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Assessing the Expansion of Wagering on Sports in Canada

Canadian sports betting landscape has undergone a significant shift since the legalization of single-event wagering in August 2021, with Ontario's regulated online gambling platforms leading the charge. Burlington, ON reports the transformation.

Analyzing the Expansion of Wagering on Sports Across Canada
Analyzing the Expansion of Wagering on Sports Across Canada

Assessing the Expansion of Wagering on Sports in Canada

In the third quarter of 2024, Canada's online gambling market witnessed significant growth, with wagers reaching a staggering $22.7 billion. This represents a 10% increase quarter-over-quarter and a 25% surge year-over-year.

The largest share of revenue came from online platforms, which continue to show the fastest growth rates among all betting channels. This trend is expected to continue, with market analysts projecting revenues to reach $8,757.2 million by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 13.6% from 2025 through 2030.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) maintains between 25% and 30% of the online gaming market share in Ontario. In the same quarter, the regulated online gambling market generated $825.8 million in gaming revenue. The average monthly spending per active account in Ontario during this period was $277. By December 2024, online gambling spending in Ontario had reached a whopping $7.8 billion.

Sports betting, esports, proposition and novelty betting made up $3.4 billion of total wagers in the third quarter of 2024. This type of betting generated $166 million in revenue during the same period.

The expansion of the market is also supported by mobile betting platforms and integrated payment systems. The Senate adopted Bill S-269 on November 5, 2024, as part of establishing a national framework for regulating sports betting advertisements. However, federal legislators are considering restricting sports betting advertising, as outlined in Bill S-269.

The Ontario market is not the only one experiencing growth. Alberta introduced Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, on March 26, 2025, with plans to establish iGaming Alberta as a Crown corporation to oversee private operators. Canadian Gaming Association CEO Paul Burns expects Alberta's online gambling sector to become operational in the first quarter of 2026.

Despite the growth, law enforcement continues to monitor illegal gambling operations to ensure a fair and safe market for all participants. Live wagering options and real-time odds updates have become standard features across regulated platforms, providing an engaging and interactive experience for users.

As Canada moves towards liberalizing its online betting market, it will be interesting to see how the market continues to evolve in the coming years. The province planning to begin this liberalization in the first quarter of 2026 is not specified in the provided search results.

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