Ontario online gambling sector sets new record in October
Ontario’s regulated online gambling market surpassed CAD$9.2 billion in wagers in October, marking its strongest month since launching nearly four years ago.
The total, revealed in the latest report from the online gambling regulator iGaming Ontario, is an 8% rise on September’s high of CA$8.5 billion (US$6.0 billion)1 CAD = 0.7082 USD
2025-11-25Powered by CMG CurrenShift and a 24% increase on October 2024.
The surge appears to have been driven by a growing user base, with active player accounts climbing to almost 1.3 million in the month, up 9% on September and 36% year-on-year.
Operators also posted their highest ever non-adjusted gross gaming revenue, which hit CA$367.7 million (US$260 million)1 CAD = 0.7082 USD
2025-11-25Powered by CMG CurrenShift, beating the previous record of CA$338 million (US$239 million)1 CAD = 0.7082 USD
2025-11-25Powered by CMG CurrenShift set in May.
Online casino activity continued to dominate the market, accounting for 85% of total wagers, and casino revenue was up 43% on last year to CA$303.8 million (US$215 million)1 CAD = 0.7082 USD
2025-11-25Powered by CMG CurrenShift.
Additionally, betting accounted for 13% of the wager market share, generating CA$1.2 billion (US$850 million)1 CAD = 0.7082 USD
2025-11-25Powered by CMG CurrenShift. However, peer-to-peer poker declined 9% month-over-month, with CA$131 million (US$93 million)1 CAD = 0.7082 USD
2025-11-25Powered by CMG CurrenShift in wagers.
The report also showed that Ontario had 50 licensed commercial operators and 88 gambling sites in operation during the month of October.
Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal for Ontario ruled that residents can now play peer-to-peer games with people outside of Canada on igaming sites, meaning they could enter global pools for online poker and daily fantasy sports.
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The Backstory
How Ontario’s igaming surge reached a new peak
Ontario’s online gambling market has been on a sustained climb since early 2024, setting higher highs across wagers, revenue and active accounts. The latest record for October caps a run that began with a strong start to the year and was reinforced by steady operator expansion, product breadth and maturing player behavior across casino and sportsbooks. The market’s trajectory has been well telegraphed in recent regulator updates and monthly snapshots, which together show how Ontario built a foundation for a breakout fall.
Ontario’s second-best revenue month on record arrived in April, signaling renewed momentum after the winter peak. The managing organization reported C$313.3 million in non-adjusted gross gaming revenue that month, with casino games driving nearly four in five dollars. That update noted 49 operators and 83 regulated sites, underscoring the competitive landscape that has helped broaden choice and increase engagement. It also flagged developments beyond Ontario’s borders that could reshape the national map, as Alberta advanced enabling legislation for its own market. Read more in Ontario igaming sector enjoys second best revenue month.
By summer, Ontario’s handle accelerated. In August, the province hit C$8.1 billion in total cash wagers, up eight percent month over month and more than a third higher than a year earlier. Casino continued to dominate with C$7.2 billion in wagers, while betting and poker posted steadier growth. The same month saw a notable brand entry as DraftKings rolled out the Golden Nugget Online Gaming brand after receiving a license, adding to the roster and signaling that Ontario remains a priority launchpad for North American operators. Details are in Ontario reports record CA$8.1 billion wagers in August.
The third-year reset: scale, breadth and staying power
Ontario’s third full year of regulated igaming put the market’s durability into focus. From April 2024 to March 2025, wagers reached C$82.7 billion, up 31 percent from the prior year, while gross gaming revenue climbed 32 percent to C$3.2 billion. Casino gaming carried the largest share of revenue at C$2.4 billion, sports betting rose to C$724 million and online poker held steady at C$66 million. The regulator credited a deep operator bench and a wide catalog of games for sustaining growth, with 49 operators offering 84 sites as of the reporting period. That breadth helps explain how monthly peaks became more frequent as the year progressed. See iGaming Ontario announces CA$3.2 billion revenue in third year.
