Gambling in Canada: Statistics and Market Data 2026
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · By BestRealCasinos Editorial Team
1. Ontario Regulated Market — 2025 Calendar Year
iGaming Ontario (iGO) published its 2025 calendar-year results on 28 January 2026. The figures below exclude Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG), which falls outside iGO's reporting scope.
1.1 Full-year market metrics
| Metric | 2025 | YoY change |
|---|---|---|
| Total cash wagers (handle) | CAD $98.3 billion | +26% |
| Operator NAGGR (non-adjusted gross gaming revenue) | CAD $4.0 billion | +34% |
| Cumulative NAGGR since market launch (April 2022) | approx. CAD $10.2 billion | — |
| Online casino NAGGR (full year) | more than CAD $3.1 billion | — |
| Sports betting handle (full year) | more than CAD $12 billion | — |
| Active player accounts (year end) | 1,267,000 | +24.5% |
| Average revenue per active player account | CAD $334 | +27% |
| Licensed operators | 48 | — |
| Gaming sites operated | 82 | — |
| Ontario iGaming tax rate | 20% | — |
| Minimum legal gambling age (Ontario) | 19 | — |
1.2 December 2025 — monthly records
| Metric | December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Monthly handle (all products) | CAD $9.5 billion |
| Monthly revenue (NAGGR) | CAD $425.4 million |
| Online casino share of December handle | 87% |
| Online casino share of December revenue | 75% |
| Sports betting share of December handle | approx. 11% |
Source: iGaming Ontario, 2025 calendar-year results, published 28 January 2026. Figures exclude OLG.
2. Channelization
Channelization refers to the proportion of active gamblers who place their bets with a licensed, regulated operator rather than an unlicensed offshore site. Regulators track this figure because a higher channelization rate means more players are protected by mandatory responsible-gambling tools, dispute resolution rights, and fair-play standards. It also indicates that the regulated market is sufficiently competitive to attract players away from grey-market alternatives.
The figures below come from a joint player survey conducted by AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) and iGaming Ontario, with players surveyed in January–February 2025.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Ontario players reporting use of a regulated gambling site | 83.7% |
| iGaming Ontario channelization target for 2025–26 | 85% |
Source: Joint AGCO / iGaming Ontario player survey, players surveyed January–February 2025.
3. Ontario Fiscal Year 2024–25
The following figures are drawn from the iGaming Ontario Annual Report 2024–2025. The Ontario fiscal year runs April to March, so these figures overlap but do not match the calendar-year data in Section 1.
| Metric | FY 2024–25 | YoY change |
|---|---|---|
| Total wagers | CAD $82.7 billion | +32% |
| Total gaming revenue | CAD $2.9 billion | +31% |
| Casino share of wagers | 84% | — |
| Betting share of wagers | 14% | — |
| iGO net income | CAD $219 million | — |
| Dividend paid to Province of Ontario | CAD $181 million | — |
4. Alberta Opens 13 July 2026
Alberta becomes Canada's second province with an open, regulated online gambling market when the new framework goes live on 13 July 2026. The legislation — Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act — was introduced in March 2025 and passed in May 2025.
Under the two-body structure, AGLC (Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis) acts as the regulator, while the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) functions as the conduct-and-manage entity. Operators must complete a two-step process: registration with AGLC followed by a commercial agreement with AiGC.
4.1 Key milestones
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 2025 | Bill 48 (iGaming Alberta Act) introduced |
| May 2025 | Bill 48 passed by the Alberta Legislature |
| January 2026 | Operator registration opened |
| 7 July 2026 | 49 operators had completed registration and paid fees (AGLC, reported 8 July 2026) |
| 13 July 2026 | Alberta regulated iGaming market launches |
| Up to 13 October 2026 | Extended compliance deadline where a path to compliance is demonstrated |
4.2 Market facts
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Regulator | AGLC (Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis) |
| Conduct-and-manage entity | Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) |
| Operators registered (as of 7 July 2026) | 49 |
| Projected annual tax revenue | approx. CAD $100 million |
| Revenue allocation to First Nations | 2% |
| Pre-launch unregulated market share (estimate cited in legislation) | approx. 70% |
| Election betting | Not permitted (differs from Ontario) |
| Minimum legal gambling age | 18 |
4.3 Player protection at launch
- Integration with a centralized self-exclusion system is mandatory for all operators
- Financial and time-based limit tools available system-wide from day one
- Operators must provide players with activity statements on request
Sources: AGLC (aglc.ca); Government of Alberta (alberta.ca); Minister Dale Nally stakeholder letter; Alberta iGaming Corporation.
5. Responsible Gambling
Minimum gambling age by province: Ontario — 19 years old; Alberta — 18 years old.
If gambling is causing problems, free confidential help is available:
- ConnexOntario — free mental health, addictions, and problem gambling helpline for Ontario residents: 1-866-531-2600 (24/7).
- Alberta centralized self-exclusion (AGLC) — a single self-exclusion registration bars you from all licensed Alberta iGaming sites simultaneously.
- Responsible gambling — our information page with self-assessment tools and further support resources.
Gambling can be addictive. Only gamble with money you can afford to lose. 19+ in Ontario, 18+ in Alberta. T&Cs apply at each operator.