There are big changes afoot in Canada's iGaming sector, with the future opening up of the Alberta marketplace to private betting operators top of the agenda. Meanwhile, Loto-Québec reports stable financial results, the AGCO issues new advice for player safety, and Ontario's iGaming revenue rises. But there may be some trouble ahead with the prospect of federal limits on gambling advertisements. For all the details on those stories and more, read on to enjoy our news roundup for June.
Canadian iGaming News: Federal Advertising Legislation, and Monopolies to go the Way of the Dodo?
There are two main news stories that cover all of Canada for June 2025. One tackles sports betting advertisement and changes that could be afoot while the other looks at the end of a monopoly market thanks to the vast number of online casinos for Canada and the open market in Ontario.
Politicians Seek to Curtail Sports Betting Ads
Marty Deacon (Ontario Senator) is continuing her bid to more heavily restrict sports betting advertising in Canada, arguing it's too widely disseminated and seen by too many Canadians (including the vulnerable). Legislation introduced by Senator Deacon describes the widespread nature of sporting betting ads in the country as 'pervasive'.
The Senator introduced Bill S-211, (National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising Act), which intends to establish a national framework to regulate sports betting advertisements nationwide. Measures sought include the limitation or prohibition on the use of celebrities such as professional athletes to promote betting, and restricting the number of ads that can be placed.
Betting regulation within Canada is often provincial in nature but Senator Deacon's approach would see a more standardized stance taken across the country. The opening up of Canada to single event sports betting and the creation of Ontario's online gambling market in 2021 led, according to Senator Deacon, to a 'flood' and 'barrage' of advertising. The Senate has already heard from interested parties such as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and the Canadian Gaming Association, alongside written submission from major sports leagues (who oppose the federal approach). The new version of the bill is awaiting its second reading, and fierce debate regarding not just potential restrictions on advertising but whether federal legislation is the best way forward is sure to continue. For now you can enjoy all the best sports betting sites in Canada before any changes take place.
Grey Market Flourishes as Official Monopolies Flounder
President and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association Paul Burns has asserted the unregulated iGaming 'grey market' has prevented officially sanctioned provincial monopolies from succeeding in the country. Burns takes the view that Canada was well-suited for grey market operators thanks to the widespread nature of both high speed access to the internet and popularity of online payment systems. In recent years, only Ontario and Alberta have legislated to open up provincial betting markets, with Alberta's due to come into effect in the near future. Elsewhere, provinces retain their older approach of a monopoly.
Ontario pioneered the first domestic commercial casino marketplace in Canada in 2022, and in April the regulator's own estimate of channelisation stood at 84%. That said, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario also found just over a fifth of players using officially regulated sites also dabbled in unregulated sites so a private marketplace is not a silver bullet for the grey market. Burns' view is that this shift will continue going forward and encourages other provinces to open up on a basis that works for them.
Alberta is set to be the first province to follow in Ontario's footsteps, and the grey market picture is exactly the opposite to Ontario's today (with just 20% of players using the provincial site PlayAlberta). How these figures change during the forthcoming liberalisation of the market in Alberta may determine how other parts of Canada end up regulating their own betting markets, or if they open them up at all.
Ontario News: Revenues Rise and AGCO Issues New Advice
Ontario tends to feature quite a bit in news stories since the opening of the regulated market in 2022 and we have four big stories to report on in June 2025. These include a look at revenues for the province, the AGCO stepping up with more advice on responsible gambling, and some new game news.
Ontario Sees April iGaming Revenue Rise by a Quarter
Figures released by iGaming Ontario have revealed that in April 2025 gross iGaming revenue increased by 25.3% year-on-year to $313.2 million. This compares to the $250 million recorded in April 2024. It is also favourable on a monthly basis, rising month-on-month from March 2025's $296 million.
While revenue grew on both a monthly and year-on-year basis, there was divergence when it came to the total sum wagered. Month-on-month this fell from $8bn in March 2025 to $7.8bn in April 2025. However, from April 2024 to April 2025 there was a rise of 26.4%.
There was a stark contrast between the casino and sports/poker betting elements of the revenue, however. Casino gaming remains the lion's share (78%) at $242.8m, and is also growing fast, with a rise (compared to the same time last year) of 35.6%. Sports was flat and poker rose moderately by 3.5%. Sports revenue was $64.5m, while poker's was $5.9m.
On a similar note, wagers rose most in the online casino segment (up 29.4%) with sports wagering up just 14.1%.
AGCO Issues New Advice to Help Players at Risk
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), the regulator for online gambling within the province, has released two new sets of advice regarding the identification and support of players in need of help. Standard 2.10 covers identification of players who may be at risk, while Standard 2.11 is concerned with how operators can help those players.
Standard 2.10 includes the AGCO's expectation that operators employ both manual and automated means of monitoring player behaviour so that support can be deployed in a timely manner. Numerous sources should be used when profiling risk, among which should be behavioural aspects (such as chasing losses or betting erratically), spending/time, and use of keywords associated with vulnerability. Furthermore, risk monitoring systems should themselves be regularly assessed.
