278. This is a key indicator of market health, showing not only that people are participating but also that they are actively spending and engaging with the platform, and this shouldn’t be a surprise. Canada has long been a gaming hotspot, with new gaming tech and mobile connectivity driving more people into the digital space. But the online casino industry has certainly tapped into this, capturing the audience and ensuring high-quality experiences keep them returning.
It also highlights the potential for sustainable growth: with millions of engaged users generating significant per-account revenue, operators have a clear incentive to continue improving their offerings, expanding game selections, and innovating with new promotions and bonuses.
For the province, this translates into a robust and growing tax base, demonstrating how a well-regulated, competitive iGaming environment benefits both players and the public sector alike.
Which Policies and Regulations Have Fuelled Ontario’s iGaming Boom?
Going back to the policies and regulations for a second, it’s important to note that these do have a significant impact. As we mentioned before, it’s not a given that a province acquires these regulations and has a strong iGaming market as a result, but without them, there’s really no foundation to start with. So what are the policies and regulations that have been particularly beneficial?
- Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming
In 2020, the AGCO was tasked with creating the regulatory framework for a competitive internet gaming market in Ontario. As a result, it developed the ‘Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming’, which set out eligibility, auditing, operator registration, and compliance requirements for all platforms to follow.
- iGaming Ontario Act
The creation of iGO as a subsidiary of AGCO was also important. AGCO remained the regulator, while iGO managed operator contracts and the commercial side, leading to clear separation between regulatory oversight and commercial operations, which increased transparency and operator confidence.
- Updated Registrar’s Standards
Something else that has fuelled the boom is the updated Registrar’s Standards in February 2024, which added tighter rules on advertising and marketing. This ensured that casinos were responsible and never misleading, meaning players were far more confident and comfortable engaging with them.
Can Ontario’s Model Be Replicated Across Other Canadian Provinces?
With all of this in mind, the final question is: Can Ontario’s model be replicated? In our opinion, yes, it can, but there needs to be more work done first. Although iGaming is now fully regulated in this province, other provinces still face challenges that have slowed the development of robust regulatory frameworks, such as the ones seen in Ontario.
Not only this, but many have smaller populations, meaning less existing demand. But that doesn’t mean they can’t replicate the model in their own way. Ontario has provided a proven blueprint, and successful replication would require careful adaptation to local demographics and infrastructure, but so long as there’s a call for it, there’s no reason this can’t happen sometime in the future.