After just one year of regulated online play, the Ontario has emerged as one of the top five North American gaming markets. According to a recent report from Ontario iGaming, operators have taken $36.5 billion ($27.1 billion USD) worth of wagers over the past year. That stacks up to $1.4 billion ($1 billion USD) in revenue for the provincial government.
Officials at iGaming Ontario also report that their market has put a huge dent in unlicensed gambling operations as players flock to an array of more than 40 licensed operators. They cite a recent study conducted by Ipsos that found 85 percent of Ontario residents who gambled within the last three months had done their gaming with a licensed operator.
Ontario gamblers seem to be have their gaming habits under control with the average active player spending about $70 a month. The most popular sport for betting was basketball with about 28 percent of the total action. Hockey, Canada’s national sport, only accounted for nine percent of all Ontario wagers. When it comes to online gambling, about half the action (48 percent) went to online slots, with an additional 32 percent going to live dealer table games.
Board Chair Dave Forestell celebrated the market’s success as a victory over the forces of black market gambling saying, “Today’s numbers demonstrate that Ontario has one of the best online gaming markets in the world. Since Ontario opened the market we have seen new investment, job creation, and captured revenue that used to leave the province. Ontario is well on its way to becoming the best gaming jurisdiction in the world.”
“Every player who places a wager with a legal Operator is doing so in a safe, regulated, and protected environment,” added Martha Otton. “I want to thank the players, our 40+ Operators and our government partners for placing their trust in us. Together we can help this market continue its strong performance,” he added.
Ontario is Canada’s first province to establish a regulated online gambling market.