Year-end 2024 Canada iGaming report
2024 was another fantastic year for Canada’s iGaming landscape, with continued growth and innovation contributing to a positive economic outlook for the industry. Since the opening of Ontario’s legal, regulated online casino market in April 2022, this expanding industry has gone from strength to strength, benefitting from a wide consumer base and ongoing high demand for online and mobile gaming options.
Whilst the iGaming industry here is still in its early stages, the signs on display throughout 2024 suggest that there are many successful years ahead for this rapidly expanding entertainment scene, which continues to earn international recognition for its solidly regulated iGaming model. Our year-end report identifies the standout moments that helped shape Canada’s iGaming story in 2024.
Continued industry-wide growth
Throughout 2024, every aspect of the iGaming world in Canada showed sustained growth and success. In June, Deloitte’s Year 2 report on the Economic Contributions of Ontario’s Regulated iGaming Market found that the province’s competitive and flourishing online gambling industry had sustained almost 15,000 jobs in its second year — an increase of over 2,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs since its first year of operation.
The report also found that the regulated iGaming market in Ontario contributed $2.7 billion to the province’s GDP in its second year. Compared to the $1.58 billion of revenue generated in its first year, this figure was a hugely positive indicator for the continued, industry-wide growth of the sector in 2024 and beyond.
iGaming Ontario’s Q3 report told a similar story, with numbers that confirmed the industry’s strength and staying power. The report (which covers market operations from 1 October to 31 December 2024) uncovered impressive results, including $22.7 billion for wagers.
During the third quarter of 2024, total gaming revenue increased by 25 percent over Q3 of the previous year, hitting $825.8 million. Online casino games such as slots and classic table games remained a favourite for Canadian players, accounting for $18.9 billion — 83 percent — of total wagers.
The figures speak for themselves and show the continued growth of this new and hugely popular entertainment industry. Also, with other provinces like Alberta aiming to follow in Ontario’s footsteps and open their own regulated online casino markets, the signs point towards continued growth for iGaming in Canada.
What surprised us in Canada gaming in 2024?
Despite expectations of steady growth, the speed at which players moved to regulated platforms was striking. Just two years ago, over 70 percent of online gambling in Ontario took place on unregulated sites. Fast forward to 2024, and that figure has flipped. Now, over 86 percent of players in Ontario are choosing legal, regulated operators. That’s not just a policy win — it’s a sign that the market responds when regulation works for both the player and the operator.
The key role of regulation
As Ontario continues to push the boundaries of possibility for iGaming on Canadian soil, this flourishing new online casino scene is being closely monitored and regulated by the AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario). The AGCO oversees licensing, compliance, and player protection standards across the province’s gaming sector and made several shifts in 2024, adjusting its regulatory approach to keep fairness and player protection front and centre.
On 28 February 2024, the AGCO introduced updated standards for advertising materials in the iGaming sector, including specific instructions prohibiting using any imagery or celebrity sponsorships that may appeal to minors. The change highlighted what smart regulation can do — keeping operators in check while putting player safety first.
The vital role of regulatory bodies like the AGCO was further highlighted in an April 2024 Ipsos study released to measure the impact of Ontario’s regulated iGaming market just two years after launch. The study found that 86.4 percent of players in the province were now playing on regulated sites — a major turnaround.
Thanks to the impact of careful regulation, players now enjoy access to some of the best online casino sites in Canada. Trusted platforms like Casino.ca offer higher standards of security, customer support, and player protection. With 50 registered operators offering over 80 regulated online gambling sites, Ontarian gamers can choose from a wide array of platforms while benefiting from a safer experience across the board.
Canadian Gaming Summit puts collaboration in focus
Alongside the positive signs of market growth and regulation, 2024 was also an excellent year for collaboration and partnerships across the Canadian iGaming scene. The annual Canadian Gaming Summit took place in June at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with over 3,000 delegates in attendance. It captured the pace, ambition, and smart thinking that continue to drive this market forward and was a chance to catch up on emerging tech, spot shifting player habits, and connect with others across the sector.
Canada is fast becoming a global force in iGaming, with industry leaders setting the pace in areas like responsible regulation, gaming technology, and payment solutions. Those leading the Canadian market are also building strong partnerships across industries. The increasing integration of innovative online payment providers, such as Interac, into online gambling platforms strengthens ties between the FinTech and iGaming sectors.
What’s different about Canada’s trajectory vs. other markets?
While other markets wrestle with patchy or confusing rules, Canada, and Ontario in particular, has taken a clear, joined-up approach. The market didn’t just open up; it was structured from the start. That’s made it attractive to operators and safer for players. While others wrestle with piecemeal reforms, Canada is quietly building one of the world’s most effective regulated iGaming models.
With 2025 well underway, the vital achievements and developments of the last year will enable Canada’s iGaming market to grow even further. This hugely successful — and relatively new — industry appears to be going from strength to strength, and with the increasing likelihood of new emerging markets, Canada could soon be a global leader on the online casino scene.
The combination of careful regulation and solid business partnerships should allow a safe and regulated iGaming industry to thrive here well into the future. From economic contributions and job creation to rising player trust and technological advancement, the signs all point to a sector on the rise.
Looking back, 2024 was an exceptional year for iGaming fans in Canada — but 2025 might just be the one to watch.
