Online Casinos Boost Canada's Digital Entertainment Landscape

Ontario's regulated online casino market got bigger again in fiscal 2024 to 2025. iGaming Ontario reported that total wagers reached $82.7 billion and gaming revenue closed at $2.9 billion. At the same time, revenue rose by more than 30% year-on-year.

Ontario online casinos remained the most visible data point nationally because of their routine market disclosures. Regular updates provide measurable insights into wagering volumes, revenue shifts, and account participation, offering a clearer performance baseline than in provinces with less granular reporting.

Elsewhere, regulatory structures vary, but financial outcomes remained significant. In Ontario alone, more than 2.6 million player accounts were active during fiscal 2024 to 2025, with 50 licensed operators live by year's end.

Generally speaking, gaming stayed inside the regulated lane. This means that wagers are largely processed through approved platforms with audit rules and a formal complaints process, not through offshore pages that fall outside provincial oversight.

Ontario's ad rules changed the texture of competition, too. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario did not allow public ads that push inducements, bonuses, or credits. 

Operators could still promote online casino bonuses, but only in limited channels: their own websites or direct messaging after a player opted in. Now, operators focus more on the product: payouts, uptime, game range, and support that actually answers inquiries.

Beyond Ontario's open-market system, provinces operating government-run models also recorded sizable returns. British Columbia Lottery Corporation reported $1.4 billion in net income for the province in fiscal 2024 to 2025.

Loto-Quebec reported close to $3 billion in total revenue and consolidated net income above $1.5 billion over the same period.

BetRivers positions for Alberta launch

As regulated activity expands across Canada, operators have begun preparing for additional provincial rollouts. Earlier this month, BetRivers, run by Rush Street Interactive (RSI), opened an Alberta pre-registration page ahead of the province's anticipated regulated iGaming launch. It gave prospective users a way to sign up early and access promotional offers tied to the Alberta sports betting and Alberta online casino markets' opening.

The Alberta push coincided with BetRivers' sponsorship of CBC/Radio-Canada's coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The deal marked the third Olympic collaboration between BetRivers and CBC, Canada's exclusive Olympic broadcaster. 

BetRivers was named the only sports betting and online gaming partner.

"Canada continues to be a priority growth market for BetRivers, and Alberta represents an exciting next step," said Richard Schwartz, CEO at Rush Street Interactive. "With an office and large employee base in Toronto and a growing presence across the country, we've been building and investing in Canada for years. We've seen strong momentum in Ontario since launching in 2022, and through our continued partnership with CBC and our Olympic activations, we're showing that we're all-in on Canada for the long term."