Standard 2.11 focuses on providing assistance to players at risk of harm. Operators are expected to intervene immediately, and to do so on the basis of the severity of the situation. On that note, intervention should not solely be for players deemed at the highest possible risk. Lower level interventions may include more information gathering, such as taking a self-assessment survey, with account suspension/closure at the most extreme end of measures. Impact assessment of interventions and monitoring new players in a proactive manner are also expected by the AGCO.
Caesars Palace Wheel of Wins Hybrid Dealer Expands into Ontario
Ontario and Michigan have recently seen the arrival of Inspired Entertainment Inc.'s Caesars Palace Wheel of Wins Hybrid Dealer game. The game seeks to blend together the convenience of online betting with the feel of a Las Vegas experience. It was created for Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino and combines elements of a live casino with CGI.
According to Inspired Entertainment's President and Chief Executive Officer Brooks Pierce the expansion to Ontario and Michigan is a demonstration of the game's success. The game itself features a quartet of bonus games and hybrid dealer mechanics.
Pragmatic Play to Provide BET99 with 6 Branded Live Tables
Major software developer Pragmatic Play has reached an agreement with BET99 in Ontario to expand its customised live casino content. New live titles for the casino include Roulette, Auto Mega Roulette, and Speed Roulette, plus Speed Baccarat and Blackjack X.
BET99 is also set to take advantage of Pragmatic Play's Smart Studio technology, which means multiple brands can appear on the same tables at the same time. This confers greater stylistic flexibility with far less time/cost required than a fully dedicated studio. BET99's CEO Jared Beber expressed excitement about the deal, adding that Pragmatic Play's live casino was a favourite with the casino's players, and describing Smart Studio as a brilliant way to tailor the experience for players. He added that this Ontario online casino now offers half a dozen BET99 branded live tables.
This new partnership comes after we saw Eyecon games being released in Ontario last month thanks to a SkillonNet and Playtech partnership.
Quebec News - Loto-Québec Reports Stable Financial Results
Loto-Québec's figures for the 2024-25 fiscal year have been released, and are filled with good news for the organisation. Total revenues were $2.993bn, while net income hit $1.518bn. During the course of the 12 month period 131 winners received prizes of at least $1m, with total prizes coming to $1.782bn.
The revenue is highly similar to that of the preceding year, when Loto-Québec reported figures of $2.932bn. Likewise, a highly stable picture (with a modest rise) was seen with the net income, which was $1.511bn in the preceding year ($7m lower than the most recent figure). In a statement, President and CEO Jean-François Bergeron expressed pride at the results, adding: 'especially since we achieved them in a global economic climate marked by uncertainty.' Bergeron went on to speak about Loto-Québec's diversification, including over 2,000 online games.
However, the news brought a call from the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition for greater competition through the creation of a new regulatory framework similar to that in Ontario. Coalition Spokesperson Ariane Gauthier said that returns to the government from Loto-Québec were falling when adjusted for inflation, and that it was time to ask if Loto-Québec's monopoly still made sense. The Quebec Online Gaming Coalition's members are firms in the casino industry, such as software developer Games Global, DraftKings, and betting brand Betway.
Alberta News - Alberta to Become 2nd Canadian Province with Commercial Online Gambling Market
Alberta is set to become the second Canadian province offering players a commercial online betting market (following in the footsteps of Ontario a few years ago). May 2025 saw the iGaming Alberta Act receive Royal Assent, but months are expected to pass before the market actually starts functioning. This time will be used to consult with interested parties, draft regulations, and design how the market will operate.
If the Ontario experience is anything to go by, this will entail a rush of new operators when Alberta launches its market, followed by slower but continual growth thereafter. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said at the end of April that 'Alberta should play to BetMGM's strength given its operations in Ontario'. The fact BetMGM has Wayne Gretzky and Connor McDavid as brand ambassadors will certainly do it no harm when it comes to sports betting. (That said, if the restriction/prohibition on celebrities/athletes promoting betting mentioned in our earlier story comes into force across Canada this may alter the picture).
Also likely to be fast out of the starting blocks is Super Group, whose online presence in Ontario includes Jackpot City and Spin casinos. Chief Executive Officer Neal Menashe has stated that 'The product's being built ready, we wait for all the regulations and we know exactly what we need to do there.' Ontario has seen numerous arrivals from both the USA (which shares extensive sporting interests with Canada, of course) and the UK (which has long had a more liberal approach to betting and is home to some of the world's best-known casinos/sportsbooks). It would be surprising if a similar pattern did not repeat in Alberta when its market gets up and running.
June 2025 - a Mixed Bag for iGaming in Canada
Fans of gaming have something to look forward to as Alberta takes another step towards its own domestic betting marketplace. But it remains to be seen whether plans for a federal advertising approach leads to a heavy-handed ban. Loto-Québec's results are stable (or stagnant if you take the view competition is needed to get the province going), while Ontario sees its market continue to rise nicely. Whether the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition gathers momentum might be affected by how Alberta's domestic market works out, and if Paul Burns is right about provincial monopolies enabling grey markets to flourish.
As it stands, April and June have been busy months, and we look forward to seeing what July will bring.
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