Canada's Gaming Market — How It's Structured
Canada does not have one national gambling market; it has thirteen provincial and territorial ones. Understanding that structure is the key to reading every figure on this site.
Two models, side by side
Ontario — the open market
Since April 4, 2022, Ontario licenses many private operators to compete under AGCO regulation, with iGO conducting and managing the market. Result: 49 operators, 84 sites, and C$82.7B wagered in FY2024–25.
Most provinces — the monopoly
Elsewhere, legal online gambling runs through a single government platform: BCLC's PlayNow in BC, Loto-Québec's EspaceJeux in Quebec, the ALC in Atlantic Canada, and — until 2026 — PlayAlberta in Alberta.
Alberta opens the second competitive market
On July 13, 2026, Alberta became the second province to open a competitive regulated online market, replacing PlayAlberta's monopoly. Overseen by the new Alberta iGaming Corporation with AGLC as regulator, 22 operator sites went live on day one. Alberta's move is the clearest sign that Ontario's model is becoming a template.
Source: Government of Alberta — iGaming strategy (2026).
The national picture
A current, single national gross-gaming-revenue total is not published by any one primary body. The most complete economic study — the Canadian Gaming Association's (2017) — put total gaming revenue at C$17.1B, supporting ~182,500 jobs and contributing C$18.9B to GDP. That study is several years old; we cite it as a scale reference, not a current-year figure.
Source: Canadian Gaming Association — Economic Impact Study (2017 study). Labelled by study year; treat as a dated scale reference, not current-year data.
Provincial revenue to government
In Ontario alone, OLG returned C$2.2B in net profit to the province in FY2024–25, including a record C$378M from its own digital channel. Every provincial corporation channels a comparable share of gaming proceeds to public revenue.
Source: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) (FY2024–25).
Data reviewed: 2026-07-29.