The term “iGaming” is one that is becoming more familiar to Canadians. For the last few years, online casino play and online sports betting have gained greater recognition in the province of Ontario after the launch of the province’s regulated iGaming market, overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario.
April 4th, 2022, marked the official day Ontarians were legally allowed to place online wagers and bets on regulated platforms and since that day, the activity has grown steadily, with around $334.8 million in revenue generated as of August 2025.
As the largest city in Ontario and in Canada, with a population of around 6.5 million people, Toronto contributes significantly to the province’s iGaming revenue. With the activity gaining greater recognition and popularity, more Torontonians are likely to join the more than one million active accounts on licensed online casinos and sportsbooks.
Toronto driving iGaming success
As expected with any big city, Toronto is driving online casino numbers in Ontario and by doing so, is also driving the city’s economy. As a bustling urban metropolis, Toronto has adapted to the digital lifestyle quicker than other areas of Canada and as a result, more Torontonians are finding their way onto the virtual casino floors on the entire range of digital devices.
It is estimated that a significant number of residents in Toronto have placed a bet in the past year on legal operators, including a combined online casino and sportsbook platform offering classic casino games such as blackjack, poker, slots, baccarat, and roulette, as well as a wide range of sports betting markets across diverse sports. This aligns well with Toronto’s reputation as a sports-minded city.
Overall, it is the gradual shift in attitude towards online gambling that has been responsible for the rise of the activity. While there are some who still oppose the idea of online gambling and the potential harm it brings, others have accepted that online casinos and online sports betting are now part of modern-day entertainment. Toronto is playing its role in demonstrating how a regulated market can provide safe and responsible access, setting an example that other parts of the country may look to in the future.
Toronto as a trend setter?
The shift in attitude is also spreading across the rest of Canada. Across the country, there are discussions still ongoing as to whether online gambling should be fully regulated. In many provinces, gambling is permitted in some form — for example, the lottery in B.C. — while others, such as Manitoba, offer state-regulated websites for online casino play and sports betting. And for other provinces such as Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec, the largest province in Canada, online gambling is completely outlawed.
However, other provinces are certainly looking enviously at the revenue numbers posted by Ontario each year since 2022 and as a main driver in the province, Toronto could act as a trend setter for other provincial governments to follow the example of Ontario. The iGaming scene is growing exponentially with the digital revolution and is gaining more users not only in Canada, but across the world. As one of the most recognized cities for tourism worldwide, the next question is whether Ontario’s regulated online gaming market will expand its reach to international audiences. Physically, Toronto welcomes over 26.5 million tourists annually. That number could be significantly greater if the virtual door to the online world is thrust open.
