Inside Ontario’s regulated online gambling market: What changed since 2022

Disclaimer: This article is intended for international audiences.

A regulated market can grow fast, but the real test comes after launch. Ontario now has far more players inside the legal system, and the money involved has climbed sharply. Behind the headline figures sits a harder question: can the province keep control without losing public trust as expansion continues?

Ontario opened its regulated online gambling market in April 2022, allowing private operators to serve players under provincial oversight. Four years later, the market is much larger, casino play brings in most of the revenue and 91.1% of surveyed players now use regulated sites. The numbers tell a clear story: Ontario built a legal market quickly, then spent the following years tightening the rules around its growing industry.

Ontario Opened the Market on April 4, 2022

The competitive market began on April 4, 2022, when private operators registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario could start taking bets under agreements with iGaming Ontario. The province wanted a system that gave players more choice, stronger safeguards and a legal alternative to offshore operators.

Ontario launched with 12 operators, then expanded to more than 40 by the end of its first year. That opening year produced C$35.6 billion in wagers and C$1.4 billion in gaming revenue. You can see the scale of the change: the province moved from a limited state-run model to a crowded commercial market within months.

The launch also changed what operators had to do before accepting customers. Registration, operating agreements and provincial standards became part of the process, giving Ontario a clearer line of responsibility when complaints arose or rules were broken. That framework gave the new market room to grow without leaving oversight behind.

Major Sports Kept Betting Interest in Motion

Sports remained the most visible part of the new market, helped by a calendar packed with basketball and major international events. In Ontario’s first year, basketball accounted for 28% of sports wagers, soccer took 15% and football drew 14%.

That interest follows the size of the audience. Wimbledon attracted a record 550,151 spectators in 2026, beating the previous year by 1,381 after a rain-free fortnight. Big events pull attention from around the world, and regulated sportsbooks are built around that attention, especially when several competitions overlap.

Casino Play Became the Market’s Commercial Centre

Sports betting drew much of the attention at launch, but casino products became the main source of money. In 2024–25, casino wagers reached C$69.6 billion and casino revenue reached C$2.4 billion. That was about 84% of all wagers and roughly three quarters of market revenue.

A market that large gives players plenty to consider before depositing. Payment methods and payout times can differ widely, while bonus terms often decide whether an offer is worth taking. Casino.org puts those details around each online casino, with Canadian operator information covering banking options, withdrawal speed and current game libraries. That context helps you understand the product before signing up, rather than relying on a bonus headline alone.

The same applies to safety checks and mobile access. A strong comparison should tell you whether an operator supports Interac, what withdrawal limits apply and which game providers supply the lobby. Those details turn a broad market into something you can assess properly before choosing where to play.

Regulated Play Rose to 91.1%

The biggest change since 2022 may be where people choose to play. Before the market opened, Ontario estimated that about 70% of online gambling took place on unregulated sites. By 2026, 91.1% of surveyed online gamblers said they used regulated operators.

Exclusive use of unregulated sites fell from 16.3% in 2025 to 8.9% in 2026. Some players still used both parts of the market, but the direction is clear. Ontario moved most activity into its legal system within four years.

Sports Integrity Became Part of the Market’s Test

A mature betting market has to do more than process wagers. It also has to spot suspicious activity around major competitions. Ontario saw that clearly in the Jontay Porter case, after unusual NBA prop bets raised questions about whether operators had reported concerns quickly enough.

The sporting calendar keeps creating fresh tests. Jürgen Klopp’s appointment as Germany coach runs through the 2030 World Cup, with Euro 2028 and Nations League fixtures already part of the build-up. Long tournament cycles create thousands of betting markets, so operators need strong monitoring throughout each season. The Porter case showed what can happen when that system is questioned.

Ontario’s Market Now Looks Very Different

Ontario entered 2022 with a new model and no proof that players would move into it. By 2024–25, annual wagers had reached C$82.7 billion, up from C$35.6 billion in the first year, while gross gaming revenue climbed from C$1.4 billion to C$3.2 billion.

Casino play became the commercial centre, regulated participation reached 91.1% and sports integrity became a serious operating concern. Four years on, Ontario is dealing with the consequences of a market that grew far faster than its starting figures suggested.

ADVT.

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