ShareCanada's iGaming landscape is undergoing one of its most dramatic shifts in decades. Provinces are rethinking how they regulate online casinos, with some embracing competition, while others modernize behind the scenes. The country is moving further away from a single national model and toward a mosaic of distinct regional ecosystems.
We spoke to online casino expert Jemma McColgan to make sense of this transformation and find out what the future holds for Canada's iGaming market. With over a decade of industry experience to her name, Jemma offered us unique insights into what is driving these changes and how players can make the best of what's on offer.
Hi Jemma, thanks for talking to us today. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of Canada's iGaming scene?
"Hi, of course. The first thing to understand about Canada's iGaming landscape is that it is a regulatory patchwork. At the moment, Ontario has the only fully competitive market with dozens of private operators licensed alongside the provincial lottery. That's going to change soon, though, as Alberta is on track to launch its own open market this summer.
All the other provinces remain monopoly-driven, although the pressure is rising for lawmakers to adopt the Ontario model. Government-run casino platforms typically don't offer a lot of choice or great promotions, so players prefer to use offshore sites instead. The result is an iGaming scene that's in flux."
How can players get the best experience out of a market that is so fragmented and confusing to navigate?
"It is a tricky situation for players. The reality is that offshore casinos are here to stay until provinces open up their markets and offer licenses. While it is safe to use offshore sites, players need to be cautious, as there are scams out there. The first bit of advice I'd give to any player is to check that a casino has a robust license before using it. The absence of a license is a huge red flag, and it's just not worth the risk.
Online casinos are such a competitive market, and there's always a lot of noise from operators advertising new welcome bonuses and even bigger wins. Checking out reviews and guides from fellow players and industry experts is the best tactic to cut through that noise. Our online casino BC guide is one of many tailored to players across the provinces, so they can get the most relevant and up-to-date insights."
How does the Ontario market differ from that of other provinces?
"As I said, Ontario is the only province that operates a fully open, competitive, multi-operator system. The way that works is, licenses are distributed and overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Its role is to ensure that platforms stick to strict anti-money laundering laws, offer fair games, and protect players from harm. iGaming Ontario enables operators to offer their platforms to residents through commercial agreements.
The result of that partnership is a market that is government-run but privately delivered. Players benefit from robust safeguards and an ample choice of products. The province benefits from substantial tax revenue, which is reinvested in local services. Since the market first launched in April 2022, regulated online gambling has generated more than C$10 billion in total operator revenue. It's not hard to see why Ontario's iGaming model has piqued interest across Canada."
How is the rise of Ontario influencing policy conversations in other provinces?
"The impact of Ontario's market success has been really significant, although it might not always be easy to see that. Alberta is the first province to take the leap and launch its own open market in Ontario's image, although the process has taken many years to come to fruition. Conversations are being had elsewhere, too, although other provinces are taking a different course.
Take British Columbia, for example. It could benefit from modernizing its iGaming market, but its lawmakers continue to justify the status quo. Rather than opening its market, it has instead opted to rebuild its regulatory foundation by creating the Independent Gambling Control Office and implementing the 2026 Gaming Control Act. These reforms signal that BC wants Ontario-level oversight without Ontario-level competition.
Similar conversations are going on in Québec and the Atlantic provinces, which are reassessing how effectively their monopolies can compete with offshore operators. In effect, Ontario has become the benchmark that every province must now respond to, in whichever way that boils down to."
How significant is Alberta's move toward a competitive model, and how might it reshape Western Canada's market dynamics?
"Alberta's move toward a competitive iGaming model is significant because it represents the first real break in Western Canada's longstanding monopoly structure. It signals that Ontario's open market success is no longer an outlier but a catalyst. By creating a two-tier system, Alberta is effectively adopting the same structural blueprint that Ontario used, just on a smaller and more controlled scale.
This shift has huge potential to reshape Western Canada's market dynamics by forcing neighbouring provinces to take a hard look at the competitiveness of their own monopoly systems. Alberta's route stands in contrast to BC's, and it will be interesting to see how things shake down in a few years for both regions. If Alberta's new market proves popular with players and brings in good revenue, that will tighten the screws for BC and other provinces."
Do you think any other provinces will expand their iGaming markets like Ontario and Alberta have?
"I think so, yes, although it's not going to be quick. I think that the monopoly model is coming to an end, but it is going to take some work for provinces to find a new model that works for them. While Ontario's market has undoubtedly been a success, it cannot be lifted wholesale and replicated just anywhere. Factors like population spread have a big impact, as do political factors.
Loto-Québec is deeply entrenched as both an operator and a revenue engine in its province, and the region has historically been very resistant to external competition. The Atlantic provinces face issues of scale. At the moment, they share a regional monopoly under the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, so opening individual provincial markets would require dismantling that cooperative model.
In Manitoba and Saskatchewan, there is little political momentum, and the economics of a private market are less compelling. As you can see, it's a complex picture. iGaming in Canada is evolving at quite a pace, but that doesn't wholly mean through privatizing markets."
