Two years into Ontario’s open, regulated igaming market, the majority of Ontarians playing online are doing so on regulated sites conducted and managed by iGaming Ontario, according to a new IPSOS study released today by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and co-commissioned by iGaming Ontario.
"As this made-in-Ontario igaming market celebrates its second anniversary, we're very pleased to share that 86 per cent of players are now participating on regulated sites," said Attorney General Doug Downey. "This is another pivotal milestone in our ongoing work to provide players and businesses with a strong, competitive and safer online gaming environment that meets consumer expectations. We look forward to iGaming Ontario's continued success as a global innovator, as a job creator that sustained more than 12,000 jobs in its first year of operation, and as a leader in the online gaming space."
Vixio, a leading global regulatory intelligence company, reported in November that last year the Ontario igaming market had jumped to 6th spot* in the world by gross gaming revenue, ahead of markets like Michigan and New York. At the same time, Vixio recognized iGaming Ontario as their 2023 Regulatory Initiative of the Year, a welcome honour that was also a testament to the operators that have chosen to launch in Ontario and the players that have chosen the regulated market.
“When talking about Ontario’s igaming market, the numbers tell us a lot,” says Heidi Reinhart, iGaming Ontario Board Chair, “but what I’m most proud of are the countless ways that our government partners, operators, responsible gambling experts, players and employees have worked together to help us create a world-class market that is Ontario-made for Ontarians.”
Betting, Poker, Casino: The Parts that Make the Whole
One of the defining features of Ontario’s open igaming market is the broad game catalogue that operators can offer, giving them the opportunity to build a product line-up to match their customers’ range of interests in sports betting, casino games and poker. iGaming Ontario is pleased to share some insights about each segment, below.
“With 24 months behind us, we are starting to see a clearer picture of the Ontario player landscape in all three segments, betting, casino and poker,” says iGaming Ontario Executive Director Martha Otton. “I am looking forward to what comes next as we work with our operators to invest in Ontario and better understand Ontario players’ interests.”
Betting
Ontario’s overall online sports betting market ranks in the top 5* in total wagers in North America, and if you consider that 27 iGaming Ontario operators offered sportsbooks this year, it’s easy to see why.
With basketball the most popular again this year, the top 10 do not tell the whole story. There are more than 60 other sports markets in Ontario today, from curling to sumo wrestling.
Top 10 Sports by Wagers in FY 2023-2024
Peer-to-Peer Poker
At more than $1.5 billion in total wagering this year, peer-to-peer poker may be the smallest of iGaming Ontario operators’ three major igaming segments but the five operators offering online peer-to-peer poker in the province have combined to make Ontario the largest ring-fenced online poker market by gaming revenue in North America, which is testament to the strong interest Ontarians have in the game.
Casino
The casino category, which includes slots, live and computer-based table games and peer-to-peer bingo, continues to be the largest segment by wagers of iGaming Ontario operators at about 82% in the market’s second year. With 47 operators offering games in the casino category this year, this segment also has the broadest range of game choices, with more than 5,000 certified games.
Looking closer, the biggest table game this year was blackjack, with more than one quarter of the total table game wagers (combining live and computer-based versions of each game).
Top 5 Table Games (Live and Computer-based) by Wagers in FY 2023-2024
The numbers in this report are unaudited and subject to adjustment. Due to rounding, numbers presented in this report may not add up precisely to the totals provided. They include all eligible games offered by Operators pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. As such, they do not include OLG’s igaming offering, or pari-mutuel wagering on horseracing.
Additional Resources
- AGCO: Over 86% of Ontario’s online gamblers play on regulated sites: Survey
- iGaming Ontario quarterly market performance reports (Note: Look for our next report in mid-April)
- VIXIO: Online Gambling Market: New Markets Disrupt Global Online Rankings (November 15, 2023)
Media contact: @email
*For jurisdictional comparison purposes, overall Ontario igaming market figures include estimates of OLG igaming activity in the calculations.