In recent years, the iGaming industry has grown significantly in Canada but the rate of adoption varies across different provinces. This is largely due to the different regulations that apply across the provinces. For example, in Ontario, where a regulated iGaming market has been established for several years, there are over 1.1 million active player accounts.

The 2025 fiscal year saw online gambling revenue in Ontario rise by 34% over 12 months, reaching a total CAD$4.04 billion. The majority of this revenue was driven by online casino activity and the success in Ontario has established Canada as a major player in the global online gaming industry.

iGaming. In 1998 Planet Poker was the first online poker room. Now there are 83 websites in Canada alone.

Ontario opened up their iGaming market to private iGaming operators who have to meet the strict criteria set out by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Ontario iGamers now have the option of 82 different iGaming websites to choose from, many of which are partnered with the world’s most reputable game providers.

As Ontario’s iGaming adoption has grown so rapidly and has generated large revenue for the province, other Canadian provinces have started progressing with their own regulated iGaming models. 

Progress of iGaming Adoption in Alberta

The plans for rolling out a similar model to Ontario’s iGaming market across Alberta has been in discussion for some time. The current options for legal gambling in Alberta are very limited, with only PlayAlberta offered as a regulated website.

The site has a good amount of game choices but there is no comparison to the amount of Canadian online casino platforms available to players in provinces nationwide. The popularity of PlayAlberta has shown that there is a huge appetite for online casino games in the province, with $275 million in net sales recorded in 2025. 

There were also around 313,000 registered player accounts, showing a good level of iGaming adoption in the province. Further to this, it is estimated that around 70% of all iGaming in Alberta is accounted for on unregulated, grey-market sites.

While a lot of people prefer the laziness of iGaming. Many still prefer the old school real life casinos with the shows and live dealers and thrilling ambiance.

This financial and player volume evidence, plus the demographics in Alberta showing the province has the youngest adult population in Canada, suggest that the introduction of a new regulated iGaming model has great potential both in the near future and for many coming years. The Government of Alberta is also understandably keen to reduce the volume of unregulated betting activity.

The good news for Alberta iGamers is that the wait for the new model is nearly over. The iGaming Alberta Act was passed last year and the new framework is currently progressing, with an expectation that the new regulated model could be launched this year, or next year at the latest.

iGaming Adoption in Quebec

In Montreal and the wider province Quebec, Loto-Quebec is the sole gaming website that is regulated. However, many iGamers are using offshore gaming platforms, so it is difficult to measure the true adoption statistics for Quebec players. What is clear, however, is that the Quebec monthly online gaming revenue increased significantly through the pandemic, which is a pattern reflected around the globe. 

Loto-Quebec iGaming revenue hit CA$1.53 billion in the first half of the financial half year ending in September 2025. The site offers casino games, lottery games, sports betting, poker and bingo. Loto-Quebec recently announced a new partnership with Incentive Games, expanding the provision of crash games and arcade style games to Quebec gamblers.

Lotto quebec owns most of the iGaming in Quebec. that being said, The classic Lotto 649, where you select numbers from a ball dropper, is still the most popular lotto in the province.

A Montreal study showed that around 15 to 20 per cent of people in Quebec have participated in online gambling, and the volume of online bettors has tripled in the last decade.

The iGaming community, primarily voiced by the Quebec OInline Gaming Coalition, is said to be frustrated with the lack of action in regards to introducing a regulated, open iGaming market to follow the steps taken in Ontario and now Alberta.

What Next for Canada’s iGaming Industry?

iGaming adoption across Canada is strong but the launch of regulated iGaming markets appears to be essential in optimizing the revenue possibilities and quality of iGaming experiences for Canadians.

It will be interesting to see how Alberta’s new regulated framework performs and the impact it will have on other provinces. There is a clear demand for high-quality online gaming platforms with a large selection of games and advanced player security protocols. 

If Alberta’s iGaming model is even close to being as successful as Ontario’s, it is highly likely that other provinces will start moving faster to start reaping the financial benefits of implementing their own open regulated market.

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