Policy shifts also shaped the operating backdrop. Ontario’s governance model evolved in October with the termination of a prior agreement between iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario under Bill 216, clarifying roles after the market’s launch more than two years earlier. The change coincided with a swell in activity across the quarter, with record spending reported and more sites active within the province. The details appear in Ontario players break online gambling spending record in third quarter.
Competitive pressure is building, too. Alberta lawmakers passed Bill 48 to create an open market framework that could mirror Ontario’s model once it receives Royal Assent. While Ontario retains first-mover advantages and scale, a rival jurisdiction would test operator allocation of marketing dollars and promotional intensity in 2025. That prospect was flagged in Ontario igaming sector enjoys second best revenue month.
Quarterly records set the table for the fall
The third quarter of 2024 established runway for Ontario’s fall surge. Players spent C$22.7 billion on igaming in the period, up 32 percent year over year and 22 percent over the prior quarter. Casino dominated with C$18.9 billion, up 38 percent, while sports betting rose 10 percent to C$3.4 billion. Poker softened slightly. Revenue tracked the mix, with casino up 37 percent as sportsbooks dipped three percent and poker fell six percent. Those figures pointed to a market increasingly anchored by casino while betting provided seasonal spikes tied to sports calendars. The full breakdown is in Ontario players break online gambling spending record in third quarter.
August then served as a momentum check that held through early autumn. The C$8.1 billion in wagers that month marked only the second time since May that Ontario crossed the C$8 billion line, and it did so while active accounts grew to more than one million. Average revenue per account edged lower, suggesting a larger player base making slightly smaller per-account contributions, a trend consistent with a market that is deepening reach rather than relying on high-intensity users. See Ontario reports record CA$8.1 billion wagers in August.
By October, the pieces were in place for a record handle and all-time high revenue as player accounts rose again and casino continued to command the mix. Poker remained a smaller share as shared liquidity rules evolved and operators weighed product investment. Betting’s share reflected the sports calendar cadence heading into midseason NFL and early NBA action in November.
Operator moves and market mechanics
Operator strategy helped power the climb. The launch of Golden Nugget Online Gaming in August expanded brand choice and likely contributed to casino-led growth as newcomers pushed content portfolios and onboarding offers to build share. A larger operator field historically correlates with higher site counts, more content distribution deals and greater promotional intensity, which together help lift handle and engagement. The April snapshot linked those dynamics to Ontario’s revenue strength, as noted in Ontario igaming sector enjoys second best revenue month.
Product mix also mattered. Casino’s rising share mirrors global patterns where slots and table games provide steady revenue independent of sports seasonality. Sportsbooks benefited from marquee events, but casino delivered the base. That pattern showed up in quarterly and monthly Ontario data and is echoed in other markets. For example, New Hampshire’s sports betting program set a revenue record in November tied to NFL and NBA schedules and high-profile events, underscoring how sports timing can swing monthly results. Context is in New Hampshire sets new sports betting revenue record in November.
Regulatory clarity continues to influence product availability and liquidity. Ontario’s evolving governance and court decisions have been incrementally widening permissible activity, particularly in peer-to-peer formats. While poker remains a smaller slice of revenue, expanded pools and compliance certainty could stabilize that segment over time.
What’s at stake as growth compounds
Ontario’s record October is more than a headline peak. The province has established volume and revenue baselines that support a self-reinforcing cycle: a broader player base attracts more operators, which expands content and competitive pricing, which draws more casual users into casino and betting. The third-year totals confirm Ontario’s scale among North American regulated markets, while quarterly records show the trend is accelerating rather than plateauing. See the year-in-review context in iGaming Ontario announces CA$3.2 billion revenue in third year.
Risks are clear. A potential Alberta market could intensify competition for marketing budgets and talent. Responsible gaming measures will remain in focus as active accounts grow. Operators will watch poker liquidity impacts and the balance between casino stability and sports-driven spikes. For now, the data points to a market with headroom as new brands enter, sports calendars hit their winter stride and casinos retain the anchor role across Ontario’s regulated igaming economy.
